Visby

Visby, the main town of Gotland, is a UNESCO-listed Hanseatic port ringed by an almost complete medieval wall over three kilometres long, studded with towers. Inside stand the ruins of great merchant churches, stepped-gable warehouses and lanes hung with roses, and each August the town throws itself into a famous Medieval Week.

Background

The oldest finds on the site, interpreted as beach huts, carry radiocarbon dates from the 7th to 9th centuries AD, and by around AD 900 Visby was a centre of trade. The Gutasagan of the mid 14th century calls the place Wi, meaning holy place or place of worship. Visby Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Mary, dates from the 12th century and was opened in 1225. The ring wall, 3.4 km long, was probably begun in the 12th century and raised to its present height around 1300. Wealth peaked between 1300 and 1350, the likely period of the Laws of Wisbuy, a maritime code. In 2017 the town had 24,330 inhabitants.

Source: Wikipedia, "Visby"

The main sights

• The town wall - the near-complete medieval wall and its many towers.
• The church ruins - the roofless shells of the great Hanseatic merchant churches.
• The rose lanes - the cobbled streets and rose-covered stone houses.
• Medieval Week - the August festival of costumes, jousting and markets.

When to go

Summer for warm days, the ferries and the town at its best; August for the Medieval Week spectacle, though it is crowded and booked out. Spring and autumn are quiet and atmospheric.

What to expect

In peak summer and especially Medieval Week, Visby is packed and accommodation is scarce and dear, so plan ahead. It is a ferry or flight away on Gotland, a real journey. Outside summer it is quiet and many services close.

Nearby

The raukar sea stacks of Faro and the Gotland beaches spread across the island.

Key facts