Österskär

The name came through a competition

Österskär has been called Österskär since a naming competition at the turn of the last century. Before that, the place was called Tunanäs or Biskopsudden. By then, some thirty plots by Trälhavet and Tunaviken had just been subdivided from Tuna farm, and the only buildings were Biskopstuna and a dragoon cottage.

The fact that all properties in Österskär are still called Tuna is a trace of that time.

A summer retreat following a model

Already in the late 1800s, it had become popular among wealthy Stockholmers to acquire a summer cottage in the archipelago — away from the city's unhealthy air, to seaside bathing, sailing and social life. Director Abel Bergman, who owned most of present-day Österskär, saw the opportunity and subdivided plots.

His advertisements sold the location: "Well-situated plots in coniferous and deciduous forest on a south-facing slope with an exceptionally beautiful view over Saltsjön. Good communications by steamboat and railway." The models were Djursholm and Saltsjöbaden.

The villas that were built often belonged to academics, senior civil servants, officers and merchants — large wooden villas with ornamental carpentry and punch verandas. Many still stand.

The railway, the beach and the jetty

In 1906, Roslagsbanan was extended to today's final station Österskär. Three years later, Consul General E.W. Wallin acquired Tuna farm and continued development with another 250 plots — and had a bathing beach laid out: Österskärs seaside bath, known locally as Solbrännan.

The steamboat jetty was completed in 1912, and in 1919 Tunagård station was added between Åkersberga and Österskär.

From summer resort to suburb

During the 1920s and 30s, more and more holiday cottages were built, and Österskär became a summer resort for Stockholmers. From 1950, Österskär and Åkersberga are counted as conurbated. When Österskärsskolan school was built in 1968, the permanent population really took off, and summer cottages were converted into permanent homes.

Today, virtually the entire peninsula is developed. The differences in elevation mean that many houses have sea views.

Things to see

• Biskopstuna — medieval castle ruins, built as early as the late 13th century by the Archbishop of Uppsala, who then owned the farm Tuna.
• Österskärs seaside bath — "Solbrännan", reached by Roslagsbanan.
• Badholmen — on a small peninsula on the southern headland of Sätterfjärden.

How to get here

Roslagsbanan line 28 ends here. Two of the stations — Tunagård and Österskär — are located in the area. This makes Österskär one of the few places near the archipelago in Roslagen that you can reach without a car, all the way.