Föra – Medieval Church and Open Landscape

Föra is located in the northern part of Öland, roughly where the island is at its narrowest. The distance to the coast is approximately 2.5 kilometres on either side. The open, intensively farmed agricultural landscape gives the place a distinctive character. The local history includes a medieval church, historic farm buildings, a distinctive cemetery and an old road landscape. Anyone wishing to combine a trip to Öland with culture, nature and independent discoveries will find several different points of interest in Föra.

Medieval Church and Historic Village Landscapes

Föra’s medieval church developed from a wooden stave church built in the 11th century into a stone church constructed around 1160. It stands near the crossroads where the roads along Öland’s eastern and western sides meet. The medieval limestone west tower is one of the best-preserved medieval towers on Öland and shapes the historic impression of the place.

The church has an audio guide that provides additional guidance when exploring the building. On the second floor of the west tower, a latrine is preserved that may be the oldest of its kind in Sweden. The cemetery also contributes to the character of the place: it is surrounded on all sides by a dry-laid limestone wall. Next to the church stands the former small school dating from the 1880s. South of the church at Korshorvan, there is also the approximately two-metre-high medieval stone cross Martinuskorset.

The preserved farm buildings complement this picture of Öland’s architectural history. They include connected rows of barns with bevelled corners, built both in limestone and using timber-frame construction. During your stay, you can thus combine various historical themes: sacred architecture, rural buildings and visible traces of earlier village life.

Lake, Nature Reserve and Open Landscape

The landscape around Föra also offers clear contrasts. Gelträsket is a small lake in the northern part of the area, surrounded by dry and wet grazing land. The Djurstadsträsk nature reserve lies on the southeastern edge of Föra, on the border with Alböke. It features interesting flora and a rich birdlife. If you are interested in plants, birds and the differences between agricultural land and wetlands, you can include these aspects of the landscape separately in your travel plans.

A Historic Road Landscape on Öland

Another special perspective is offered by the coastal road from Äleklinta through Föra and northwards towards Byerum. It is regarded as a unique, old road landscape with prehistoric house foundations and graves. There are also harbour facilities, sites for boathouses and remains of stone quarrying. The road does not automatically connect all the historical traces mentioned into a single visitor attraction, but it illustrates the diversity of the landscape history along this route. For travellers who prefer to get to know Öland through its landscape and history rather than only through individual sights, this section of road is a notable focal point.

Which Accommodation Suits Your Interests

When searching for a holiday apartment in Föra, you can first consider which aspect should define your stay: the medieval church and its surroundings, the open agricultural landscape, the nature around Gelträsket and Djurstadsträsk, or the historic coastal road. This allows you to choose your accommodation according to your actual travel interests. Föra is not an interchangeable place name for this purpose, but a clearly recognisable blend of church history, rural architectural culture and Öland’s landscape.

Discover More Destinations

If you would like to explore other destination pages in addition to Föra, you will find Runsbäck, Rockneby, Karlevi, Ekenäs, Ljungbyholm, Trekanten, Kalmar and Alby here: Runsbäck, Rockneby, Karlevi, Ekenäs, Ljungbyholm, Trekanten, Kalmar and Alby.

To the main travel overview: Kalmar.