The village of Åland in the historical province of Uppland was once the center of the former Åland Parish. The settlement has developed around the parish church and has for centuries been split into an eastern and a western part – Österby and Västerby. Sävaån separates the two parts. The church is east of the river and because of its location, it is a part of Åland Österby. You should not mistake the village with the Åland Islands, the autonomous province in Finland.
A Short History of Åland
Åland Parish has its origins in the Middle Ages and it was mentioned in writing for the first time the end of the 13th century. The village itself was mentioned already at the beginning of the century. It is known to have been split into two parts, an eastern part and a western part, as early as the mid-15th century.
The eastern part, Österby, transformed into a seat farm in 1680. In Scandinavia, a seat farm was a farm that also included the permanent residence of a nobleman. The word for seat farm is “Säteri” in Swedish.
Things to Do and See
This is the Swedish countryside outside of Uppsala and not the archipelago of the Åland Islands in Finland. So, large fields replace the red cliffs and the Baltic Sea is nowhere to be seen. Instead, you have a long history as the center of the local parish.
Åland Church
The Åland Church dates back to the 13th century and it was once the center of the local parish. The stone church has seen many alterations during its long life. Its current shape was obtained first during the 18th and 19th centuries. The clock tower is outside of the church’s stone enclosure. It was rebuilt at the end of the 18th century and it is made of wood.
River Sävaån
Sävaån is a river that separates the village into two parts. It runs for 25 kilometers from its origins around Järlåsa until it reaches the bay of Lårstaviken at Lake Mälaren.
How to Get to Åland
- Flights: The closest airport is Stockholm-Arlanda Airport (ARN), 59 kilometers away with both domestic and international flights.
- Car: Åland is close to road 72 between Heby and Uppsala.
- Bus: Local and regional UL buses connect the area with the surrounding region.
- Train: There are train stations in nearby Morgongåva or Uppsala.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 97 kilometers (1 h 9 min)
- Gothenburg – 459 kilometers (5 h 34 min)
- Malmö – 673 kilometers (7 h 29 min)
- Linköping – 245 kilometers (3 h 12 min)
- Kiruna – 1189 kilometers (13 h 41 min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
