Historic forts and lighthouses in Oland

Historic Fortifications and Lighthouses

Explore the defensive architecture and maritime history of Öland, Sweden. This list features Iron Age ringforts like Ismantorp and the reconstructed Eketorp, alongside the 13th-century ruins of Borgholm Castle. Complementing these fortifications are historic lighthouses, including Långe Jan at the island's southern tip—Sweden's tallest lighthouse—and the 19th-century Långe Erik in the north. These landmarks offer a chronological look at the region’s strategic importance and coastal navigation.

Historic Fortifications and Lighthouses — Map

Public domain

A

Borgholm Castle

Borgholm Castle in Borgholm, Sweden, is today only a ruin of the fortress that was first built in the second half of the 13th century and…

Marcus Grennborg (Exclamation) / CC BY 2.5

B

Eketorp Castle

Eketorp is an Iron Age fort, located in southeastern Öland, Sweden, and extensively reconstructed and enlarged in the Middle Ages.

Arnold Paul / CC BY-SA 2.5

C

Tall Erik

Långe Erik, official name Ölands norra udde, is a Swedish lighthouse built in 1845 and located on a little island, Stora Grundet, in…

Bairuilong / CC BY-SA 4.0

D

Sandby borg

Sandby borg is an Iron Age ringfort, one of at least 15 on the island of Öland, Sweden.

E

Ölands södra udde

Known as Långe Jan, this 41.6-meter tower is Sweden's tallest lighthouse. Constructed in 1785 using stone from a medieval chapel, it is situated at the southern tip of Öland within the Ottenby Nature Reserve.

Håkan Svensson (Xauxa) / CC BY 2.5

F

Ismantorp Fortress

Ismantorp Fortress is the ruins of a ringfort located on Öland Island in Sweden.

G

Borgholms fyr

A white-painted lighthouse located at the harbor entrance in Borgholm, guiding vessels through the Kalmar Strait. It stands as a functional maritime landmark near the historic Borgholm Castle ruins.

H

Kapelludden Lighthouse

Kapelludden Lighthouse, at Kapelludden on the east coast of the Swedish island of Öland, was built and lit in 1871.

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