Stenåsa is a small settlement in Mörbylånga Municipality on the island of Öland, the second largest island in Sweden. It has grown and closed the gap to the nearby settlements of Södra Kvinneby and Slagerstad. These three settlements today have a combined population of around 110 inhabitants. But it is Stenåsa that for centuries was the seat of the local parish, becoming the center of social and religious life in the area.
A Short History of Stenåsa
Stenåsa Parish had its origins in the Middle Ages and its initial church is believed to have been built in the 12th century. The parish acted as the local government up until 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 Stenåsa Municipality. The municipality did 90 years later in 1952 become a part of Mörbylånga Municipality. The church congregation is since 2002 a part of the Hulterstad-Stenåsa Congregation.
Things to Do and See
This is a small settlement that are built along the main road. The few other roads either goes inland along the fields or out towards the coast of the Baltic Sea. There are beaches along the coast, as well as a smaller camping. Otherwise it is the church that is the most prominent building within the settlement, even though some of the farm buildings might be slightly larger.
Stenåsa Church
The current white stone church was inaugurated in 1838. It replaced the former medieval church and was built with limestone. The church is today a part of the Hulterstad-Stenåsa Congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden.
How to Get to Stenåsa
- Flights: The nearest airport is Kalmar Öland Airport (KLR), which is 40 kilometers to the northwest.
- Car: Stenåsa is along countryside roads east of Mörbylånga.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 445 kilometers (5 h)
- Gothenburg – 372 kilometers (4 h 20 min)
- Malmö – 309 kilometers (3 h 40 min)
- Linköping – 269 kilometers (3 h 30 min)
- Kiruna – 1675 kilometers (17 h 50 min)
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