Sollerön facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sollerön
Sollerön Church
Sollerön Location in Dalarna Show map of Dalarna Sollerön Location in Sweden Show map of Sweden
Country	Sweden
Province	Dalarna
County	Dalarna County
Municipality	Mora Municipality
Area
• Total	2.50 km2 (0.97 sq mi)
Population  (31 December 2010)
• Total	901
• Density	360/km2 (900/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)

Sollerön is the biggest island in Lake Siljan. It is a small town located in Mora Municipality, Dalarna County, Sweden. In 2010, about 901 people lived there.

Island History

Ancient Sites

Sollerön island has many interesting old places. You can find Dalarna's largest Viking-era grave fields here. There is also a historic church and old farmhouses from the 1700s and 1800s. The Viking museum on the island is now closed.

Viking Graves

In the north of Sollerön, there are two big areas with graves from the end of the Viking Age. One large area is called Bengtsarvet-Häradsarvet-Rothagen. A smaller one is at Utanmyra.

These grave sites are the biggest of their kind in Dalarna. Together, they might hold as many as 100 to 150 graves. So far, 18 of these graves have been dug up and studied.

The Viking grave area is known as Sollerögravarna in Swedish. It is thought to be well-preserved because the graves were built with stone, not just soil. The grave fields mostly have mounds and piles of stones. These are usually 6 to 15 meters wide.

For a long time, people thought these mounds were just piles of rocks left by farmers clearing land. But in 1921, a discovery showed that some mounds hid graves. Villagers had also found "iron scraps" in Utanmyra before.

In 1928, more graves were found. That's when people realized the whole area was a series of grave fields. Digging at these sites happened in 1928-29 and again in 1934.

Eleven grave sites were looked at closely. In each of these graves, the bodies had been burned before burial. Scientists found burnt bones and coal inside the burial mounds.

Many other old items were also found in the mounds. These include things like arrows, glass beads, bronze rings, and horse equipment. These objects are similar to those found in Viking graves in other parts of Scandinavia. For example, similar items were found in Mälardalen, Jämtland, and Tröndelag.

Name Meaning

The name "Sollerön" comes from two Swedish words. "Sol" means "sun," and "ön" means "the island." Because of its name and the many old burial mounds, some historians think the island might have been a place where people worshipped the sun a long time ago.

Island Culture

Language

A special dialect called Soldmål is spoken by people who live on Sollerön island.

Villages on Sollerön

Sollerön is home to several small villages:

• Häradsarvet is the main area of Sollerön. It has the church, a post office, and shops. Many old buildings are still kept here.
• The Bengts Heritage area (called Bengtsarvet in Swedish) has farms spread out on a gentle hillside. Most buildings are painted in the traditional red Swedish style. Many have been updated recently.
• Utanmyra is west of Bengts Heritage. It has a large group of buildings and some smaller farms. Several farms here have also been updated.
• Rothagen is a long village west of the church. It is an old village that has recently seen more people move in.
• Gruddbo is a fairly large village south of the church. It is on a western slope. The farms are mostly restored and sit on rocky areas near the buildings. In some parts, the farm buildings are close to the street, making narrow paths.
• Rullbodarna, or The Rollerbars, is south of Gruddbo. It is a small village with farms grouped along the main road. In many places, the farm buildings are close to the road. Most farms are set back or have angled fences. Many buildings have been updated recently.
• Kulåra is in the southwest part of Sollerön. It is a village where houses are clustered together and it is right next to Lake Siljan. The village is small and dense, with farms grouped around the road. Round farms are common. Some multi-story buildings have been rebuilt recently. This village also has a swimming area called Kulårabadet, which the villagers take care of.
• Bodarna is the southernmost village on the island. It is east of Kulåra. It is a small village with buildings grouped along the road. The Bodens used to be farms. The village is in open farmland with large pastures. This village also has a swimming area called Rävnäsbadet, which the villagers take care of.
• Bråmåbo is the easternmost village on Sollerön. It is a small group of homes. In the north of the village, farm buildings are close to the street. In the south, newer houses have been built. Around the village are large open fields and meadows. This village also has a swimming area called Bäckstabadet, which the villagers take care of.

Famous People

• Karl Lärka, a Swedish photographer who took pictures of everyday life, was born in Sollerön.
• Winona Oak, a Swedish singer and songwriter.