The island of Öland stretches across the Baltic Sea and covers an area that makes it the second-largest Swedish island. It remains the smallest traditional province in the nation while hosting over 26,000 people today.
Archaeological evidence indicates the island was settled about 8000 BC when settlers from the mainland migrated across an ice bridge during the early Stone Age. Habitation occurred at least as early as 6000 BC when Stone Age settlements appeared at Alby.
The landscape is defined by a unique limestone pavement known as Stora Alvaret which dates back to the Ordovician period between 540 and 450 million years ago. This habitat entered the UNESCO World Heritage program and features many rare species found within the limestone bedrock.
Borgholm Castle was built between 1669 and 1681 for Queen Hedvig Eleonora with Architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder designing the structure. The coat of arms features a deer symbolizing the status of Öland as a royal game park where Ottenby and Halltorp were selected by the Crown in the Middle Ages.
Öland has been organizing an annual harvest festival called Skördefesten for a decade that takes place every October or September according to some records. Thousands of visitors attend this event to see farmers sell crops and view large scarecrow-like figures built entirely of gourds in Borgholm.