Vätö

The pinkish-red granite was quarried by the sea and transported to Stockholm as building material for many grand buildings at the end of the 1800s, including the Opera, the Parliament Building, the National Bank and Sofia Church. There was also a collaboration here with, among others, the artist Carl Milles. The pillar for "The Archer" at the Liljevalchs art gallery is made of Vätö granite, as is the gigantic 24-tonne base for Milles' sculpture "The Solo Singer" at Strömparterren, and also E.G. Asplund's granite cross at the Woodland Cemetery – which is now part of a World Heritage Site. During the 1920s diabase was also quarried on Vätö, among other things for the Match Palace in Stockholm. Vätö stone quarry at Karlsängen had at most 500 employees. The City of Stockholm established the Vätöberg stone quarry in 1898. It has been closed for many years, but can still be visited on foot. In 1886 the Rosättra Boatyard was established to build pilot cutters and sailing yachts, including Laurin cutters and later Linjett boats. Vätö probably got its first settlement during the late Iron Age. On the island there are several known burial grounds. Harg, which means place of sacrifice, is the central village on Vätö. Here there is a memorial stone in Vätö granite with the text: "Raised in gratitude to the Vätö stone workers". The stone was designed by the Vätö artist Bertil Kumlien and carved by the Vätö stonemason Bertil Pettersson. In Harg there is also a grocery shop and restaurant. There is bus traffic between Harg and Norrtälje. The Vätö huvud outdoor area is the island's northernmost point. There a fine path runs along the water with rocks and small sandy beaches just where Björköfjärden joins the narrow but deep channel through Vätösund. The Vätö bridge was inaugurated in 1993. Before that there was a ferry. The bridge has three spans over the 220-metre-wide sound. The clearance height is 18 metres at mean water level. Right by the bridge abutment over Vätösund, on a high terrace, lies the church, which was probably erected in the 1300s. Waxholmsbolaget serves Håknäs on Vätö during spring and summer. SL buses run between Norrtälje and Håknäs. Håknäs jetty is not accessibility-adapted. There is no parking space adjacent to the jetty. Jetty position: Latitude: 59,77996 Longitude: 18,95166 Timetables and more information – Waxholmsbolaget