Birgittas Udde

Don't miss Birgitta's Udde This is the place where Saint Birgitta lived a large part of her adult life. Birgitta's Udde is located at a reasonable distance for a day trip by bike, just over 9 km from central Motala. Cycle all the way or why not park your bike at the parking lot and walk out to the udde, it's about 2.5 km. The road from the parking lot out to the udde is not open to motor traffic.Birgitta's Udde lies, as the name reveals, on a headland in Lake Boren. Saint Birgitta lived and worked here for much of her adult life. Here you can find the ruins of the medieval castle established in the early 1200s, which consisted of a stone house with a cellar and a couple of long wooden buildings. Moats protected against unwelcome visitors from the land. Today, from the former castle site, only the cellar and the drained moats remain, as well as the foundations of the wooden buildings.

In 1315, the then twelve-year-old Birgitta Birgersdotter was betrothed to Ulf Gudmarsson. Birgitta had already had her first revelations by then. Shortly thereafter, the couple got married and settled in Ulvåsa. There they lived a family life that lasted for 28 years, and Birgitta had eight children. If one can talk about celebrities from the Middle Ages – then Saint Birgitta is one of them. She received over 600 revelations, followed her faith, went to Rome, and established a new monastic order with its main monastery in Vadstena. Saint Birgitta has made significant marks, has been canonized, and is one of Europe's three female patron saints. Hike or bike the Östgötaleden Motala - Borensberg. There is a circular trail of 4.6 km around Birgitta's promontory. The circular trail is part of the Östgötaleden Motala - Borensberg, which also shares its route with the Birgittaleden, a pilgrimage path.