Sandhamn

Sandhamn is a locality ( småort ) on the island of Sandon in the community Värmdö in Uppland. It is located in the eastern part of Stockholm archipelago.

The location of the place, pretty far out on the open sea, has made this place a popular place for summer visitors and sailors. Sandhamn is a center for the summer activities of the Royal Swedish Sailing Society ( KSS) and thus a classic starting place for various sailing regattas, including the Gotland Runt and the Sandhamnsregattan. Additionally, there is good swimming in Trouville and Fläskberget.

Sandhamn is underway among others, the passenger line Waxholmsbolaget. The boats operate from Stockholm, Vaxholm and Stavsnäs. In the village there are several hotels and restaurants, of which the Sandhamns Värdshus from the 17th century is the most famous. The sailors Hotel Sandhamn with his sailors restaurant and dive center are popular meeting places.

History

Sandhamn was first mentioned in the Middle Ages. At that time still under the name Swea Sandhoe.

At the beginning Sandhamn was used as grazing land for the peasants of the neighboring island Eknö. The, sheltered harbor in Sandhamn was used in the 16th century as an anchorage for large sailing ships. This waiting there from the lulls in the summer, the storms in the fall or the thick ice in the winter. Sandhamns harbor was also the place where the fleet of Gustav I Vasa was waiting to start the battle against Christian II.

Approximately in 1670 the Customs discovered the strategic location of the island and opened a customs station. With the establishment of the customs station, the town began to develop more and more. In 1710 a so -called star hill was constructed with an artillery battery in place. The fortress had a long time, but began in the period after the First World War, more and more falling. While the Russian depredations in 1719, the entire town was burned to the foundation walls, but within a few years, the residents had built this again.

From 1726 a shipping route to foreign ships in Sandhamn was opened and the operation of customs intensified. In 1752 the duty was its previous building too small and they started to build a bigger one. The building was constructed according to the plans of the castle architect Carl Hårleman. To make room for the new duty station was torn down some buildings. Some of these were built on another site. These buildings also include the Sandhamns Värdshus.

On Sandhamn there used to be an intensive pilot activity. At the beginning of this came from the neighboring island Eknö, but around the mid- 1880s shifted them into the site. With the customs station and the pilot station, the place became more and more. In 1880 there lived about 300 residents. At the end of the 19th century, the steamship was common. This development was also an early form of tourism in transition.

In 1897, the Royal Swedish Sailing Society ( KSS) built their clubhouse in Sandhamn. With this, more and more leisure sailors came into the place. The building was designed by Fredrik Lilljekvist and is now used as a hotel and conference center. Sandhamn was now more and more to the sailors metropolis. In 1939 Sandhamn was the goal of the sailing regatta Gotland Runt. From the year 1963, both start and finish in Sandhamn.

Pictures

On Sandhamn there are no roads, only trails and small platforms

Sandhamns pilot station. In the upper window there used to be a beacon

Strindbergsgården

Sandhamns bakery

Sandöns eastern part

View from the customs station