Visborg, Medieval castle ruins in Visby, Sweden
Description
Visborg is a castle ruin on the southwestern edge of Visby overlooking the harbor of Gotland's main city. The remaining stone foundations show the structure of a defensive fortress built in the 15th century.
History
Erik of Pomerania built this fortress in 1411 to protect the strategic Baltic trade routes. Danish forces deliberately destroyed it in 1679 when they withdrew from the island.
Culture
The site represents centuries of competing powers vying for control of a strategic Baltic location. Walking among the stones, you sense how central this fortress was to the region's identity and survival.
Practical
This site sits right by the harbor and is easily reached on foot from the old town. The ruins are freely accessible and offer a good vantage point over the harbor and city.
Did you know?
The Danish destruction was not accidental damage but a deliberate choice to prevent it from being used against them in the future. This makes the ruin a visible sign of a military decision that shaped the island's fate.
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Residenset i Visby
280 m
Palissaderna
109 m
Huset med målningarna
407 m
Tofténska gården
386 m
The Grey Goose
268 m
Visby 63:1
342 m
Big Henry
191 m
Kvarteret Slottet 2
45 m
Flintan 3
321 m
Hammaren 11
325 m
Kilen 3
426 m
Stenklivet
258 m
Berget 29
393 m
Torsmanska huset
303 m
Björkanderska huset
435 m
Stopet 12
407 m
Lanthamnstullhuset
221 m
Backen 3
176 m
Visby Arkivet 1
227 m
Huset med målningarna och magasinhuset
408 m
Berget 16
301 m
Berget 20
363 m
Liljewalchska huset
419 m
Kvarteret Skepparen 3
162 m
Kvarteret Skeppet 2
149 m
Högan
437 m
Tullhuset i Visby
275 m
The Sconce Gate
132 m
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