Stone gave birth to Borghamn, history of Borghamn

Borghamn hamnen och stenbrott. Bildkälla: Sjöhistoriska Museet

Stone gave birth to Borghamn

Borghamn on the map of Wästerlösa, 1874

Borghamn's Turisthotel (Annex) with "Svea", built in Västerås

Borghamn's lime stonequarry. Photo: Bernd Beckmann Borghamn's limestone quarry

Inner harbour in Borghamn. Photo: Bernd Beckmann Inner harbour in Borghamn

Borghamn, with its idyllic location, looks back on more than 900 years of limestone quarrying tradition. In 1143, Cistercian monks from Clairvaux in France came and founded a monastery in Alvastra. They quarried the stones for the building in the quarry on the Västerlösa estate.

The conditions were favourable. A layer of limestone stretches from the northern edge of Omberg to Motala and on to Lake Roxen. Near Omberg, on the shore, the stone is closest to the surface. The quality is also good as building stone. And Lake Vättern also offers a suitable transport route.

The area's church buildings also benefited from the Västerlösa limestone quarry. From 1112, the wooden churches were replaced by stone churches.

Over the centuries, many buildings have sourced their building materials from Borghamn:
- Visingsborg
- Västanå Castle
- Vadstena Abbey church
- Vadstena Castle
In some cases, building materials were reused from the Alvastra monastery, which was closed during the Reformation and destroyed by Danish troops led by Daniel Rantzau during the Northern War in 1567.

The quarry experienced its heyday in the 19th century with the construction of the Göta Canal (1810-1824) and Karlsborg Fortress (1821-1909). However, in order to transport the large amount of stone, a harbour was needed. There was no natural harbour, only a pier nearest to Omberg. So, a new harbour ("Borghamn"), named after Queen Omma's castle (hillfort) was constructed between 1813 and 1827. During that time, the extensive settlement in the harbour area was also created - all on replenished limestone quarry. Further expansions of the harbour were carried out in later years.

1842 was a crucial year in the history of Borghamn. The quarry had always been run privately or by the Göta Canal Company, but in 1842 the Crown Labour Corps, a penal regiment, took over the operation. At the same time, the whole area, which stretched over Västerlösa Gård's property and the land of Bårstad village, was given the name of the harbour.

The regiment consisted of 600 men:
- Soldiers convicted of minor offences
- life sentenced, who had to serve several years of hard labour before release after pardon
- and vagrants who were forced to work.

500 men worked on the construction of the fortress and 100 men were stationed at the quarry. At the same time, there was an equal number of civilian labourers in Borghamn.

Construction of the fortress began in 1821, and although it was estimated that it would take ten years to build, construction had not even reached the halfway point after 25 years.

During the quarry's heyday, the National Museum in Stockholm was also built (1850-1863) using limestone from Borghamn.

In 1894, the Crown Labour Corps was disbanded and soldiers and prisoners left Borghamn.

A new era began in 1920, when the state finally withdrew from the area. Quarrying and stone processing were privatised again in 1923. In 1923, the Vadstena Folk High School Association set up a rural (boarding) school in the harbour buildings. In 1971, the school became an upper secondary school and was renamed Borghamsskolan. Vadstena municipality took over the management of the school in 1982. In 1997 the school moved to Vadstena ("Vadstena gymnasiet"). Since then Borghamn's hostel has been located in the harbour buildings.

The quarry remains in state ownership through the forestry company Sveaskog, which is also responsible for the Omberg Ecopark. The quarrying rights are owned by Borghamnsten AB. Since 2018, the owner of the harbour and all its buildings is the company Atsmon Förvaltning. Here, Borghamn Strand runs its hotel and hostel business with a café and restaurant. The former officers' mess and later Borghamn's tourist hotel (’Liden") is privately owned and holiday home.

Borghamn is a quiet town with Omberg, Vättern and the proximity to Tåkern offering many attractions for recreation seekers and nature lovers.

For those who are particularly interested in the history of the quarry and harbour, Queen Ommas Borg, the deer park era and other attractions, it is possible to take part in guided tours.

Borghamn on the map of Wästerlösa, 1874

Borghamn's Turisthotel (Annex) with "Svea", built in Västerås

Borghamn's lime stonequarry. Photo: Bernd Beckmann Borghamn's limestone quarry

Inner harbour in Borghamn. Photo: Bernd Beckmann Inner harbour in Borghamn

Borghamn, idyllically situated between Vättern, Tåkern and Omberg, can look back on more than 900 years of limestone quarrying tradition. In 1143, Cistercian monks from France came to Alvastra and founded their monastery there. They quarried the stones for the monastery in the Västerlösa quarry.

