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.