Considering a visit to Tynningö a must? This island in Stockholm Archipelago offers more than meets the eye. Tynningö is a place where history and natural beauty intertwine.
Tynningö sits in Vaxholm Municipality. It is part of Stockholm County. This island is not just a geographical location. It is a vibrant community with a rich past.
Around 3,500 years ago, at the end of the Stone Age, small islands appeared. These became what we know today as Tynningö. The name Tynningö may have originated in the Viking Age. In 1322, the place was first called Thyninge in a deed. A man named Karl from Thyninge witnessed this deed. Stockholm’s citizens later received the island. This was a thank you for opening a city gate to Engelbrekt in 1436. He then captured Stockholm from the Danes.
Gustav Vasa confirmed the gift in 1529. He then gave the island to Jöns på Tinningha in 1545. Gustav Vasa reclaimed the island in 1551. It briefly became a royal farm. Erik XIV introduced the concept of the säteri. In 1560, Jakob Bagge received Tynningö. He was an admiral who defeated a Danish fleet near Bornholm. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the island changed owners several times. A wing of Tynningö’s manor house remains from the early 18th century. Mårten Kling served as the island’s official in 1744. His name lives on in “Klingens Kärr”. He had this ditch drained.
In the 1800s, the island was divided into smaller farms. Pasture land expanded. Grain was ground in the spring. Water was most plentiful then. Farmers lowered the level of the lake by Åkeshov in spring. It lay near current pastures. They let the water rush out into Saltsjön. The streams powered the millstones. These stones still remain. The area is called Kvarntäppan. A wide, long ditch was dug. This allowed water to flow into Stora Maren. New fertile farmland could then be cultivated. The deep, wide drainage remains in several places. Farming continued on the island until the 1980s.
In the early 1900s, parts of Tynningö were divided into smaller plots. These properties were sold to summer guests. They reached Tynningö by steamboat. Many children and young people visited Tynningö every summer in the 1920s and 30s. They came for Dagens Nyheter’s “day camp” at Snickarbacken. The Sunnerdalska Foundation owned houses near Norra Tynningö wharf.
The roads were narrow, crooked and hilly. Many children who attended school on Tynningö early in the century had a long way to school. The children had to walk a couple of kilometers from Östra Tynningö. Then, they rowed across Maren. They continued through the alder swamp and pastures to Norra Tynningö. A readiness force stationed on Bergsholmen built the highway on Tynningö in the 1940s. A road to Norra Tynningö wharf was built in the 1950s.
Several general stores existed on Tynningö. Johanssons was at Höganäs and Norra Tynningö. Janssons was in Marsviken. Another general store was in Östra Tynningö. In 1951, the general store stopped serving over the counter. It introduced Tynningö self-service. This made it one of Sweden’s first convenience stores.
Today, Tynningö is easily accessible. Passenger ferries from Waxholmbolaget connect it to Stockholm and Vaxholm. These ferries serve several jetties on the island. These include Höganäs, Norra Tynningö, Orrlunda and Norehill. The Tynningöleden vehicle ferry route connects it to Norra Lagnö on Värmdö. Trafikverket operates this route. It provides road access to the mainland via the Skurubron bridge. Storstockholms Lokaltrafik operates bus route 689. This provides service on the island. It connects to the Tynningöleden and the Waxholmbolaget ships at Höganäs and Norra Tynningö.
With its blend of natural beauty, rich history and easy accessibility, Tynningö offers a unique and enriching experience. Whether you are a history enthusiast, a nature lover or simply seeking a peaceful escape. Tynningö is a destination that promises to captivate and inspire. The island had 363 residents as of December 31, 2020. The island covers 4.63 square kilometers.
So, come and discover the secrets of Tynningö. Let its stories and landscapes create unforgettable memories.