Home Labyrinthos Caerdroia Archives Photos Links Contact Sitemap

Labyrinthos Photo Library

Stone Labyrinths

Throughout the Nordic countries of Sweden, Norway and Finland, beyond the arctic circle to 71º N. and particularly around the shorelines of the Baltic Sea, stones and boulders were used to mark out the walls of the labyrinth. Over 500 examples are recorded. While their ages are the subject of much debate, a number have been confidently dated to the late medieval period, from the 13th century through to modern times, with a distinct peak during the 15th and 16th centuries. Stone labyrinths are also known from Iceland, Arctic Russia and Estonia; all of these outlying groups probably originated from Nordic settlers, fishing and trading contacts. The surviving early 18th century Troytown from the Scilly Islands, SW England is the only example south of latitude 55º N and quite unique. In recent years a number of historic examples have been restored and modern replicas are also popular throughout Scandinavia, at the coast, in parks and educational settings.


St. Agnes, Scilly Islands, England	Valbypark, Copenhagen, Denmark	Bragegården, Vaasa, Finland

St. Martins, Scilly Islands, England	St. Martins, Scilly Islands, England	St. Columba's Bay, Iona, Scotland

Valbypark, Copenhagen, Denmark	Valbypark, Copenhagen, Denmark	Valbypark, Copenhagen, Denmark

Zaiatsky, Russia	Zaiatsky, Russia	Zaiatsky, Russia

Zaiatsky, Russia	Bolshoi Solovetski, Russia	Bolshoi Solovetski, Russia

Bolshoi Solovetski, Russia	Kandalaksha, Russia	Umba, Russia

Bragegården, Vaasa, Finland	Nyhamn Storlandet, Åland, Finland	Gregersö, Åland, Finland

Dritvik, Iceland	Lejre, Denmark	Lejre, Denmark

Tulstrup, Denmark	Tulstrup, Denmark	Visby, Gotland, Sweden

Sodra Hallarna, Gotland, Sweden	Nisseviken, Gotland, Sweden	Nyhamn, Gotland, Sweden
We also have a downloadable PDF guide to the stone labyrinths on the Swedish island of Gotland, one of the richest concentrations of these monuments in Scandinavia, with information on recommended examples to visit, and a paper on the dating of stone labyrinths in northern Sweden by means of lichenometry and various other papers on this topic. All of the images on this page (and many more besides) are available in high resolution digital formats for licensed reproduction. For details of reproduction fees and permission procedures, send us an e-mail with details of your planned usage and format requirements. Fröjel, Gotland, Sweden