The harbor city of Visby on the Swedish Baltic island of Gotland, a medieval Hanseatic town within preserved stone walls.
Geography
Visby sits on the west coast of Gotland, Sweden’s largest island. The Hanseatic town occupies a low coastal terrace ringed by a 3.4 km medieval ring wall, one of Europe’s best preserved.
Hanseatic Trade
Visby was a leading member of the medieval Hanseatic League from the 13th to 15th centuries. The town’s wealth supported the construction of 17 stone churches by 1350, most of which now stand as ruins.
UNESCO
The walled town and its limestone ruins were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995. The annual August Medieval Week draws costumed enthusiasts from across Europe.