Week 7 & 8
Gotland is known as the island of 100 churches. If you’re in the rural countryside, which is the majority of the island, you can often see from one church spire to the next. These churches are open everyday from mid-May to mid-September. When you step over the threshold you will find yourself back in the Middle Ages. Gotland has had churches since the 11th century. There are 92 churches which were built before 1350!
Our main purpose in going to Gotland was to see the small southern village of Vamlingbo. Eric’s great grandmother, Anna Marie Ecklund was born there in 1853. She immigrated to the USA in her young adult life after she was converted and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of of Latter Day Saints.
We looked her name up on the family search app as we traveled south from Visby. Along the way we found other ancestors that came from the towns of Näs and Eke. All three towns were within just a few kilometers of each other.
The scenery was so beautiful and I kept thinking there must be beachfront condos somewhere, but there were none to be found. I felt like the landscape may not have been that different 170 years ago.
Traditional house with thatched roof. The rock walls go for miles.
