Fun things to do in Östergötlands Län

Rune stones are standing stones with runic inscriptions on them dating from the Iron Age (Viking Age) and early Middle Ages found in most parts of Scandinavia. Most stones are put up as memorials for a dead person, like this one at Rök as well. On the stones you can find writing in runic, a distinctive sort of alphabet.

The rune stone at Rök is extra special because of its inscriptions. No less than 7 different rune types have been used on this stone, which makes it very difficult to decipher. The stone is unique in that it contains a fragment of what is believed to be a lost piece of Norse mythology. It also makes a historical reference to Ostrogothic king Theodoric the Great.

If you are interested in Vikings, history or Rune Stones, this is a place you might love to visit!


You can read much more about this Rune Stone on my Rök page

Old and new times go side by side in Rök and for that matter in whole Östergötlands Län. In the field next to the church and the rune stone, stand these modern type wind mills. It is such a sharp contrast with the rune stone.

These days you see more and more of these wind turbines in Sweden. Although often I can't appreciate the view of them in the open landscapes, I do have to admit that they do have something special at times. They can in a way be rather beautiful against the clear blue sky, like here in the picture.

1 more image

Some of the best times to visit Lake Tåkern would be May/June and September/October. These are the seasons when you can see all the migrating birds passing through this area on their way from and to the warm south. During the autumn passage about 2000 Mute Swans and several thousands of Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Pochards and Coot collect on the lake. The Bean Gees population will build up to an amazing of 20,000 by the mid-October. This must be an amazing site to see. Unfortunately I only visited here during the very early spring, but even this time of year it was full of bird-life.

During the year about 270 species of bird visit Lake Tåkern and about a 100 species breed here. There are so many species to see that there is no use in naming them. So I like to refer you to this website instead: Lake Tåkern. I also can recommend you to look at this page (birding in south of Sweden). This is a beautiful website (PDF.file) about birdwatching in the south of Sweden in general.


You can read much more about Lake Tåkern on my Omberg page

After lots of culture it is time for some more nature! And where better to find that then at Lake Tåkern! A bird watchers paradise! Lake Tåkern is a nature reserve and about 5400 hectares big. About half of it is open water and the rest is devided by woodlands, meadows and reedbeds. The aim of the reserve is to protect nature and preserve it for the future, as it is one of the most important nesting and resting places for wetland birds in the country. The area is rather easy to reach with two visiting areas in the south (Glänås and Dagsmosse) and two to the north-eastern part of the lake (Svällinge and Hov). As this a bird protecting area the area is closed during the from 1 April until 30 June, with the exception of specifically marked roads, visiting areas and footpaths.

In the photo you can see a nicerview over Lake Tåkern, taken from the viewpoint at Omberg.


you can read more about Lake Tåkern and surrounding area on my Omberg page

4 more images

A total surprise for me during my visit to Vadstena was the Vadstena Slott (slott = castle). Maybe I should confess that I didn't know there was a castle in Vadstena in the first place and seeing this huge castle came almost as a shock. But a good one! It was great to take a nice stroll around the castle, looking at this rather unusual building with its thick walls and picturesque moat.

The castle was build by King Gustav Vasa in 1545 as a defence again the Danish. It didn't take long though before it was remodelled (in 1555) and made into a residence for the king's son. In 1716 the castle ceased to be a royal palace and got many other uses. It even has been a storhouse for grain! The castle now is partly in use by the provincial records office and parts of it is open to the public. I didn't go in, so I can't tell you how the interior is, but I got the impression that it is rather bare.

Opening hours:
2/5 - 31/5: daily 10.00 - 15.00
1/6 - 30/6: daily 10.00 - 18.00
1/7 - 31/7 daily 10.00 - 19.00
1/8 - 13/8: daily 10.00 - 18.00
14/8 - 31/8: daily 10.00 - 18.00
1/9 - 30/9: daily 10.00 - 15.00
1/10 - 30/4: daily 10.00 - 14.00

Entrance fee:
50 SEK (around 5,40 euro / 6,65 USD)
7-15 years 10 SEK



you can read more about this place on my Vadstena page

4 more images

Next to the Vadstena Kloster is the Vadstena Abbey Church. The building of the abbey began around 1369 and it was consecrated in 1430. The church was built by the directions of St.Birgitta, although some alterations were made on her original instructions. The material they used to build this church is blue-grey limestone from Omberg.

From the outside the church looks a bit boring, but maybe that is also due to the large trees that surround the church and hiding it rather well. But the inside is well worth the look. The whole feel of the church is that it is light and big and there are lots of nice sculptures and art treasures, for example the Saint Birgitta altarlocker and one of Sweden's most beautiful triumphal crucifixes. One of the things that cought my eye and that I loved is this glass stained window depicting St.Birgitta.

Time hasn't stood still in this church though, lots of changes have been made since the Middle Ages. There used to be a gallery for the nuns, a Mariaaltar , a procession gallery and a barrier that separated the abbey people from ordinary people. In the abbey there were also about sixty altars.



you can read more about this place on my Vadstena page

Inspired by the light in the photo I wrote a little poem about Vadstena Kloster. A moment of thinking back to my visit to Vadstena and feelings I had by being there. I decided to publish it here so you get some idea of what visiting Vadstena Kloster can be like.



The long hallway
Doors on either side
And then there is that light
Almost blinding the eye
And drawing you to the end

Sounds and images in my head
I can just imagine them here
The black dresses
The hollow echo
A door closes
Their silent whispers
And their ongoing prayers

This is a place where history was made
Where history feels so present
It's all gone now
But the light is still here
And the feeling
Vadstena Convent
Silence
Thoughts
So peaceful


Impressions of Vadstena Kloster, by Sim1, 2005

4 more images

The King's Palace was donated to the St.Birgitta in 1346 by king Magnus Eriksson and his queen Blanche for the purpose of building her own convent. St.Birgitta died in Rome in 1373 unable to see the finished work on her Monastery. The monastery is now the final resting place of St.Birgitta. But what is the Vadstena Kloster like these days?

The Vadstena Kloster has now turned into a museum mainly devoted to the life of St.Birgitta and how life was during her era. They did a lot of work creating this museum and the endresult is a great mix of history, displayed through old artifacts but with help of modern technology. This sounds like a crazy mix, but it is excellently done. The whole gives a lively display of life during that time and a fascinating insight into the life of St.Birgitta. I think this is one of the best museums I visited in Sweden and I can absolutely recommend a visit. You can join a guided tour or explore the place by yourself. Or do like I did, make a good combination of the two.

Opening hours:
Late May - middle September, daily 11:00 - 18:00
Middle of September - Beginning of October: Saturdays and Sundays 1:00 - 16:00

The entrance fee is 50 SEK (around 6,50 USD / Euro 5,40)
students 20 SEK and children 0-10 years can get in for free.


you can read more about this place on my Vadstena page