Ydre Municipality, Rural municipality in Östergötland County, Sweden.
Ydre Municipality is a rural area in Östergötland County characterized by pine forests, farmland, and Lake Sommen. Three main settlements - Österbymo, Hestra, and Rydsnäs - serve as population centers throughout the municipality.
The municipality formed in 1952 when a governmental restructuring merged six separate administrative areas into one unit. Its name comes from the ancient Ydre Hundred, a medieval administrative division of the region.
Local folklore speaks of trolls and giants from medieval times who resisted the spread of Christianity across the land. These stories remain woven into the region's identity and continue to shape how people understand their surroundings.
A car is needed to explore this area, as public transportation is limited throughout the region. The three main settlements serve as good starting points for visiting the surrounding forests and lake.
Naturum Sommen on Torpön Island combines a natural history museum with an educational center focused on local ecosystems. It offers visitors a unique way to understand the lake's ecology and the region's biodiversity.
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