stora alvaret, southern Öland

world heritage, southern island's agricultural landscape

From Karlevi in the west to Gårdby in the east and then all the way down to the southern tip of Öland stretches a wonderful landscape and a unique cultural area. The row villages, the cultivated land, the lake lands and Stora alvaret together form the world heritage Södra Öland's agricultural landscape. Agriculture has been practiced on Öland for thousands of years. Due to the special conditions, only part of the island can be cultivated. Stora alvaret and the lake lands by the Baltic Sea have not been able to be cultivated but have mainly functioned as pasture. This means that today we can experience something as unique as a medieval farming landscape cultivated with modern machinery. Much that in southern Öland can be experienced as nature's untouched beauty is in fact a successful interaction between man and nature. Since 2000, the agricultural landscape has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List as one of the world's most unique places.

the road between resmo and stenåsa

Öland's test field

In the 1950s and 60s, 184 white-painted concrete covers were placed on Stora alvaret. It was no accident, from above they form a clear pattern. In 1955, work began to test the accuracy of cameras in aerial photography. Before that, the cameras had only been tested in laboratories. The results became world famous and meant that the camera manufacturers had to make adjustments to their cameras. Even today it is possible to find most of these concrete lids. Go on a serious hike or run and see how many you find, start at the Möckelmossen rest area.

the map wall

One of Alvar's true hidden gems is the 30-meter-long and one-meter-high limestone wall known as the Kartmuren. It was erected in the 1920s and has been used as a starting point to measure the severity. It is most easily reached from the Bårby Källa footpath. About 2 km into the trail, you walk along the middle wall, continue until you reach a stile. From here you can see the map wall about 300 meters northeast of the statte.

gettlinge burial ground

The grave field is one of the largest on Öland, with a length of almost two kilometers that runs north from Gettlinge village. Today, more than 200 graves remain out of the original 250. In the northern part of the burial ground, there is an impressive 30-meter-long ship set consisting of 23 raised granite blocks with about twenty bowl pits.

recorded stories in the world heritage

Södra Öland's farming landscape is the story of how the farmers, generation after generation, create a unique farming landscape with row villages, fields, lake lands and alvar lands.

Now you can listen to recorded stories that highlight the unique values of the World Heritage Site and its different eras. They are reached via hiking and cycling trails that meander through Södra Öland's agricultural landscape.

The following stories are highlighted:

Lundastugan (Kastlösa): A small ore site at the edge of Stora alvaret.
Frösslunda källerbacke: During the 1800th century, farmers on Öland began growing potatoes and frost-protected and dark storage areas were then needed
Stora alvaret, the world's largest contiguous alvar land.
Beijershamn: a harbor project that developed into one of Öland's most important birding areas
Järnvägsbanken: On September 30, 1961, the last train ran on Öland's railway
Gammalsby Lakelands: The grazed grasslands and shallow beaches are perfect environments for both nesting and resting birds.
Bergsstigen: In the cultivated landscape there is an industrial landscape with 300 years of stone industry.
Möckelmossen: Stora Alvar's largest lake.
Station Linné: Deciduous forest meets elves.
World Heritage Södra Öland's agricultural landscape: One of Sweden's 15 world heritage sites.
The citizens of Öland: The citizens bear witness to an exciting time in the island's history.
Tingstad Flisor: Two pieces of three-meter high limestone chips in the middle of Öland's great elves.
Mysinge hög: A burial mound from the Bronze Age that offers a splendid view over the fertile Mörbylångadalen and Stora alvaret.
The Öland farm animals
Charles X wall
Mörbylångadalen: The World Heritage's most fertile lands.
Näsby: One of the world heritage villages
The Sandbergen festival site
Klovenhall: A cracked shifting block left behind by the ice sheet. Klovenhall means split pour.
Linné's cave: A cave along the mountain path.

Now find all places here?

why should you experience a world heritage site?

World heritage sites can tell the story of both nature and human history. By protecting and preserving what is unique, we can learn from each other, no matter what time or place we come from.

6 tips on what, among other things, you can discover in the world heritage site

1. row villages

Explore Öland's row villages. The villages were created according to the rules of the old Östgötalagen from the 1200th century. The plot width against the village street would correspond to how big a share each farm had in the village. The special thing about Öland's row villages is that several of them are intact and well preserved. Unlike in the rest of Sweden, the farms have never been moved out.

2. stone walls

Admire the ancient stone walls, from medieval half-timbered walls to the straight 1800th-century block walls. One of Alvar's true hidden gems is the 30-meter-long and one-meter-high limestone wall known as the Kartmuren.

3. great seriousness

Hiking on the vast the seriousness with its unique plant and animal life. Here you can find rare plants such as ölandssolvände and over 35 species of orchids. Despite Öland's small size, 70% of all of Sweden's insects are found here, not least a completely unique butterfly fauna. Walk in the world heritage

4. the lake lands

Explore the wetlands, which are crucial nesting grounds for waders and ducks. Southern Öland is a paradise for bird enthusiasts, especially in spring and autumn when the area becomes an important resting place for migratory birds. Don't miss out Ottenby bird station, a favorite among bird watchers. More about bird watching

5.borgans, cemeteries and churches

Explore Eketorp castle, large burial grounds which Gettlingen and some of Sweden's oldest churches. These remains tell of Öland's rich history.

6. windmills

Take a trip on a "mill safari" and visit some of the 350 remaining windmills on Öland. In the past, there were almost 2.000 mills here, which were indispensable for the farmers to grind grain with. Windmills