Page 11 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - February '21

Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens, Page 11

Visby, Gotland from page 10 Dacia, which features music composed
by Friedrich Mahler.
Gotland became part of Sweden around 900 A.D., paying Interestingly, not only has the
its taxes and looking only for protection. Otherwise Gotland temperate climate of Gotland produced
wished to remain an independent, passive community. It an abundance of award-winning roses
remained fairly peaceful until 1361, when Danish King that cover the walls and buildings in
Valdemar IV Atterdag conquered Gotland in a battle just the village, but in addition, 36 species
outside the wall at Visby. The next 300 years brought shifts of orchids make their home here.
to the trade route and dominance by Denmark, the Hanseatic During summer, the island swells
League and other privateers, as well as the Teutonic Knights. from its usual 58,000* residents to
Sweden got it back in 1645, but by then the island had become more than 300,000 visitors for the
impoverished and had lost its importance in the Baltic. various festivals. However, even
Visby, “the city of ruins and roses” and administrative capital with very admirable weather, once
of Gotland, is a city frozen in time. Very little has changed since the summer season is over, Gotland Red-tiled roof buildings in Visby, built outside the great wall, now fill the land from
the 13 century when it was in its heyday. To protect the riches of reverts to its landowners. the city to the harbor.
th
the city, a two-mile, 30-foot-high wall was built to surround the As one might expect, getting to
town. Included in the wall were some 40 towers and numerous Visby today is probably easier than
gates. The wall was capped on the end with the Powder Tower, it was in the Middle Ages. There’s an
which was the munitions storage for the town. airport, and regular ferry service is
Today’s visitors can still see remnants of the wall, as well as available from the mainland. Perhaps
portions of the churches and cathedrals that were built. However, the best way to enjoy this medieval
only one of these landmark churches is still in use. St. Maria masterpiece is aboard one of the cruise
Cathedral is the only medieval church that remains intact and ships that now use Visby as a port of
is used today. Although roofless, the nave serves as a concert call on a regular Baltic Sea cruise
hall for musical festivals that are staged late each summer. itinerary. Regardless of how you get
Today, the villagers of Visby look to festivals and tourism as there, the time spent experiencing
their major source of income. Townspeople suffered a setback Gotland and Visby, this true medieval
several years ago when the “ruin-plays” were discontinued. village, is priceless.
These performances, held in St. Nicolai Church, go back to the *Source: Gotland in Figures, 2017,
turn of the century. The most famous of these plays was Petrus de https://www.gotland.se/104323, Page 6 Visby’s brightly painted buildings line the cobblestone streets, reflecting a period
Don Kiselewski writes from locked in time.
his personal experiences, having
traveled in 122 countries and
cruised the oceans, seas and rivers
of the world. Palm Beach Gardens
Travel Leaders, his family owned
and operated agency, is located at
Mirasol Town Square, 11360 North
Jog Road, Building A, Suite 102-6,
Palm Beach Gardens. The agency
has been serving the travel needs
of the South Florida area for over
a quarter of a century. Contact
him at (561) 694-9696 or Aussie@
An eye-catching alley of red roses in the medieval town of PBGTravel.com.
Visby Photos by Don Kiselewski Multicolored fishing boats dot the small harbor in Gotland.