Page 168 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sweden

166  SWEDEN AREA B Y AREA

2 Bunge including medieval tournaments,
markets and handicraft festivals.
Gotland. Road 148. * 950. @
_ Tournament (2nd week in Jul). In Snäckersstugan cottage, with
the date 1700 carved into the
The village of Bunge is gable, visitors can enjoy a cup
renowned for its 14th-century of coffee and attempt to make
church Bunge Kyrka, built in out the Gotland proverbs
Gothic style. Its tower was painted on the ceiling.
constructed in the 13th century Just north of Bunge is
to defend an earlier church – the busy Fårösund, one of
holes from pikes and arrows the larger towns in northern
in the north wall bear Gotland with around 1,000
witness to past battles. inhabitants. For many years
Inside are beautiful the area was dominated
limestone paintings by the military and Majestic limestone stack at Kyllaj, Slite Bay
dating from around countless young men
1400, which are were drilled here in Viking period onwards, and
thought to depict defence of the island. development only really took
the Teutonic Knights Since the coastal off in the late 19th century with
fighting the Vitalien artillery unit was an upturn in seafaring. Today
brothers, pirates of disbanded in 2000 the town is dominated by a
Mecklenburg who with the loss of many cement factory.
occupied Gotland jobs, the area risks In summer, the fine sandy
in the 1390s. In the going into decline. beaches, harbour, tennis courts,
chancel is a poor stunning stone stacks and lime
box in limestone R Bunge Kyrka kiln attract holiday-makers. The
signed by stone- 60 km (37 miles) N of islands offshore are perfect for
mason Lafrans 8th-century picture stone, Visby. Tel 0498-22 27 00. short trips, including Enholmen
Botvidarson. Like Bungemuseet Open mid-May– with Karlsvärd fortress, which
the font, it dates mid-Sep: daily. dates from 1853–6.
from the 13th century. E Bungemuseet
Next to the church is 2 km (1 mile) E of Bunge. Tel 0498-22 Environs
Bungemuseet, one of Sweden’s 10 18. Open Jun–Sep: daily. 8 ring On the opposite side of the
largest rural museums. It was for appointment. & - = bay is Hellvi, with the delightful
created in 1917 by Bunge old harbour of Kyllaj. The quiet
schoolteacher Theodor beach is in a beautiful setting
Erlandsson, who wanted to 3 Slite overlooking weathered sea
show how the people of Gotland. Road 147 * 1,500. @  stacks. Strandridaregården, the
Gotland used to live. In the n Visby Tourist Information Centre, 18th-century coastguard’s house,
fields next to the school he 0498-20 17 00. _ Golf round Gotland now belongs to Bungemuseet.
gathered together cottages, (2nd week in May). Northwest of Slite is Lärbro
buildings and cultural objects Kyrka, a mid-13th century
from different parts of Gotland Occupying a stunning setting in church with an 11th-century
covering the 17th, 18th and a bay facing its own archipelago watch tower next to it. In the
19th centuries as well as four is the town of Slite. It is the churchyard are buried 44 of
carved stones from the 8th second largest community in the former prisoners of war
century. The museum hosts Gotland. Slite had a long and who came from the German
many events in the summer, troubled history from the concentration camps to the
hospital at Lärbro in 1945.
St Olofsholm, nearby, is
dedicated to Olav the Holy
who visited Gotland in 1029
to convert the island to
Christianity. In medieval times
it was a place of pilgrimage.
This is also the site of
Ytterholmen’s large group
of limestone stacks and a
glorious pebble beach.
R Lärbro Kyrka
10 km (6 miles) N of Slite. Tel 0498-22
27 00. Open mid-May–mid-Sep: daily.
Buildings at Bungemuseet with thatched roofs of Gotland sedge 8 - = 7
For hotels and restaurants in this area see p286 and p297

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