Fårö (Gutnish Faroy; from "Far-" (travel) and "oy" (island)) is a small Baltic Sea island north of the province of Gotland, off Sweden's southeastern coast. It is the second-largest island in the province. It has a population of less than 600, and has become a popular summer resort. The island has no banks, post offices, medical services or police. It has its own dialect, claimed to be the oldest language in Sweden. [1]
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Geography
The island is separated from Gotland by the Fårö-strait, but connected by two car ferries, operated by the Swedish National Road Administration. It has an area of 111.35 square kilometers, whereof 9.7 km² are water areas or islets.
On the islands of Fårö and Gotland, rock formations called "Rauk" can be found. These were a result of erosion during the Ice Age and are unique to Gotland and Fårö.
Etymology
The name "Fårö" (in Gutnish "Faroy") is derived from the words "ö", meaning island, and "far-", which is a word associated with travel, like in the Swedish word "farled" (fairway). The word Fårö, probably means the island you have to travel to, or the traveler's island. Mainland Swedes might misinterpret the name Fårö to be derived from får, the mainland Swedish word for sheep, due to the many sheep on the Island. However, the Gutnish word for sheep is "lamb".
Military past
Until the 1990s, Fårö and the North of Gotland were off limits to foreigners because of a government military installation there.[2] There were large, multilingual signs at the side of the roads informing visitors of this, and the prohibition was strictly enforced. After the cold war ended the installation (Swedish coastal artillery division KA3) was mostly shut down.
A relic of the island's military past is a 203-meter tall radio mast at Holmudden at 57°57'33" N and 19°20'46" E.
Cinematic heritage
Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman lived and died on Fårö, and several of his movies were filmed there, among them Through a Glass Darkly (1961), Persona (1966), Hour of the Wolf (1968), Shame (1968), The Passion of Anna (1969), and Scenes From a Marriage (1972; filmed at the home of his ex-wife)[2].
The Bergman Festival is a weeklong tribute to the filmmaker held on the island every June.
Andrei Tarkovsky's The Sacrifice was also filmed on Fårö.
Tourism
An annual event on Fårö is "Fårönatta" (Fårö Nights), held in September, during which restaurants and bars stay open all night, craft stands are set up and the church holds a midnight Mass.[2]
Fårö districts
Fårö Fyr (Fårö Lighthouse)
The Fårö Lighthouse lies on the island's northeastern point. It is 30-meters high and was built between 1846-47.
Langhammar
The Langhammar peninsula and the Langhammar nature reserve on north-western Fårö feature rocky beaches with the Ice Age stone monoliths known as rauks. Langhammar was the setting for Ingmar Bergman's movie Through a Glass Darkly.[2]
Digerhuvud
The Digerhuvud nature reserve features the Helgumannen fishing village. It is not suited for swimming due to its depth (up to 80 meters close to the shore) and strong currents, however, it is a popular diving and sport-fishing area.
Sudersand
The long, sandy Sudersand beach on north-eastern Fårö lies next to Sudersands Semesterby which rents cabins to tourists.
References
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Fårö |
- Gotland Tourist Accosiation — Fårö
- (Swedish) Fårö article from Nordisk Familjebok
- Sudersands Semesterby och Badrestaurang accommodation and restaurant on Fårö.
- (Swedish) Fårömålet — Description of the Fårö dialect of the Gutnish language
Coordinates: 57°56′N 19°09′E / 57.933°N 19.15°E
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