The Beautiful Medieval Chapel Ruins of Lemböte in Åland

About a 20-minute drive from Mariehamn lies the charming ruins of Lemböte Chapel, beautifully situated by the sea in a peaceful forest setting. The medieval chapel has been stylishly restored, and even today summer services and other events are still held there. Visitors can explore the site independently, and although the chapel itself is usually closed, you can easily get a good impression of the single-room interior by peeking through the iron bars of the door. We visited the site in the quiet calm of November.

• Location on map
• Walking distance: approx. 700 m/one way
• Accessible: no
• Campfire site: no
• Arrival by car: Parking area right at the beginning of Kapellstigen road, signposted from Lemlandsvägen.
• Arrival by public transport: not possible

We were spending a quiet November weekend on the main island of Åland, which felt half-deserted. We had arrived on Friday afternoon, and when Sunday morning — our departure day — came, we wanted to make a short trip before catching the ferry just after noon. As we were driving towards Långnäs, I noticed a road sign pointing to Lemböte Chapel. We decided to stop by.

The winding road meandered through the November countryside and past beautiful yards. Åland flags fluttered from flagpoles in honour of Father’s Day, and at one house two large cats glared at us disapprovingly as we slowly drove by. My husband, a passionate cat lover, had to make a real effort not to stop and start befriending those furry strangers.

When it was time to turn onto Kapellstigen road, we found the parking area right at the junction. From there, it’s about a 700-metre walk to the chapel. The route follows the narrow and occasionally muddy Kapellstigen almost all the way, with only the last hundred metres climbing gently uphill through the forest. A short side path leads to a picnic table.

The one-room chapel, with stone walls up to a metre thick, dates back to the 16th century. I found the restored building beautifully and tastefully done, with a faint scent of tar still lingering in the air. Services are still held here in summer.

Medieval Sailors’ Chapel of Lemböte

• Lemböte’s seafarers’ chapel was built in the Middle Ages, when Lemböte served as a stopover on the old sailing route between Denmark and the Baltic countries.
• Lemböte’s location was favourable, offering three suitable landing sites for boats.
• Sailors could rest here, pray in the chapel, and possibly make offerings for a safe journey.
• The chapel consists of a single room measuring about 7 x 3.5 metres, with walls nearly one metre thick, built mainly of grey stone.
• The ruins of Lemböte Chapel were restored in 1892.
• The site is legally protected.

The chapel is surrounded by a spacious yard enclosed by a low stone wall made of natural rocks. Beyond the wall spreads a beautiful pine forest. The abundance of stones and the low, rugged forest landscape — typical of the archipelago — reminded me of Lapland, especially since there wasn’t a single person around and the silence was so complete.

The information board at the site explains that Lemböte was historically accessible by boat from several landing points and was a popular stopover for sailors travelling between Denmark and the Baltics during the Middle Ages. The chapel is dedicated to Saint Olav and is part of the St Olav Waterway pilgrimage route.

Independent visitors cannot usually enter the chapel, but the large barred door at one end allows you to easily peek inside.

We spent a peaceful moment there, just the two of us. There was no one else in sight, and the crossroads with the cats was far behind us. Through the trees we could glimpse the sea, and across the bay we could see Mariehamn.

Tip! Being the thrifty person I am, I almost made the mistake of coming to the island without a car. Luckily, my father suggested checking a few things — and it turned out that, since hardly anyone travels to Åland at this time of year, bringing our car was nearly half the price of leaving it in a paid parking lot at the Port of Turku. Having a car on the island gives you enormous freedom: you can see and experience so much more than just Mariehamn.

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See also

VisitÅland.com

Kyrkor.ax (A lot of information about Lemböte Chapel in English)

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