Zweden - Sverige - Sweden

Sankt Nicolai kyrka (St. Nicholas’ Church) is dating back to the 12th century and was first mentioned in 1161. The nave was added during the next century. The church - named after Sankt Nicolaus, the patron saint of the sea men - was originally a chapel for fishermen and as the town expanded, has been built on substantially. It became its present size at the end of the Middle Ages. The exterior of the church was changed in 1953 when the white plaster was knocked down and the original facade of quartzite appeared, something that gives the church its external character. The church is located in the centre of the city of Simrishamn, next to the Stortorget, the central square. The flowers are from a Crimson Hawthorn.

Glimmingehus is considered to be the best-preserved medieval castle in Sweden. The construction of the castle was started in 1499 (completed in 1505) knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand, who apparently terrorised the farmers of the region in the service of the king of Denmark. Sweden’s province of Skåne was part of Denmark at the time. The impressive castle is more of a ‘keep’. Glimmingehus contains many defensive arrangements of that era, such as parapets, false doors and dead-end corridors, 'murder-holes' for pouring boiling pitch over the attackers, a moat and drawbridge. The castle is 30 meters long, 12 meters wide; the highest point comes to almost 26 meters. The lower part of the castle's stone walls are 2.4 meters thick and the upper part 1.8 meters. Glimmingehus looks imposing, just a big stone box located on the vast fields of Österlen. Nowadays the castle is a museum; on site there are also a restaurant with medieval dishes, a shop and a coffee house.

Ales Stenar (Ale's Stones) is located at Kåsehuvud abobe the little harbour of the old fishing village of Kåseberga (ten kilometres southeast of Ystad). Ales Stenar is Sweden's largest preserved stone ship. The megalithic monumen consists of 59 boulders in the form of a 67 metres long and 19 metres wide ship. Mystery, myth and legend surround this monument of 59 stones. Not even the experts know why they are known as Ales Stenar. What is for certain is that this is a stone ship 67 metres long and 19 metres wide and it is a grave, most probably from the late Nordic Iron Age, about 1400 years ago. The monument was first restored in 1919 when the monoliths were returned to their original position and again in 1956. Whether the stones were a gathering place for sun cult worshippers, or used to determine the winter and summer solstices is a mystery that still remains unsolved.

Lilla Västergatan: one of the most photographed streets in the old part of Ystad. In the background the tower of the S:ta Maria Kyrka (13th century).

The southern province of Skåne (Scania) offers wonderful Marvinsholm Slott. The estate already was mentioned as Bosöe, Borsöe and Bordsyö in the beginning of the 12th century. The present renaissance castle was built in 1644 - 1648 by the Danish noble Otto Marsvin, who renamed it after himself. Originally the castle was built on beech wood poles in a small lake and is still surrounded by a moat. The building forms a square in four floors and is provided with remarkable towers. Late 18th and mid 19th century there were major renovations and restorations to the castle. Marsvinsholm is privately owned and closed to the public; however, one can visit the (sculpture) park all year round. The red coloured castle is considered to be one of the five most beautiful castles of Sweden. It is located a couple of km’s west of the city of Ystad.

The area around the little harbour of Smygehuk has been inhabited for a long time. The small fishing hamlet has existed here since the 17th century. The harbour, built in the 1920's, was originally a limestone quarry. The small 'falu red' houses are huts where fishermen keep their nets. Nearbij the harbour one can find a coign af vantage that marks Sweden's southernmost point. Smygehuk's lighthouse (see note in the main picture), built in 1883, ia a 17 m high cast iron tower.

In 1988 traces of a fortress complex were found at the highest point of the city of Trelleborg. It turned out this wall belonged to a wooden ring fortress from the Viking Age. The fortress was built in the 980’s - most probably on orders from Harald Bluetooth, by that time king of Denmark. The Trelleborgen as it exists nowadays is a reconstruction from 1995, based on the archaeological finds, crafts traditions and educated guesses. The reconstructed quarter of the fortress lies in the middle of the city. The complex offers also a Vikingmuseum, a souvenir shop and a café.