The conditions were favourable. From the north side of the Omberg, a deposit of limestone stretches towards Motala and on to Lake Roxen. At Omberg and near the beach, the stone lies directly below the surface. The quality there is quite good. And Lake Vättern also provided a suitable transport route.

Even church buildings in the neighbourhood also benefited from limestone quarrying here in Västerlösa.

Over the centuries, many buildings have sourced their building materials from Borghamn:

- Visingsborg
- Västanå Castle
- Vadstena Abbey church
- Vadstena Castle
In some cases, building materials were reused from the Alvastra monastery, which was closed during the Reformation and destroyed by Danish troops led by Daniel Rantzau during the Northern War in 1567.

The quarry experienced its heyday in the 19th century with the construction of the Göta Canal (beginning 1810, end 1824) and the fortress in Karlsborg (beginning 1821, end 1909). A harbour was needed to ship the required quantities of stone. There was no natural harbour here on the Omberg, which is why a small harbour was initially built into the lake from the shoreline after 1810 ("Borghamn"). The extensive buildings in the harbour area were also constructed at this time, on the site of the old quarry that had been filled in. Further harbour expansions took place in later years.

1842 was a decisive date in the history of Borghamn. The quarry had always been operated privately or by the Göta Canal Company, but in 1842 the Crown Labour Corps (Kronoarbetskåren, a penal corps) took over. At the same time, the site, which was located in the area of both Västerlösa Gård and the village of Bårstad, was given its current name: Borghamn. It is derived from the wallfort from the Migration Period above the harbour (Drottning Ommas Borg) and the harbour itself.

The regiment consisted of 600 men:
- Soldiers convicted of minor offences
- those sentenced to life imprisonment, who had to do a few years of labour before being pardoned
- and vagrants who were forced to work.

500 men were deployed in Karlsborg to build the fortress, 100 more were deployed in Borghamn. There was also a roughly equal number of civilian labourers in Borghamn.

Construction of the fortress began in 1821 and was to take ten years. But after 25 years, not even half of the construction had been completed.

The construction of the National Museum (1850-1863) in Stockholm, where limestone from Borghamn was also used, also took place during this heyday of the quarry.

In 1894, the Kronoarbetskår was shut down and removed from Borghamn.

A new era began in 1920, when the state finally withdrew from the quarry. Stone quarrying and stone processing were privatised again in 1923. In 1923, the buildings in the harbour became the Landhushållsskola (Land Household School), a boarding school where young women were trained in the management of a then modern country household. It became a secondary school in 1971 and was renamed Borghamnsskola. In 1982 it became the responsibility of the municipality of Vadstena, but was moved to Vadstena in 1997 ("Vadstena Gymnasiet"). It is no longer located there, but is now part of the Carlsund Education Centre in Motala as a "hotel and tourism programme".

The buildings in the harbour have been used as a youth hostel since this year. The quarry is still state-owned by Sveaskog, which is also responsible for Ekopark Omberg, while the quarry and stone processing (Borghamnssten AB) are privately operated. The harbour and its buildings have been owned by Atsmon Förvaltning AB since 2018. Borghamn Strand with hotel, hostel and café has been located there ever since.

Borghamn is a quiet holiday and excursion destination and, with Omberg, Vättern and the proximity to Tåkern, offers many opportunities for those seeking relaxation and those interested in nature.

Those interested in the history of the quarry, the harbour, Drottnings Ommas Borg, the deer park era and other sights can take part in guided tours.

A greeting from Borghamn

Borghamn's crown labour station, ca. 1880

Greetings from Borghamn: Borghamn's crown labour station, ca. 1880

Borghamn was bought by the state in 1842 and a crown labour station was established. It took over a decade before the old buildings of the Göta Canal Company were replaced by new buildings.

First, the old barracks (today's "Omma") were built, then the new hospital (today's "Husmor") with the sergeant's Fanjunker's) apartment. In 1878-79, it was time for the new bakery and kitchen as an extension of the old barracks and the new barracks ("Baltzar") with the police station. These three buildings characterise the image of Borghamn today.

The card was taken after the new barracks were built, i.e. 1880 or a little later. At this time, the old quarry was being filled in south of the "Kommendanten", i.e. south of the earth cellars located there. We clearly see an entrance to one of the cellars. The cellar is shown in contemporary maps, but probably no longer exists.

Stone gave birth to Borghamn
The history of Borghamn

Stone gave birth to Borghamn
The history of Borghamn