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Founded: 1653Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Sweden
Historical period: Swedish Empire (Sweden)
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The massive stonewall, stretching straightforward between the two coasts of Öland, was built due the orders of Duke Karl Gustav, later King Karl X Gustav in 1653. The intention was to keep the deer in the royal hunting grounds from escaping them, although many speculate it served the double purpose of keeping the peasantry away from his sport. It was built with local materials and local labour in lieu of taxes. The surrealistic wall in open landscape is still in good condition.
The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.