Visby City Wall

Visby, Sweden

The City wall of Visby (Swedish: Visby ringmur) is an old medieval defensive wall surrounding the city. The building of ringwall was probably started in the 13th century. Around 1280 it was rebuilt to reach its current height, along with the addition of its characteristic towers (although some towers were not constructed until the 15th century) It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Visby. The war in 1288 between the citizens of Visby and the Danish army gave the citizens of Visby a reason to continue the work with the wall. All together the city wall became 3.4 km, and it was finished in the beginning of the 14th century. At the time, the wall contained 29 towers, 27 of which are remaining today.

During the 1361 Battle of Visby, the main battle was fought within 300 meters of the North Gate of Visby (shown on the right). The peasant forces were ultimately unsuccessful, however, resulting in the citizens of Visby surrendering to the Danish forces.

References:

Comments

Your name



Address

Norra Murgatan, Visby, Sweden
See all sites in Visby

Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Sweden
Historical period: Consolidation (Sweden)

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

steve&alfie (2 years ago)
Wonderful place to visit. So much architecture, a few ruins, very photographic town.
Dandren Salangsang (2 years ago)
One of the best historical place i've seen. From the the port it took 20 minutes walking distance until you reach the visby wall. Visby wall is a medieval defensive wall surrounding. Visby is a town on the Swedish island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. It's known for its well-preserved town wall, a medieval fortification incorporating defensive towers. The town's many churches include the grand, centuries-old St. Mary's Cathedral and the medieval ruins of St. Nicolai and St. Karin.
Carlos Contreras (3 years ago)
The earliest history of Visby is uncertain, but it is known to have been a centre of merchandise around 900 AD. It was inhabited as early as the Stone Age, probably because of the access to fresh water and a natural harbour. In the 12th century, Visby Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Mary, was constructed.
TheChocolateAnn (3 years ago)
Nice weather. Feel like an outdoor museum, informative narrations provided nearby towers and wall. An amazing combination between the preserved inner town and the shopping malls/ outlets outside the walls.
Z Baghestani (3 years ago)
It's like they build a beautiful European village inside a castle. I loved walking around the alleys and enjoyed local shops and restaurants and cafe and overall vibes.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople

The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.

Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.