Bredsättra is a small settlement in Borgholm Municipality in the eastern part of Öland, the second largest island in Sweden. This village with around 75 inhabitants was once, together with its church, the center of the local parish. It is today a rural area of the island with just a short distance of farmland separating it from the coast of the Baltic Sea.
A Short History of Bredsättra
Bredsättra Parish had its origins in the Middle Ages and its first church is believed to have been built here in the 12th century. The current church is, however, younger. It dates to 1848. The church and the surrounding settlement stood at the center of the parish for centuries. The parish acted as the local government, but this changed with the Swedish Municipal Reform of 1862. This was when the parish’s responsibilities were split between the church congregation and the new civic government of Bredsättra Municipality. The municipality was 90 years later in 1952 incorporated into Köpingsvik Municipality, which in turn became a part of Borgholm Municipality in 1969. The church congregation is since 2006 a part of the Köpingsvik Congregation. The new congregation is a merger between the congregations of Bredsättra, Egby, and Köping.
Things to Do and See
This is a rural part of the island with the church as the most prominent building. There is, however, not a long distance to the coast and the Baltic Sea. At nearby Kapelludden there is a small harbor, the ruins of a former chapel, and a fairly large lighthouse. Back in Bredsättra there are a few local businesses, including a caramel factory and a glass workshop.
Bredsättra Church
The parish church was inaugurated in 1848 and replaced the former medieval church. The western church tower did, however, survive and is a part of the new church. The old church had a tower both to the west and to the east. The church is today a part of the Köpingsvik Congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden.
How to Get to Bredsättra
- Flights: The nearest airport is Kalmar Öland Airport (KLR), which is 48 kilometers to the southwest.
- Car: Bredsättra is along countryside roads east of Borgholm.
- Bus: Buses from Kalmar Länstrafik connect Bredsättra with the surrounding area.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 453 kilometers (5 h 10 min)
- Gothenburg – 380 kilometers (4 h 30 min)
- Malmö – 317 kilometers (3 h 40 min)
- Linköping – 267 kilometers (3 h 30 min)
- Kiruna – 1683 kilometers (17 h 40 min)
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