The Lake Islands of Sweden
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Lake Malaren is the third largest lake in Sweden, located near the city of Stockholm. The lake’s area is 1,140 square km and its greatest depth is 64 metres. Its numerous islands contain an incredibly rich history, a breathtakingly lush historical landscape with palaces, old churches, rune stones, forty castles, and two World Heritage Sites - the Palace of Drottningholm on the island of Lovo and the Viking sites of Birka on Bjorkb and HovgArden on Adelso.
The Royal domain of Drottningliolm with its Chinese pavilion, timber theatre, and Baroque gardens is a stunning 17th century palace complex, modeled on Versailles and set in the pastoral landscape of Lovo. Birka, Sweden’s oldest city, and one of its most famous historic monuments, is situated on Bjorko — an island that today has a romantic, desolate air about it.
Birka was founded at the end of the 8th century and for nearly 200 years was at the centre of European trade In the late 10th century the build up of sediment made the lake too shallow for ships to negotiate and the city was deserted.
Hovgarden, the kings farm on the neighbouring island of Adelso, remained in use until the late Middle Ages. Today these lovely islands are beautiful places in which to walk and cycle as well as see the incredibly well preserved Viking ruins.
The landscape of Lake Malaren was formed at the end of the lee Age when the land started to rise as a result of the gradual melting of the ice-cap lifting the tons of pressure that had been bearing down on it.
Quite apart from the cultural heritage contained in these islands, the moraine ridges and lush valleys are scenically lovely. They include rolling farmland dotted with oak trees, pine forest on rocky hills, and trees and grasses growing right down to the waterline.
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