Once upon a time...
...when giants lived and ruled in Sweden, there was a giant called Vist who lived with his wife on the east side of Lake Vättern. One day they went to a family gathering on the other side of the lake. It was a jolly and exhilarating party with a lot of delicious food. When the giant Vist and his wife finally headed home Mrs Vist had gained so much weight that she doubted that she would be able to get across the lake in a single bound. Therefore, her considerate husband threw a turf of grass out into the lake so she could make it home without getting wet. And it's still there, the little flattened turf: Visingsö.

This is one of the many legends told about this beautiful island which has been inhabited for thousands of years. It is likely that the Stone Age people came here as soon as the ice melted away and the land started to rise from the water nearly 8000 years ago. Probably the island soon after became an important place for the people and has remained so during the years. The large prehistoric burial grounds are testament that the population was quite prominent in previous times. Most of the approximately eight hundred graves are from the the Viking Era (about 800-1050 AD).

On the southernmost part of Visingsö is the Ruin of Näs. This castle was built in the 12th century when the Royal Families of Sverker and Erik ruled the country. Later, the kings of the Folkunga family occupied the castle. It is known as the first royal castle of Sweden and is described in the Icelandic Sagas as an enormous castle with a huge treasury. Many kings lost their lives here in battles. In 1318 the castle was burnt down during a fight for the throne. Most of the castle is submerged in the lake, but what remains on land is definitely worth a visit. Near the ruin there is a memorial stone to the memory of one of the mightiest medieval kings, Magnus Ladulås. The stone was erected in the 17th century by Count Brahe.

The Brahe Family resided in the Visingsborg Castle near the harbour during the 16th and 17th centuries. The magnificent square building was one of the most impressive buildings in Sweden. Sculptures and paintings embellished the walls and a large number of books filled the library. The castle also had an armoury that equipped up to 800 soldiers. Outside the walls were large orchards and gardens. The Brahe Family also built the Brahe Church just nearby. The church was built in the 1630s with the walls of a medieval church as its foundation. The tower and the door to the sacristy are the remains of the earlier medieval church. From an early date are also some paintings by a medieval Dutch artist and a small sculpture of St Bridget. Most of the decorations however were made by Count Brahe's own masters and craftsmen; for example many of the fine pieces of woodwork. One of the most precious treasures in the church is the bridal crown presented by the Brahe family.

The Visingsborg Castle was empty for several years after the death of Count Per Brahe the Younger in 1680. Later, in the early 18th century, it was used as a camp for Russian war prisoners. It is said that it was these prisoners who finally burnt down the castle in 1718. What is left today is only the left wing.

A few kilometres north to the Brahe Church is the Kumlaby Church. This church was built during the 12th century and served as the parish church for about 500 years until the Brahe Church near the castle was opened in 1636. The fresco paintings are from the 15th century. In 1636 Count Per Brahe the Younger also established a school, the Brahe School, and converted this church into three lecture rooms for the new school. It was during this time that the top of the tower was replaced by a viewing platform. The students used this platform to make astonomical observations. Today you can climb up to the platform to enjoy the magnificent view.

In the 1830s a large area of the island was used for planting oak. The trees were planted to provide shipbuilding timber for the navy. To make the oaks grow straight other sorts of trees were planted as undergrowth. Since the navy uses more modern material today, the timber is now used for other purposes such as furniture and interior decorations etc.