Åstol
Encyclopedia
Åstol is a locality
situated south of Tjörn Municipality
(close to Marstrand
), Västra Götaland County
, Sweden
with 238 inhabitants in 2005. Åstol has always been a center for fishing, especially for herring-fish, mackerel and flatfish. This is mainly due to the location of the island.
Åstol is also well-known for its harbour.
The harbour has an excellent location and is protected against wind and waves. Åstol also has a harbour for visitors, and is located along both south and north side of the harbour.
The port has approximately 50 harbour spots for visitors.
The depth of the harbour is 4,5 m which makes it possible for big boats such as steam-boats and galleons to add.
Located in the center of the island you can find a small "Handelsbod"/store were you can buy almost everything that is required to live on the island.
There is also a restaurant, café and a kiosk.
Another thing that makes Åstol special is their smokehous, called Åstols Rökeri.
Åstol's smokehouse contains 6 different sections. The restaurant, "Iseriet", a beer garden called "Perrys Bar", a fish store, Björn's Pictures and the smokehouse.
At "Åstols Rökeri" you can order smoked eel
, herring
, mackerel
, salmon
and shrimp
.
to Åstol. The island was perfect for herring fishing and was a perfect place to live on.
The men were fishermen and used to be out on fishing trips for long periods.
Then the women had responsibility over the household and children.
The women, praying for the men to come back safely during the tough fishing season, but also the great respect and closeness the residents on Åstol felt for the ocean, made them develop a strong faith in Christianity
and God. This view on God and the ocean have continued throughout the years and Åstol's society has been imprinted to be very supersticious and to have a very strong belief in God.
Some famous swedish people who lives at Åstol are Birgitta Stenberg, Rosita Runegrund
, Peter Harryson
and Janne Josefsson
.
Urban areas in Sweden
Urban area is a common English translation of the Swedish term tätort. The official term in English, used by Statistics Sweden, is, however, locality. There are 1,940 localities in Sweden . They could be compared with census-designated places in the United States.A tätort in Sweden has a minimum of...
situated south of Tjörn Municipality
Tjörn Municipality
Tjörn Municipality is a municipality that covers the island of Tjörn in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Skärhamn.Tjörn is the sixth largest Swedish island...
(close to Marstrand
Marstrand
Marstrand is a seaside locality situated in Kungälv Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 1,432 inhabitants in 2005. It has held city privileges since 1200. The most striking feature about Marstrand is the 17th century fortress Carlsten, named after King Carl X Gustav of Sweden. The...
), Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County is a county or län on the western coast of Sweden.The county is the second largest of Sweden's counties and it is subdivided into 49 municipalities . Its population of 1,550,000 amounts to 17% of Sweden's population...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
with 238 inhabitants in 2005. Åstol has always been a center for fishing, especially for herring-fish, mackerel and flatfish. This is mainly due to the location of the island.
Åstol is also well-known for its harbour.
The harbour has an excellent location and is protected against wind and waves. Åstol also has a harbour for visitors, and is located along both south and north side of the harbour.
The port has approximately 50 harbour spots for visitors.
The depth of the harbour is 4,5 m which makes it possible for big boats such as steam-boats and galleons to add.
Located in the center of the island you can find a small "Handelsbod"/store were you can buy almost everything that is required to live on the island.
There is also a restaurant, café and a kiosk.
Another thing that makes Åstol special is their smokehous, called Åstols Rökeri.
Åstol's smokehouse contains 6 different sections. The restaurant, "Iseriet", a beer garden called "Perrys Bar", a fish store, Björn's Pictures and the smokehouse.
At "Åstols Rökeri" you can order smoked eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
, herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
, mackerel
Mackerel
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They may be found in all tropical and temperate seas. Most live offshore in the oceanic environment but a few, like the Spanish mackerel , enter bays and can be...
, salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
and shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
.
History
In 1747, when the great herring period started, people wanted to be close the herring-centrum, which was outside of Åstol's harbour. Because of the great location and the windless bay Åstol's harbour is in, people started to migrateHuman migration
Human migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. Historically this movement was nomadic, often causing significant conflict with the indigenous population and their displacement or cultural assimilation. Only a few nomadic...
to Åstol. The island was perfect for herring fishing and was a perfect place to live on.
The men were fishermen and used to be out on fishing trips for long periods.
Then the women had responsibility over the household and children.
The women, praying for the men to come back safely during the tough fishing season, but also the great respect and closeness the residents on Åstol felt for the ocean, made them develop a strong faith in Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and God. This view on God and the ocean have continued throughout the years and Åstol's society has been imprinted to be very supersticious and to have a very strong belief in God.
Miscellaneous curios
Galenskaparna/After Shave made people open up their eyes more for Åstol because they made a short film that takes place at Åstol, it's called "Åke från Åstol".Some famous swedish people who lives at Åstol are Birgitta Stenberg, Rosita Runegrund
Rosita Runegrund
Rosita Runegrund is a Swedish Christian Democratic politician. She has been a member of the Riksdag since 1998. Rosita also sits on the Executive Committee of AWEPA.-External links:* at the Riksdag website...
, Peter Harryson
Peter Harryson
John Peter Kaj Harryson is a Swedish actor, singer and entertainer from Norrköping, Östergötland. He is the son of actor John Harryson ....
and Janne Josefsson
Janne Josefsson
Janne Josefsson is a Swedish investigative journalist who has had numerous shows on Sveriges Television such as Fittja Paradiso, Uppdrag Granskning and Debatt. Uppdrag Granskning has uncovered some of Swedens most noted scandals such as the ICA meat repackaging controversy, and have both received...
.