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Founded: 700-800 ADCategory: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Denmark
Historical period: Germanic Iron Age (Denmark)
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The Kallerup Stone was discovered in 1827 by a stonemason in a field with several stone circles near a church in Hedehusene. It was then restored in 1851 by raising it near its original position. This granite runestone, which is 1.6 meters in height, is among the oldest in Denmark and is believed to date from about 700 to 800 AD. The elder futhark inscription is somewhat unusual in that it uses text bands, the inscribed lines above and below the runic text, which is a practice that did not become common on runestones until later with the use of the younger futhark. The Kallerup Stone is classified as being carved in runestone style RAK, which is considered to be the oldest classification. This is the classification for inscriptions where the ends of the runic text bands are straight and without any attached dragon or serpent heads. In the runic inscription, the name Hornbora translates as 'horn-bearer'.
References:Towering 52 meters above the sea, Bengtskär lighthouse is the tallest one in Scandinavia. The building started in in 1905 after the shipwreck of S/S Helsingfors and was completed in 1906. The lighthouse was designed by architect Florentin Granholm. On December a special petrol lantern, designed and built in Paris, was brought to Bengtskär and installed atop the tower.
German fleet bombarded Bengstkär in the First World War in 1914. Since the Gulf of Finland was heavily mined, it was not until 1919 that the surrounding seas were declared safe for shipping, that the light was lit again.
After the war the military value of Bengtskär increased as part of the defence system of independent Finland. In Second World War (1941) Soviet Union made a suprise attack to island. After a bloody battle, the small Finnish garrison emerged victorious. Intermittent repairs to the facility continued during the post-war period.