Föra is a small settlement in Borgholm Municipality on the island of Öland, the second largest island in Sweden. The settlement is in the northern part of the island and was once, with its church, the seat of the local parish. This is a rural area with the settlement being located along one of the sides of the main road through the area.
A Short History of Föra
Föra Parish had its origins in the Middle Ages and a stave church is believed to have been built here already in the 11th century. There is not much left of that first medieval church today, only a few wooden planks in the current church’s tower. The current stone church has a history stretching back to the 12th century. Well, actually that church was actually demolished and a new church built in the 1820’s.
The parish acted as the local government until the Swedish Municipal Reform in 1862. This was when the parish’s responsibilities were split between the church congregation and the new civic government of Föra Municipality. The municipality was in operation up until 1952 when it was 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 Föra-Alböke-Löt Congregation.
Things to Do and See
There are a few farm buildings in this rural part of the island, but it is the church that stands out the most. With that said, it is still a beautiful scenery with the surrounding farmlands and small forests.
Föra Church
Föra Church was inaugurated in 1828 and replaced a former medieval church that had previously been the seat of the parish. The old church had become too small for the growing number of church goers. The church is today a part of the Föra-Alböke-Löt Congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden. The church’s inventories include a votive ship, a kind of ship model, that goes by the name Vega.
Martinuskorset
Martinuskorset is a cross that was raised in memory of the priest Martinus. It stands close to the church and was raised already in 1431. The local legends tells of Martinus and that he was murdered, or rather beaten to death by the bishop’s bailiff.
How to Get to Föra
- Flights: The nearest airport is Kalmar Öland Airport (KLR), which is 65 kilometers to the southwest.
- Car: Föra is on Road 136 north of Borgholm.
- Bus: Buses from Kalmar Länstrafik connect Föra with the surrounding area.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 470 kilometers (5 h 20 min)
- Gothenburg – 398 kilometers (4 h 40 min)
- Malmö – 335 kilometers (3 h 50 min)
- Linköping – 284 kilometers (3 h 50 min)
- Kiruna – 1700 kilometers (17 h 50 min)
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