Visby City Wall In Sweden: Overview,Prominent Features,History,Interesting facts
Overview:
The Visby City Wall in Sweden is a medieval defensive wall that surrounds the city of Visby on the island of Gotland. The wall dates from the first half of the 12th century, when Visby was at its height as an important trading center and part of the Hanseatic League. It is one of the best-preserved city walls in Europe today and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The wall has 3 rings, with the outermost being about 4 kilometers long and consisting of limestone blocks. Inside the wall is the main city street, lined by the historically significant churches, warehouses, and residential buildings. Visitors today can tour the wall and its accompanying buildings, and it is a major tourist attraction on the island of Gotland. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Sweden
Prominent Features:
1. Height: The Visby City Wall in Sweden is 2.5 miles long and up to 39 feet high at some points. 2. Number of Towers: The city wall is comprised of over 40 stone towers that are distinctly visible from the skyline, many of which are still standing today. 3. Design: Built during the 12th and 13th centuries, the wall is made of two layers of limestone, built around the medieval town centre to protect against invaders. 4. Preservation: The wall has been preserved and maintained since its construction, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 5. Accessibility: Visitors can access the wall at several points along its entirety, including through the modern city gate. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Sweden.
History:
Visby City Wall is a Medieval stone encircled fortification situated on a small Swedish island of Gotland off the East coast of the country. The fortified wall has existed for more than 700 years and is the best-preserved city wall of its kind in Scandinavia. In the 13th century King Valdemar of Denmark conquered Gotland, building a new city on the island and a wall that would protect it, establishing port of trade and commercial center. This wall still stands today. Construction of the wall began around 1220 and was completed around 1330. The city wall was designed with double gates, watch towers and parapets that reached a height of 4 meters. Connected to the city wall were several other defensive structures such as mills and gunpowder storehouses. Together, these structures provided a significant protective strength against attacks. Throughout its long and turbulent history, the city has been occupied many times by different forces. One particular invasion of note is that of the Russian forces in 1719. They put up a long siege, which lasted for six months, but were eventually defeated. Another example was the Germans in the summer of 1940 during the Second World War. Fortunately, they were driven out by Swedish Resistance Fighters. Over the centuries, the city wall has served as an important part of Visby's history and helped to protect its citizens from potential attacks. Today, the medieval wall still stands, and is an important part of the city's relevant tourist industry. It has even been named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Visit one of the famous monuments of Sweden with your friends and family.
Interesting facts:
1. Visby City Wall is one of the best-preserved medieval city walls in Europe. Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, the wall is almost 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in circumference and stands 4.2 meters (13.8 feet) high at its highest point. 2. Its 3 main gates (Korsgatan, Helgeand and Adolf Fredriks) were used both for entrance and exit, and the wall was made up of 4 watchtowers and 44 defense towers. 3. In 1995, the Visby City Wall was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is today one of the most popular tourist attractions in Sweden. 4. The wall was also used as a pilgrimage route in the middle ages, connecting routes like Engelbrekt Church and the cathedral. It was also used to protect the city during the many wars throughout its history. 5. To this day, Visby’s City Wall stands strong, both as a reminder of the history of the city and its people and an example of the strength of medieval engineering. One of the historical monuments of Sweden, it tells the story of a bygone era
Explore Sweden most popular tourist destination with us. Visby City Wall In Sweden: Overview,Prominent Features,History,Interesting facts,which is 35.14 km away from Sweden main town, is the most popular destination to add in your travel wishlist.
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City:
Sweden
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state:
Gotland
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country:
SE
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country code:
Sweden
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postcode:
62185
Location:
Gotland SE