Gotland – Visby Medieval Walls & Ruins

Last August, we stayed for a week in the medieval city of Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland.

Built during the 13th and 14th centuries, the Visby ringmur — or city wall — is today well-preserved, with much of the original 3.6km structure surrounding the town still standing. Visby is also known for the 10 stone churches built between the 12th and 14th centuries which today lie in various states of ruin.

After a period of prosperity as an important trading hub, Visby faced plague, invasion and a decrease in trade, followed by the Reformation, which resulted in many of the churches either being damaged directly or allowed to languish and decay. By the 1800s, the church ruins as well as the city wall were protected under law and conservation efforts began.

Here are some images I snapped this past summer that feature the city wall as well as some of the church ruins in Visby.

City walls including part of a tower
Looking down on a church ruin
A wrought iron gate secures this fairly substantial church ruin
More towers in the city wall
Ruins overrun by vines
Stone and stairs amongst the leaves
A well-preserved guard tower in the city walls
Ruins rising above a restaurant’s covered seating
Church ruins seen from inside another ruin
Looking up
Windows
Ceiling details
Nature always wins
Are we inside or outside the church?
More windows
Very well-preserved details
Much less-preserved details
Peeking from behind
Seen over the rooftops
Old city wall behind someone’s garden wall
Olive branches and the city wall
The city wall lit by evening light

Published by kewtiebird

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I am a photography enthusiast living in Oslo, Norway. My favourite subjects tend to be landscapes and nature - but I enjoy photographing urban scenes, architecture, abstract shapes and street images as well. Welcome!

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