St Brita's Chapel Ruin at Kapelludden

Öland · Sweden · Ruin

Legend says the remains of St Bridget were carried ashore right here in 1374 — today only the east gable and a stone cross rise from the shore meadow.

On the east coast of Öland outside Bredsätra a low shore meadow juts into the Baltic, and legend holds that it was here the remains of St Bridget were carried ashore in 1374, after the long journey home from Rome by way of Germany, before being taken on to Vadstena. In the Middle Ages the place was called Sikevarp and was one of the island's most important fishing and trading stations, with a harbour, a market and a chapel from the thirteenth century. The chapel was probably named for the Irish saint Brigid of Kildare, but the cult soon merged with Bridget of Vadstena — and it is her name that stuck to the point. After the Reformation the chapel was abandoned and left to decay. The west gable fell in a storm in 1914. Today only the eastern wall and a stone cross rise from the meadow, with reed beds and open water all around.

FAQ

Where is St Brita's Chapel Ruin at Kapelludden located?

St Brita's Chapel Ruin at Kapelludden is in Öland, Sweden.