Lovö Runestones, Norse runestones at Lovö church, Sweden.
The Lovö Runestones are five stone monuments with runic inscriptions and serpentine patterns standing near the medieval church on Lovön island in Lake Mälaren. These stones form an archaeological site where visitors can explore both the carved messages and the ancient church structures together.
These runestones date to the early 11th century and were discovered during church restoration work in 1935. The discovery revealed that these monuments had originally been incorporated into the church structure itself as building materials or decorative elements.
The inscriptions speak of families from the Viking Age through names and memorial words carved into stone. These personal messages offer a window into the people who lived on this island long ago.
The site is located on Lovön island in Lake Mälaren and is best reached by visiting the church. Take time to look around carefully, as the stones stand relatively close together and can be easy to miss.
One runestone attributed to runemaster Ärnfast spent time at Drottningholm Palace before returning to its current location in 1952. This unusual journey shows how even ancient monuments sometimes experience modern adventures.
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