The history of Roma kloster och kungsgĂĄrd goes back more than 900 years. Roma kloster och kungsgĂĄrd is located on Road 143 between Visby and Ljugarn, surrounded by grain fields and avenues. The monastery ruins, exhibition, and hiking route each offer a different focus. Roma kungsgĂĄrd is a popular destination for day trips and can be a stopping point during a walk or run.
From monastery to later building complex
Roma kloster was founded in 1163 or 1164 by monks from Nydala kloster at the site of Gutnaltinget, the Gotlandic assembly. The monastery’s medieval name was Monasterium Beatae Mariae Gutnaliae. Roma klosterkyrka is a monumental three-aisled ruin with a well-preserved portal on its west façade. Roma kyrka was built at the end of the 12th century.
The present main building and the two wings of Roma kungsgård were built in 1733. Building materials from the walls and buildings of the monastery complex were used for this purpose. The reused materials thus connect the medieval monastery complex with the later building complex. The main building houses a permanent cultural history exhibition produced by Gotlands Museum. The exhibition’s opening arrangements may vary seasonally; check current visiting options if you plan to see it.
The Pilgrimsled: route and duration
The Pilgrimsled starts at Tillåtelsens kapell at Roma kungsgård and runs along the railway track between Roma and the Hesselby museijärnväg in Dalhem. The route is about seven kilometres long. The estimated hiking time over easy terrain is two hours and 30 minutes. With its named starting point and estimated duration, the route can be planned as a separate activity.
The Gotlands Hesselby Jernväg to Roma is 6.5 kilometres long in total and was inaugurated on 14 May 2015. Its aim is to run Gotlandic trains in an authentic setting, creating the illusion of times gone by. Seasonal services may vary; check current travel options before planning a journey.
Avenues and woodland landscape
Five formal avenues of elm and maple trees lead to Roma kungsgård. Near Roma lies Klosteränge, a deciduous woodland covering almost 30 hectares. It contains one of Gotland’s largest stands of old oak trees. Among the birds that nest in hollows in old oaks and ash trees are stock doves, jackdaws, starlings, nuthatches, and collared flycatchers.
Klosteränge once belonged to the extensive lands of Roma kloster. The present-day woodland landscape and its birdlife add another dimension to the history of the buildings: while the monastery ruins and the main building bring the history of construction to life, Klosteränge is notable for its deciduous woodland, old oaks, and nesting birds.
Discover more destinations: När, Hejdeby, Vamlingbo, Gothem, Klintehamn, Lärbro, Dalhem, Väte
For the overview of the wider destination: Gotland.
