and social center of the town, especially in summertime, when townspeople and visitors gravitate to the waterfront for walking, dining, shopping, socializing and engaging boats for day trips. In the warmest months swimmers can occasionally be seen in the cool waters of the harbour. The harbour is also noteworthy because it commands a central position on the Kattegat Strait, one of the busiest parts of the Baltic Sea region. This strategic importance is magnified by the proximity of Mölle to the historic Kullen Lighthouse on the Kullaberg Peninsula, which is the brightest lighthouse in Sweden. History Mölle was a lively 19th century fishing village, some of whose stately buildings survive to the present. It was earlier and still is today an enclave of relatively affluent residents, who initially made their fortunes from fishing. There are extant two sizeable 19th century hotels, which are perched high above the harbour. Other historic buildings surviving are the 1910 Villa Italienborg, built by a scrap dealer whose architectural ideas derived from a visit to the Italian Riviera. Villa Africa is a two-story historical residence erected by a Mölle sea captain to woo his bride to move from South Africa. In the latter part of the 19th century Mölle was renowned as a center for erotic entertainment, especially mixed sex bathing (considered marginally scandalous in that era); thus it attracted visitors from throughout Sweden as well as various parts of Europe. There was even a weekly train from Berlin to Mölle up until the First World War. Books Magnusson, Erik. "Det vackra huset i Möllebergsbacken, om 150 år av turism vid Kullabergs fot". . Monitorförlaget 2009. Pyk, Hans-Otto. "Mölle genom fem sekler 1491-1991". Mölle byförening 1991. Knafve, Bert och Kirsten. "Bilder från Kullabygden". Liber 1981. Olsheden, Jan och Olsson, Stellan. "Vad gjorde farfar i Mölle?" ISBN B0014SP05M. Mölle 1967. Mölleryd, Anders W. "Mölle-Kullen genom tiderna". Del I-VII. Eremit-press 1959-81. References External links Pictures of Molle (Mölle) Populated places in Höganäs Municipality Populated places in Skåne County Coastal cities and towns in Sweden