Öja is a populated area, a socken (not to be confused with parish), on the Swedish island of Gotland.[3] It comprises the same area as the administrative Öja District, established on 1 January 2016.[4]

Öja
Öja Church
Öja Church
Öja is located in Gotland
Öja
Öja
Coordinates: 57°2′7″N 18°18′0″E / 57.03528°N 18.30000°E / 57.03528; 18.30000
CountrySweden
ProvinceGotland
CountyGotland County
MunicipalityGotland Municipality
Area
 • Total
38.19 km2 (14.75 sq mi)
Population
 (2014)[2]
 • Total
479
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)

Geography

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Öja is situated partly on the narrow southern isthmus that connects the Storsudret peninsula to Gotland and partly on the peninsula itself.[5] The medieval Öja Church is located in the socken.[6] The locality Burgsvik is in the west part of Öja.[7] As of 2019, Öja Church belongs to Hoburg parish in Sudrets pastorat, along with the churches in Hamra, Vamlingbo, Sundre and Fide.[8][9]

One of the asteroids in the asteroid belt, 10123 Fideöja, is named after this place and the neighboring Fide socken.[10]

Öjamadonnan

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Öjamadonnan

Öja is mostly known for the 1.5 m (4.9 ft), 13th century, wooden sculpture Öjamadonnan ("The Öja Madonna"), a Stabat Mater representation of the Virgin Mary. The Catholic statue was removed from the Öja Church during the Swedish Reformation and stowed away in a woodshed. It was later retrieved by Gotland Museum, renovated in 1948 and it is now displayed in the museum. A replica of the statue for Öja Church, was later made by sculptor Bertil Nyström. The sculpture has been chosen as one of the Treasured Objects in Sweden.[11][12]

References

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  1. ^ Carlquist, Gunnar, ed. (1947–1955). "Öja socken". Svensk Uppslagsbok (in Swedish) (2nd ed.). Malmö: Förlagshuset Norden.
  2. ^ "Gotland i siffror 2015" [Gotland in numbers 2015]. www.gotland.se. Gotland Municipality. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  3. ^ The exact extent of the socken, now district, can be obtained by clicking on Kartinställningar and check the Socken box in the menu of this map from the Swedish National Heritage Board database.
  4. ^ "Förordning om district" [Regulation of districts] (PDF). Ministry of Finance. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  5. ^ "Öja". www.ne.se. Nationalencyklopedin. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  6. ^ Lagerlöf, Erland; Svahnström, Gunnar (1973). Gotlands kyrkor [Gotland's Churches] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Rabén & Sjögren. pp. 278–281. ISBN 91-29-41035-5. SELIBR 7232718.
  7. ^ "Burgsvik". www.gotland.net. Gotlandnet AB. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  8. ^ "Församlingar på Gotland". www.svenskakyrkan.se. Church of Sweden. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  9. ^ "Visby stifts indelning 2018". www.svenskakyrkan.se. Church of Sweden. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  10. ^ "10123 Fideoja (1993 FJ16)". NASA. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  11. ^ Enderborg, Bernt. "Öjamadonnan" [The Öja Madonna]. www.guteinfo.com. Guteinfo. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  12. ^ "Öja-madonnan en av tio utvalda". www.sverigesradio.se. Sveriges Radio. 19 May 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
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