Fun Facts
Over the course of my explorations I have learned some fun facts and thought I'd share them.
Swedish Residence in Ottawa
Ottawa Canada is home to 128 embassies and consulates for countries around the world, with each having a related residence for ambassadors. Specifically for the Swedish Residence, the first thing the current ambassador bought when he came to Canada was Muskoka chairs from Ikea in the colours of the Swedish Flag.
RCMP Horses
One of the iconic symbols of Canada is a Mountie in their red coat on top of a black horse. When I had to go to Ottawa, I got to take a tour of the stables where the RCMP horses are trained for the famous Musical Ride. Something I didn't know though was ALL RCMP horses are from the Hanoverian breed, and born on the same farm now located in Pakenham, Ontario. The program is 84 years strong!
Also, every year the new foals born on the farm get their names from the Name The Foal contest, where kids across the country submit their best name starting with a specific letter that changes each year.
Uppsala University Gotland Guide
Since 1761 Uppsala University's Gotland Campus has had a dedicated guide to share the history of the Campus. While the Campus isn't that big (about 7 buildings), each location has a rich history of what it was used for previously or odd little quirks that show the medieval heritage.
(Just as a reminder Canada was established in 1867, so even the guide has been around longer than the Country!)
Building Churches
One of the churches in Visby, called St Clemens, was originally built around another church to expand the chapel. When you walk into the ruins you can see not only the walls of the new(er) church but also the corners of the original church. It's definitely clear why there needed to be a remodel, the original was itty-bitty!
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This church is also one of the oldest in Visby.
Old Visby Roads
It's fairly common knowledge that the roads in Old Visby are made of cobblestone, and that there are many hills, but did you know that there are only 2 straight and even roads in the entire old town! The reason why these 2 roads are straight and even is because they were used for rope making, which required the machines to have a clear view between them.
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(Extra Tip- If you are as clumsy as a walker as I am bring walking poles, they are a life saver!)
"Accidentally" Blowing Up A Castle
There used to be a Castle and Fortress called Visborg in Visby, built by King Eric of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden in 1310. The castle was built when Denmark, Norway, and Sweden were fighting for control of the Island of Gotland in the midst of revolts and seizures. Eventually, Sweden was granted the island from Denmark for 30 years in 1645, after which is was returned to Denmark, and then returned to Sweden after 3 more years (1676).
The funny thing is that the Danish soldiers in Visby didn't want Sweden to have the fortress so they "accidentally" blew it up in a week!
To learn more click here: Visborg
War of 1808
In 1808 there was a war between Sweden and Russia, called the Finnish War, which was a part of the Napoleonic Wars. During this time Russia decided to invade Gotland, and when they arrived there were no Swedish troops around. So, an easy victory right. Well after Russia claimed Gotland, somehow Britain caught wind of it, came to Gotland, and told Russia NO! The Russian's ended up packing their things and leaving, without much of a fight.
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(At least according to the Gotland historians)
The White City
Visby was known as the White City because the old walls that surround the city were covered in limestone.
Bunkers Galore
1400 bunkers were built in Visby in one year.
The Tower
One of the towers in Visby is the oldest structure of the town, but historians can't agree on the exact date it was built.
Burning it Down
In either 1592 or 1595 half of the entire city of Visby burnt down (and took most of the records with it, no wonder historians have a hard time agreeing on info!)
Population
Considering how old Gotland is the population living on the island has been relatively stable. In the Medieval times the population was 50,000ish and today it's about 64,000 (which isn't that much of a difference!)
Ewe
In the Botanical Gardens there is a Ewe statue made of three important materials from Visby: concrete for the walls, pebbles for the cobblestone and tires since it used to be a dumping ground.
Old Markets
There used to be 14 market squares in Visby, 12 of which were specialty markets including fish, eggs/poultry, and grain. You can usually guess their locations but finding the roads that are just a bit too wide and have many connecting streets.
St. Michael's Church
St. Michaels Church was known as St. Michaels Church of the Prostitute, and is now the only original church still open in Visby (though they changed the name to Visby Cathedral)
Where's the Rest?
As you walk along the wall surrounding Visby, you'll notice quite a few towers that are all missing their back half. This is because the backs of the towers were made of wood, so if enemy forces captured the towers, the Swedes could burn down the backs, making the towers unusable.