And just photos of Lake Vättern, it was all very peaceful and the lad meandering out onto the ice was ultimately unharmed. It’s possible to see how clear the lake is here and the water is actually drinkable, although it’s probably best to try some a little further out.
Continuing on our expedition around Lake Vättern, we reached the town of Motala and that’s as far as we actually went before deciding we’d better get back to Gothenburg.
Richard and I had spent some time during the day assessing how dangerous it must be to walk on the lake now. We also agreed that it would be impossible to walk on this part of the lake as it would be too thin.
But then we saw this lad, who was actually trying to smash through the ice at some points, bravely meandering out. Richard and I agreed that this felt very brave and the sort of thing that my friend Liam would do, as he’s a bit reckless. I assume the lad was local and knew what he was doing, but there were a couple of older people who looked a bit worried for him. Although not his mates, who were encouraging him on, but that’s what friends are for.
Vista Kulle serves as the perfect spot for anyone who enjoys a breathtaking view and isn’t wearing shoes that slide everywhere. Located just south of Gränna, this high-altitude plateau offers a panoramic look at Lake Vättern although Richard’s ten year old shoes made it hard for him to walk without falling over. I didn’t say anything and I was very sympathetic as I’m sure he’ll testify.
So here are some photos of the part of the walk that we did make and I’d like to do some more walking in this area.
Perched on a limestone cliff four hundred feet above Lake Vättern, Brahehus was a fancy holiday home and never actually meant to withstand a siege, which is lucky because its main defensive strategy seems to be “hoping the enemy is afraid of heights.”
Built in the mid-seventeenth century, the castle was intended as a grand manor for the Count’s wife, Christina Catharina, though she unfortunately passed away before she could enjoy the privilege of bracing herself against the chilly winds from the lake.
The whole arrangement eventually came to a crashing halt after the Count died in 1680. The Swedish Crown decided they quite liked the look of all that noble land and reclaimed it, leaving Brahehus to face the elements without a dedicated cleaning crew. A forest fire in 1708 finished the job, gutting the wooden interior and leaving behind the skeletal stone shell that remains today. It’s been fixed up a few times, but it’s still open to the elements and anyone can freely access the site at any time.
The interior of the castle.
The castle is now next to a service station which is effectively a very scenic leg-stretch while driving the E4 motorway. It’s a beautiful thing and it was helpful that there were a number of interpretation boards around the site to explain it.
There are two symmetrical side towers in front of the building.
And inside one of these towers. I couldn’t work out the floor line as there appear to be two former floor levels.
The view from the window, it was certainly a rather decent holiday home with this sort of outlook out the front.
I’ve written enough, for the moment anyway, about the beautiful ruins of Alvastra Abbey, but here are a few more photos….
That’s the formal chancel at the end, although I’m not sure whether this was a monastery solely for the monks or whether local parishioners were able to use it. At the crossing, so not far in front of where this photo was taken, were the graves of Kings Sverker I, Carl I, Sverker II and John I. The graves weren’t swept away after the Swedish reformation as they were found when the abbey was cleared by an archaeologist in 1827.
And the nave. If the Reformation hadn’t of taken place, or if this church would have continued in use, the link with the former Kings of Sweden that were buried here would have likely given it some considerable status.
I have no idea how so much of that roof has survived over the centuries….. Decent builders is all I can think.
These ponds at Alvastra Abbey are something of a glimpse into the resourceful and disciplined lifestyle of the twelfth century Cistercian monks that once lived here. Since their strict religious statutes mostly forbade the consumption of meat these monks became pioneers of river engineering to create complex systems of dams and canals to cultivate roach, perch and bream. The ponds today look at first sight like a river, but they are free-standing pools of water which were once supplied by Lake Vättern.
Once at the heart of Cistercian life at the monastery, there are now the ruins of its cloisters. Situated on the south side of the monastery church, the cloister once served as the central artery of the abbey, acting as a covered walkway that connected the monks’ daily activities, from prayer to study and manual labour. Though the wooden roofs and vaulted ceilings have long since vanished, some stonework has remained.
The construction of the cloisters at Alvastra reflected the austere and functional aesthetic of the Cistercian Order, prioritising light and simple lines over the ornate decorations found in other medieval traditions. I did stand here trying to imagine it when it was still in religious usage.
Beautiful, with the nave of the former monastery church visible in the background.
This is located within the cloisters and I’m not entirely sure how they know this, but the information sign reads:
“The Armariet represents a vital link to the intellectual and spiritual life of the Cistercian monks who once inhabited these ruins. In the early days of the monastery, this specific niche served as the secure heart of their literary world, housing the precious hand-copied texts required for daily prayer and study. The transition of the collection to a larger room beneath the dormitory highlights the growth of the abbey’s scholarship and the increasing importance of preserving these delicate manuscripts. It is a rare piece of historical fortune that several of these original documents survived the centuries and are preserved today, offering modern scholars a direct window into the specific religious texts and stories that shaped the thoughts of the Alvastra monks nearly a thousand years ago.”
This was a huge highlight of the trip for me, it’s the ruins of Alvastra Abbey. This was a Cistercian monastery founded in 1143 by French monks from Clairvaux at the request of King Sverker I of Sweden. As the first Cistercian foundation in the country, it served as a significant religious and political hub for centuries until it was dissolved during the Protestant Reformation.
A plan of the monastery.
There may now be a few posts about the ruins here, I found the entire site fascinating and intriguing.
I was hoping to eat local food, but Richard demanded that we go to McDonald’s as that’s his favourite. So, as I’m thoughtful and kind, I thought we could go there quickly. We opted for the outlet in Ödeshög, a short distance from the lake.
Pepper chicken, a hamburger and a tropical Fanta…. It was all really rather lovely and Richard left happy.
