Hanseatic Town of Visby Sweden

Visby is an outstanding example of a north European medieval walled trading town which preserves with remarkable completeness a townscape and assemblage of high-quality ancient buildings that illustrate graphically the form and function of this type of significant human settlement. The urban fabric and overall townscape of Visby is its most important quality. By virtue of its position, Gotland has played a dominant role in Baltic trade for many centuries between Western Europe and Russia. Excavations have indicated that there was a trading settlement in the early Viking Age on the site of Visby.

Continent: Europe

Country: Sweden

Category: Cultural

Criterion: (IV)(V)

Date of Inscription: 1995

Visby and its trade

The trading settlements banded together for the protection of their chains of trading posts and to assert their interests vis-à-vis the rulers of the territories through which they passed (and also against their rivals) into a federation or Hansa. By the 12th century Visby dominated this trade: all the commercial routes of the Baltic were channelled through the town. German merchants began to expand their sphere of interest into the Baltic and to settle in Visby, henceforward the main centre of the Hanseatic League in the Baltic.

The Germans were followed by Russian and Danish traders; guild houses and churches were built in the town, and stone warehouses were constructed along the harbour. The earlier small wooden buildings were replaced during the 13th century by large stone houses, built in parallel rows eastwards from the harbour. Pressure on the original centre was such that the surrounding land was used for housing, as well as the erection of churches and guild houses. Visby changed from a simple Gotland village to an impressive international town, enclosed by a strong defensive wall, and increasingly divorced from its rural hinterland.

Hanseatic Town of Visby Sweden

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The 14th century saw Visby losing its leading position in the Hanseatic League, following a series of disasters: the Black Death struck in 1350, the occupation by the Danish army in 1361, the pirates known as the 'Vitalian Brothers' in 1396, driven out two years later by the Teutonic Knights, who occupied the island in their turn. The end of Visby's greatness came in 1525, when it was stormed by an army from Lubeck which burned the northern parts of the town.

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The area is enclosed by the medieval City Wall built in the 13th century and substantially modified in the 14th century. From the town gates in the north, east, and south roads (possibly prehistoric in origin) lead from the cliff to the harbour, giving Visby its characteristic townscape. Dating in its present form mainly from the 13th century, the streets are irregularly laid out, suddenly becoming broad or narrow in places. A similar street pattern existed in the heart of the later city in Viking times and can still be traced from the plan.

Medieval Visby had more churches than any other town in Sweden - fifteen within the walls and two outside, which served various functions: parish churches, guild churches, monastic churches, and hospital church.

Also there are over 200 secular buildings with substantial medieval elements surviving. They are all relatively similar in shape and size: rectangular in plan, with gables end-on to the street, and of between five and seven storeys. The top storeys are often vaulted in stone, as a fire-protection measure. Decoration is used sparingly, generally restricted to quoins, stepped gables, and door surrounds: the main constructional material is limestone, with decorative elements in brick and tiled roofs.

The best preserved and most complete of these medieval warehouses is the 'Old Pharmacy' on Strandgatan, with vaulted rooms on the ground and top floors, a latrine cellar, a medieval well, and original surrounds on doors, windows, and apertures. Other notable buildings are von Lingen's House on St Hansgatan and a number of houses in the narrow streets running down to the harbour. The 'Old Residence' and the Burmeister House on Strandgatan, both from the mid-17th century, have lavishly painted interiors.

In the eastern part of the town, within the walls and below the cliff, the medieval vegetable plots were built over in the 1740s with small wooden houses of horizontal plank construction, which survive intact, as do the late 18th century houses in Swedish vernacular style built on the site of Visborg castle, blown up by the Danes when they left the island in the late 17th century. New buildings in stone were added in the 19th century: schools, a hospital, a prison and the growth of a small shopping area on one of the main streets.

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Örebro

Örebro [œrəˈbruː] is a city, the seat of Örebro Municipality and the capital of Örebro County in Sweden with 107,038 inhabitants in 2010.

Örebro received its Royal Charter and city privileges not later than 1404.

Örebro literally means a bridge over gravel banks, which is how the geography looks, with the stream Svartån draining into the lake Hjälmaren. The location became a natural seat of commerce in the (Scandinavian) medieval time, and is mentioned in print in the 13th century. Old buildings from the early days include the foundations of the city church, a building which has undergone several modifications. The natural center of the city is otherwise the magnificent Örebro Castle, situated on an islet in the Svartån, and dividing the town into a northern and a southern part. This castle was constructed during the stewardship of Birger Jarl during the early 13th century and then modified and enlarged during the reign of King Gustav Vasa in the 1560s.

Notable events in Örebro's history include the national diet meeting at Örebro in 1810, where Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was elected crown prince of Sweden.

Although a trade town, Örebro remained small until the second half of the 19th century, when it grew rapidly as a center of the national shoe-manufacturing industry (see: History of Närke).

Vadstena Castle

Vadstena Castle (Swedish: Vadstena slott) is a former Royal Castle in Vadstena, the province of Östergötland, Sweden.

Vadstena Castle was originally built by King Gustav Vasa in 1545 as a fortress to protect Stockholm from enemies from the south. The fortress consisted of three smaller stone buildings facing the lake, Vättern, three 31 meter wide ramparts, a courtyard, a moat and four circular cannons turrets. The original ramparts were torn down in the 19th century and the present ramparts were inaugurated in 1999. The stone buildings later formed the ground floor of the castle.

The reconstruction from fortress into a castle began in the 1550s, when prince Magnus Vasa became Duke of Östergötland. Duke Magnus had a mental illness and was the only son of Gustav Vasa who didn't become king of Sweden. Magnus died in 1595 and is buried in the nearby Abbey Church.

In 1620 the castle construction was finished and all the kings of the House of Vasa up till then had led the construction. Since 1620, the castle has been very well-preserved, and is one of Sweden's best examples of Renaissance architecture. Vadstena Castle was a royal palace until 1716, when the royal family lost interest in it; after which it became a storage for grain.

Hotel coldest: Icehotel, Sweden

Icehotel is the coolest hotel in the world, because the buildings and rooms of this hotel was built using the ice and snow. The whole room is decorated with ornaments and statues of ice. Activities include guests traveling with snowmobiling, northern lights tours, and sled dogs.

The hotel has a restaurant, cafe, and bar / lounge. Guests will receive a free breakfast dish. Complimentary wireless Internet access available in public areas. Business facilities at this 3.0 star property include small meeting rooms and audio-visual equipment. With an additional fee, guests have access to the shuttle to the airport. Free guest parking. Event facility consists of exhibition space and meeting rooms / konferensi.Staf can offer wedding services, event catering, and tour assistance. Additional facilities include a sauna, a concierge desk, and multilingual staff. This is a smoke-free.

Icehotel has 60 guest rooms. Guest rooms have a television. Free access high speed wireless internet available. All rooms provide direct telephone and desk. All units are equipped with refrigerators and coffee / tea makers. Bathrooms feature showers with handheld shower and hair dryer. Additional amenities include irons / ironing boards, windows can be opened, and wake-up calls. Housekeeping is offered daily. Available Cribs (infant beds). All guest rooms at the Icehotel smoking rooms.