Welcome to När, Gotland!
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När is a quaint coastal community combining beautiful nature with an important cultural heritage. Medieval churches, fishing villages, savanna landscapes, beaches, rich birdlife, and of course golf, are some of the things you can enjoy here. No wonder the Ainbusk Singers originated from När!
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Fishing villages
During the beginning of the 17th century, when Gotland still belonged to Denmark, fishing in Östersjön was organised
by dividing Gotland into eight districts (one was När). A harbour-master was
both customs officer and supervisor of the baltic-herring fishing in order to claim tax
for maintenance of Visborg castle. The Harbour-master was also chairman in the fishing laws
Harbour-rights. In maps from 1701 they are divided into Nabben, Nyan, Hammarnas, Djupa dya, Capellets och
Hirte fishing. Landowners from other parishes have probably had their own fishing villages by the coast of
När. Today, they are still called "Laubo beach" for Nabben and "Gardbo beach" for Hammarnäs.
In the beginning of the 18th century, Vicar Jöns Broander owned a fishing shed in Djaupdöi. Djaupdöi and
Kapellet have been the local När fishermen's special fishing area. The old harbour rights,
were soon replaced by a fishing law in 1852 and a special Harbour law
in 1866, which meant that elected monitors should supervise law and order in the fishing villages.
By the mid 1800s until the turn of the century, the fishing was extensive.
It was mostly done as drift-net fishing at sea, from what was called "big boats" (tremänningar).
The catch was either sold directly on return or to "upplänningar", or taken straight to
parishes in the country or the market in Visby.
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Fishing village: Djaupdöi
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Golf
När's golf course is an 18-hole nature course, appreciated both by tourists and the locals.
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Bird-watching
Närsholmen's bird sactuary is great for bird-watching.
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