Närsholmen is a peninsula and a

nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

on the southeast coast of Gotland, Sweden, adjacent the village of När. The landscape is savanna-like and has a rich birdlife, about 45 species has been spotted, and a number of orchids. In the late part of summer, the peninsula is covered with ''

Echium vulgare ''Echium vulgare'', known as viper's bugloss and blueweed,Dickinson, T.; Metsger, D.; Bull, J.; & Dickinson, R. (2004) ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario. Toronto:Royal Ontario Museum, p. 203. is a species of flowering plant in the bora ...

''. The reserve was established in 1986. It was also designated as a Natura 2000 area. The

När Lighthouse När Lighthouse is a Swedish lighthouse located outside the village När on the southeast side of the island Gotland. It was constructed in 1872, the sketchings were made by architect John Höjer. It is located in a nature reserve and birding ar ...

is situated on the southern tip of the peninsula. The lighthouse played a role during the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

when it was used as a beacon for refugees from the Baltic states crossing the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and ...

to Gotland. Närsholmen was an island until the 18th century. During the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

and until the 16th century, the island was used as grazing grounds for the livestock of the

Roma Abbey Roma Abbey ( sv, Roma kloster) is a ruined Cistercian abbey and a crown estate in Roma on the Swedish island of Gotland. The abbey was built in the 12th century. After the Reformation, its lands were confiscated by the Crown and subsequently turn ...

. The area was confiscated from the abbey by the Swedish government during the Swedish Reformation and is still used for grazing. Närsholmen is most noted for being the location where film-maker Andrei Tarkovsky filmed the last scene of his last film, '' The Sacrifice''. In 2011, singer

Lykke Li Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson (born 18 March 1986), known as Lykke Li (), is a Swedish singer. Her music often blends elements of indie pop, dream pop and Electronic music, electronic. Her debut studio album, ''Youth Novels'', was released in 2008 ...

filmed the video for her song "

I Follow Rivers "I Follow Rivers" is a song by Swedish recording artist Lykke Li from her second studio album, '' Wounded Rhymes'' (2011). Produced by Björn Yttling of Peter Bjorn and John, it was released on 21January 2011 as the album's second single. The tr ...

", on Närsholmen. The music video was directed by

Tarik Saleh Tarik Saleh ( ar, طارق صالح; born 28 January 1972) is a Swedish television producer, animator, publisher, journalist and film director. He was born in Högalids församling, Stockholm to a Swedish mother and an Egyptian father. In th ...

and features Li and actor

Fares Fares Fares Fares (; born 29 April 1973) is a Swedish-Lebanese actor of Assyrian descent. Early life Fares was born in Beirut, Lebanon. His younger brother is director Josef Fares, and he has four sisters. In 1987, when Fares was 14 years old, his ...

Gallery

File:Närsholmen Strand.JPG, Beach on Närsholmen File:Gotland Lighthouse with Echium vulgare.JPG, The När Lighthouse with ''

References

External links

* Gotland Nature reserves in Sweden Peninsulas of Sweden {{Gotland-geo-stub