Lojsta

Lojsta is the name of a larger area surrounding medieval Lojsta Church,{{cite book|last1=Lagerlöf|first1=Erland|last2=Svahnström|first2=Gunnar|title=Gotlands kyrkor|trans-title=Gotland's Churches|language=Swedish|id={{LIBRIS|7232718}}|date=1973|publisher=Rabén & Sjögren|location=Stockholm|isbn=91-29-41035-5|pages=199–201}} the Lojsta socken. Lojsta is north of Hemse in the middle of southern Gotland. The forested north part of the socken, the Lojsta Heath, contains the highest hills on Gotland. The highest point has an elevation of {{convert|83|m|ft|abbr=on}}. The southern part of Lojsta has farmed land in the valleys between the limestone cliffs. In the east, the landscape is peculiar for Gotland, with high almost vertical cliffs by the Lojsta Lakes.{{cite web|last1=Enderborg|first1=Bernt|title=Rammträsk|url=http://www.guteinfo.com/?id=2174|website=www.guteinfo.com|publisher=Guteinfo|accessdate=5 July 2015}}

The Tonnklint Nature Reserve and the Lojsta prästänge are situated in Lojsta.{{cite book|last1=Kloth|first1=Jen-Henrik|last2=Lovén|first2=Ulf|title=Gotlands natur: en reseguide|trans-title=Gotland's nature: a travel guide|date=1987|publisher=Bonnier|location=Stockholm|isbn=91-34-50860-0|url=http://libris.kb.se/bib/8350245}}

{{As of|2019}}, Lojsta Church belongs to Lojsta parish in Fardhems pastorat.{{cite web |title=Församlingar på Gotland |url=https://www.svenskakyrkan.se/visbystift/f |website=www.svenskakyrkan.se |publisher=Church of Sweden |accessdate=12 January 2019}}{{cite web |title=Visby stifts indelning 2018 |url=https://www.svenskakyrkan.se/default.aspx?id=1714164 |website=www.svenskakyrkan.se |publisher=Church of Sweden |accessdate=12 January 2019}}

The main part of this forested moor is in Lojsta, but it also reaches into the neighboring Etelhem, Klinte and Fröjel sockens. The area is mainly gravel and sand deposited there by the moving ice sheet during the latest Ice age.{{cite book|editor1-last=Carlquist|editor1-first=Gunnar|title=Svensk uppslagsbok|date=1937|publisher=Svensk Uppslagsbok AB|location=Malmö|page=560|edition=2|url=http://libris.kb.se/bib/1335380}} {{convert|650|ha|acre|abbr=on}} of the moor is classified as an animal reserve for the wild Gotland ponies (Gotlandsrussen) living there. These ponies are the only breed of ponies native to Sweden.{{cite web|last1=Andersson|first1=Ingvar|title=Russen på Lojsta hed|trans-title=The ponies at Lojsta Moor|url=http://hs-i.hush.se/?p=11331|website=www.hushallningssallskapet.se|publisher=Gotland Agricultural Society|accessdate=5 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828123814/http://hs-i.hush.se/?p=11331|archive-date=28 August 2010|url-status=dead}}

The name comes from {{lang|sv|lojst}} or {{lang|sv|lojstar}}, which means "flat land", "flat barren plain". However, it is uncertain which place it refers to.{{cite book|editor1-last=Wahlberg|editor1-first=Mats|title=Svenskt ortnamnslexikon|trans-title=Swedish location names dictionary|date=2003|publisher=Språk- och folkminnesinstitutet (SOFI)|location=Uppsala|isbn=91-7229-020-X|language=Swedish|url=http://libris.kb.se/bib/8998039}}{{cite web|last1=Bergman|first1=Mats|last2=Edlund|first2=Lars-Erik|last3=Selinge|first3=Klas-Göran|title=Lojsta|url=http://www.ne.se/uppslagsverk/encyklopedi/lång/lojsta|website=www.ne.se|publisher=Nationalencyklopedin|language=Swedish}}

Lojsta dates back to Medieval times. It was originally part of the Fardhem thing, which in turn was in the southernmost of the three original districts (similar to ridings) that Gotland was divided into during the Middle Ages. In 1862, it became an independent municipality. In 1952, it was incorporated into the Hemse municipality and in 1971, all of Gotland became one municipality.{{cite book|last1=Harlén|first1=Hans|last2=Harlén|first2=Eivy|title=Sverige från A till Ö: geografisk-historisk uppslagsbok|trans-title=Sweden from A to Z: geographical and historical encyclopedia|date=2003|publisher=Kommentus|location=Stockholm|isbn=91-7345-139-8|url=http://libris.kb.se/bib/9337075|language=Swedish}} The boatswains from Lojsta under the allotment system, were part of the Second Gotlandic Boatswains Company.{{cite web|last1=Högman |first1=Hans |title=Gotlands båtsmanskompanier |url=http://www.algonet.se/~hogman/regementen_flo.htm#Gotlands |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121224183935/http://www.algonet.se/~hogman/regementen_flo.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 December 2012 |website=www.algonet.se |publisher=Hans Högman |accessdate=4 July 2015 }}

There are several small grave fields from the Iron Age in Lojsta as well as house foundations, collapsed stone walls and stones with grooves.{{cite web|last1=Gannholm|first1=Sören|title=Förteckning över de gotländska slipskårorna KL|trans-title=List of Gotland grinding grooves KL|url=http://stavgard.com/stavar/gotlslipsk/slipsk13.html#kl|website=www.stavgard.com|accessdate=4 July 2015}} Two rune inscriptions have been found by the church and one Viking silver treasure as well as a gold bracteate have also been found within the socken.{{cite book|editor1-last=Sjögren|editor1-first=Otto|title=Sverige: geografisk beskrivning.|date=1931|publisher=Wahlström & Widstrand|location=Stockholm|language=Swedish|url=http://libris.kb.se/bib/9939}}{{cite web|title=Lojsta socken|url=http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/socken.asp?snkod=0947|website=www.historiska.se|publisher=Swedish History Museum|accessdate=4 July 2015}}{{cite web|title=Lojsta|url=http://www.fmis.raa.se/cocoon/fornsok/search.html?parish=947&tab=2&page=1|website=www.raa.se|publisher=Swedish National Heritage Board|accessdate=4 July 2015}} Although named after Lojsta, the defence-structure Lojsta Castle and the Lojsta Hall, a reconstruction of an Iron Age longhouse, are situated in the neighboring Stånga socken.

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category|Lojsta}}

• [http://digitaltmuseum.se/search?query=Lojsta%20socken%20gotlands Objects from Lojsta at the Digital Museum] by Nordic Museum

{{Gotland County}}

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Category:Populated places in Gotland County