City (pop., 1994 est.: 21,462), southeastern Sweden.
Located on the northwestern coast of the island of Gotland , it was the site of a Stone Age settlement с 2000 BC. By the 12th century AD it was a member of the Hanseatic League , and in the 13th century it was one of the leading commercial centres of Europe; the city coined its own money and developed an international maritime code. It declined after the Danish conquest of Gotland in 1361. A seaside resort, it has remains of medieval walls. Because of its remarkably well-preserved medieval ramparts and buildings, Visby was designated a protected monument in 1810 and a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995.