Tofta | |
---|---|
![]() Cottage by the Tofta beach | |
Coordinates: 57°31′16″N18°10′7″E / 57.52111°N 18.16861°E | |
Country | Sweden |
Province | Gotland |
County | Gotland County |
Municipality | Gotland Municipality |
Area | |
• Total | 38.19 km2 (14.75 sq mi) |
Population (2014) [2] | |
• Total | 508 |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Tofta, also known as Gotlands Tofta, is a populated area, a socken (not to be confused with parish), on the Swedish island of Gotland. [3] It comprises the same area as the administrative Tofta District, established on 1 January 2016. [4]
Tofta is most noted for its long, sandy beach. In the north part of Tofta is a military firing range.
Tofta is the name of the socken as well as the district. It is also the name of the small 0.3 km2 (0.12 sq mi) village surrounding the medieval Tofta Church, [5] [6] also known as Tofta kyrkby. Tofta is on the central west coast of Gotland, situated on a high rocky plateau mostly covered in pine forest, 48%, while 22% of the area is used as farmland. [1] [7]
In the northwest part of Tofta, between the coastline and road 140, is the Tofta firing range (Tofta Skjutfält). It is a military compound, approximately 6 by 2 km (3.7 by 1.2 mi), used for training with live ammunition, tanks, artillery and land mines. [8] [1] Once a year, the Gotland Grand National, the world's largest enduro race, is held on the range. [9]
On the Tofta coast are two old fishing villages; Blåhäll to the north and Gnisvärd a bit further south. Blåhäll has several caves and Gnisvärd has some of the grandest stone ships on Gotland. Inland is the Smågårde village. Tofta is most noted for the long sandy beach along the southern coastline. It is the second largest and most visited, on Gotland after the Sudersand beach on Fårö. [1]
As of 2019 [update] , Tofta Church belongs to Eskelhem-Tofta parish in Eskelhems pastorat, along with the churches in Eskelhem and Gnisvärd. [10] [11]
One of the asteroids in the asteroid belt, 11308 Tofta, is named after this place. [12]
The village of Tofta dates from Medieval times. The oldest preserved text where the name is mentioned, is from 1304. The name may be related to the Swedish word toft, meaning thwart. [1]
In the greater Tofta area, there are a number of remnants from earlier eras. During excavations, Stone Age settlements and a cist has been found. There are stone ships and grave mounds from the Bronze Age, and from The Iron Age there are 23 grave fields, groove stones, stone walls, a picture stone and a hillfort. [13] [14] [15] There are also runes chiseled on a stone in the church. The stone is from 1170–90, and is a more likely to have been a tombstone than a runestone dedicated to a man called Röde Orm ("Red Snake"), a common name at that time. [16]
A reconstruction of a Viking village has been made in Tofta, where visitors can try out life during the Viking age. [17]
The Gotland Grand National, the world's largest enduro race, was held annually at Tofta firing range from 1984 to 2023 before being relocated to Hejdeby. [18]
Fårö or Fåre in Gutnish is a Baltic Sea island just north of the island of Gotland, itself off mainland Sweden's southeastern coast. It is the second-largest island in the county and it is a popular summer resort. It has its own language, Faroymal, a dialect of Gutnish.
Lärbro is a locality on the Swedish island of Gotland, with 963 inhabitants in 2014.
Västerhejde is a locality on the Swedish island of Gotland.
Lokrume is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Lokrume District, established on 1 January 2016.
Lummelunda is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Lummelunda District, established on 1 January 2016.
Stenkyrka is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Stenkyrka District, established on 1 January 2016.
Vamlingbo is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Vamlingbo District, established on 1 January 2016.
Lojsta is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Lojsta District, established on 1 January 2016.
Lau is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Lau District, established on 1 January 2016. Originally an island, it is now part of the main Gotland island due to the isostasy. It is mostly known for the good water from the spring Lau Käldu.
Burs is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Burs District, established on 1 January 2016. As of 2015, Gustaf Edman from Burs was probably Sweden's tallest man.
Gnisvärd, is a fishing village in Tofta on the central west coast of the island of Gotland, Sweden. Gnisvärd is mostly known for its stone ships and harbor.
Fardhem is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Fardhem District, established on 1 January 2016. The area is rural with farms, tourism and small companies as the main sources of income. It is home to football club Fardhem IF.
Eskelhem is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. The area is rural with farms. It comprises the same area as the administrative Eskelhem District, established on 1 January 2016.
Hablingbo is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Hablingbo District, established on 1 January 2016.
Sundre is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Sundre District, established on 1 January 2016.
Hörsne-Bara is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. Formerly two sockens, Hörsne and Bara, Bara was merged with Hörsne under the name Hörsne socken or Hörsne with Bara socken. It comprises the same area as the administrative Hörsne-Bara District, established on 1 January 2016.
Ala is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Ala District, established on 1 January 2016.
Alskog is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Alskog District, established on 1 January 2016.
Hellvi is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Hellvi District, established on 1 January 2016.
Hogrän is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Hogrän District, established on 1 January 2016.