Froson

Froson lies in Storsjon with Ostersund on the shore opposite, joined by bridges. The Frosostenen stands near the bridgehead, the northernmost runestone in Sweden, raised in the eleventh century by Austmadr who according to it had Jamtland christened. Frososkyrkan, the church, sits on a rise with the lake around it and is much used for weddings; excavation under it found a sacrificial site with animal bones at the base of a birch stump. Sommarhagen, the villa the composer Wilhelm Peterson-Berger built in 1914, is on the west side and is open as a museum, with the view over the water that he wrote about.

Background

The biggest island in Storsjön, Frösön carries part of the city of Östersund, and through most of recorded history it served as the regional centre of Jämtland. The Frösö Runestone dates from 1030 to 1050 AD and is described as the world's northernmost raised runestone. Wilhelm Peterson-Berger kept a summer house here and lived on the island permanently from 1930. In 1896 he wrote a set of piano pieces called Frösöblomster (Flowers of Frösön). Arnljot, his opera of 1910, draws partly on the runic inscriptions of the stone. Frösön remained a separate köping until 1974, when it was merged with Östersund.

Source: Wikipedia, "Frösön"

What to look for

• The Frosostenen - the northernmost runestone in Sweden.
• Frososkyrkan on its rise - with a sacrificial site found beneath.
• Sommarhagen - Peterson-Berger's villa of 1914.
• Storsjon around the island - the lake and the far shore.

When to go

June to September for the villa and the light. Half a day.

Practical notes

Sommarhagen opens seasonally with limited hours. The runestone is a roadside monument, quickly seen. The church closes for weddings. Winter days here are very short.

Nearby

Ostersund and Jamtli are over the bridge; Are is west.

Key facts