Östergötlands Län Things to Do

  Läckö castle
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  • Läckö castle
      Läckö castle
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  • Läckö castle on Lake Vänem
      Läckö castle on Lake Vänem
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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Rök, Swedens most famous Rune Stone

by sim1

Rök is just a tiny dot on the map in the middle of nowhere. A tiny little curvy road brings you to the village. You'll drive through nice open landscape and in the distance you can see a lovely white church. But there is more to Rök than only that. Maybe it is hard to believe, but this little place is famous! Why? It is the village where you can find the most famous of rune stones. The rune stone is called the Rök Stone or in Swedish Rökstenen. It has the longest known runic inscription in stone and it is also considered to be the most beautiful of rune stones.You can read much more about this Rune Stone on my Rök page

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The Rune Stone at Rök

by sim1

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 It also makes a historical reference to Ostrogothic king Theodoric the Great.If you are interested in Vikings, history or Rune Stones, this is a place you might love to visit!You can read much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

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From the old to the new times.....

by sim1

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.

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Lake Tåkern

by sim1

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...

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Tåkern, ideal for birdwatching

by sim1

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...

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Vadstena Slott

by sim1

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...

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The Abbey Church at Vadstena

by sim1

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...

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Impressions of Vadstena Kloster....

by sim1

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 hallwayDoors on either sideAnd then there is that lightAlmost blinding the eyeAnd drawing you to the endSounds and images in my headI can just imagine them hereThe black dressesThe hollow echoA door closesTheir silent whispersAnd their ongoing prayersThis is a place where history was madeWhere history feels so presentIt's all gone nowBut the light is still hereAnd the feelingVadstena ConventSilenceThoughtsSo peaceful Impressions of Vadstena Kloster, by Sim1, 2005

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Vadstena Kloster

by sim1

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...

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The King's Palace

by sim1

This is the King's Palace in Vadstena, and at the same time the Vadstena Kloster. Confusing isn't it? Hahaha, I guess a little bit. This building was built around 1250 as a royal palace. And that makes the palace the oldest and best preserved profane (= not belonging to the church) brick building in Sweden! And of course that made me want to see this building for myself. But the King's Palace hasn't been in use as a royal palace for ever. The building has had several purposes over the years. It started all of as a royal castle but was donated to the nuns in 1346. After some radical changes in the building (like lowering the roof) it was turned into a monastery: the famous Vadstena Kloster (read more about that in the next tip). The nuns lived in the former palace until 1595. But history doesn't stop there, once again the palace got new 'visitors'. In the seventeenth century the palace...

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Fun things to do in Östergötlands Län

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Reviews and photos of Östergötlands Län attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Östergötlands Län sightseeing.

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Things to Do: Cities in Östergötlands Län
  1. Norrköping Things to Do
  2. Linköping Things to Do
  3. Finspång Things to Do
  4. Vadstena Things to Do
  5. Söderköping Things to Do
  6. Kolmården Things to Do
  7. Motala Things to Do
  8. Gryt Things to Do
  9. Kaga Things to Do
  10. Rök Things to Do
  11. Sankt Anna Things to Do
  12. Vreta Kloster Things to Do
  13. Norsholm Things to Do
  14. Ledberg Things to Do
  15. Valdemarsvik Things to Do
  16. Malmslätt Things to Do
  17. Ödeshög Things to Do

More Cities in Östergötlands Län

 

Questions and Answers

nani80 profile photo

Q:  I'm wondering what's the easiest (and the cheapest) way to get from Stockholm to Vadstena? Can you recommend more small towns near... 

Sjalen profile photo

A: You catch a train to either Linköping or Mjölby and then a local bus. Check connection times and bus numbers here: www.resplus.se Note that you can buy a ticket for... 

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