Vätteryd, Tjörnarp, Sweden

The Vätteryd grave field, also known as Vätterydshed, dates from the Iron Age. The grave field consists of 183 menhirs, 15 stone ships - the largest 25 m long and 8 m wide - and 2 circles. Many of the stone ships are so damaged that all that remains are parts smaller than half the original size.

In the beginning of the 19th century, Vätteryd, with about 600 menhirs, was considered the largest grave field in Scandinavia. The research conducted between 1955 and 1957 made clear that the site had been a place of cremation burials. The grave goods found - such as bronze jewelry, glass and bronze pearls, and bronze wire - were taken to various museums in Stockholm.

References:

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User Reviews

Darjan Salaj (2 years ago)
Really cool place to visit on the road trip

Tore Brynaa (2 years ago)
Such an amazing place. Very fascinating. Parking is plenty I would like more information about the history. There is a restaurant next to the burial site.

D Henrick (3 years ago)
How fortunate that we got there by chance. Easy to find alongside the road from Höör. As one can read it is the biggest and best-preserved grave field in Skåne. Of probably several hundreds or thousands of stones in the past, today 375 stones are still standing. To me, the stone ships shaped impressively. Come here at sunset to feel the energy of this place.

Alan Rasmussen (3 years ago)
Historical intetesting an a nice short walk

Peter Jan Randewijk (3 years ago)
No as impressive in real live as on the pictures. Next to a busy road and a ploughed field on the other side. My thoughts were the whole time, "how many grave sones got destroyed by the road and the ploughed field?" Some signs / information boards would be nice to explain what one is seeing.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Ninara

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The exact age of the Church of the Holy Cross is unknown, but it was built to serve as the monastery church of the Rauma Franciscan Friary. The monastery had been established in the early 15th century and a wooden church was built on this location around the year 1420.

The Church of the Holy Cross served the monastery until 1538, when it was abandoned for a hundred years as the Franciscan friary was disbanded in the Swedish Reformation. The church was re-established as a Lutheran church in 1640, when the nearby Church of the Holy Trinity was destroyed by fire.

The choir of the two-aisle grey granite church features medieval murals and frescoes. The white steeple of the church was built in 1816 and has served as a landmark for seafarers.

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