Ås, Öland – Exploring Sweden
Ås is a church and former parish in the southern part of Öland, the second largest island in Sweden. It lies in what is today Mörbylånga Municipality in Kalmar County, near the settlement of Ottenby. The local church is the southernmost church in Öland and the former parish covered the southern part of the island, including Ölands Södra Udde with the lighthouse Långe Jan.
A Short History of Ås
Ås Parish had its origins in the Middle Ages and its church dates back to the 12th century. The parish acted as the local government for centuries until the Swedish Municipal Reform of 1862. This was when the parish’s responsibilities were split between the new civic government and the church congregation. The municipality was 90 years later, in 1952, incorporated into Ottenby Municipality together with several other small municipalities in the southern part of Öland. It did, however, only take until 1967 before Ottenby Municipality became a part of Mörbylånga Municipality. The church congregation is since 2002 a part of the Sydöland Congregation.
Things to Do and See
With the white church at its center the surrounding area mostly consists of fields and farmlands. There are a nearby camping and hostel, but it is especially the lands to the south that attracts the most interest. This is where you will find the southern point of Öland and the lighthouse Långe Jan. The lighthouse is actually the tallest lighthouse in Sweden.
Ås Church
This white stone church is the southernmost church on the island of Öland. It was built in the 12th century and saw its more recent alterations in the 1770s and 1820s. The church is today one of the churches making up the Sydöland Congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden.
How to Get to Ås
- Flights: The nearest airport is Kalmar Öland Airport (KLR), which is 70 kilometers to the northwest.
- Car: Ås is along countryside roads in the southern parts of Öland.
- Bus: Buses from Kalmar Länstrafik connect Ås with the surrounding area.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 475 kilometers (5 h 30 min)
- Gothenburg – 402 kilometers (4 h 50 min)
- Malmö – 340 kilometers (4 h 10 min)
- Linköping – 299 kilometers (4 h)
- Kiruna – 1705 kilometers (18 h 20 min)
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