Rosso Vanga (also Vanga, Carnation Red, Arkelstorp) is a classic Precambrian Swedish gneiss from Vanga and Oppmanna in the Kristianstad region (Skåne) with a warm red to carnation red overall effect. Traded as granite — very frequently used in Germany, high-strength (198 MPa compressive strength), frost-resistant and acid-resistant. Suitable for exterior paving, stairs, façades, floor areas, kitchen worktops, gravestones and prestigious architectural applications.
Rosso Vanga is one of the classic Swedish natural dimension stones on the European market — a Precambrian gneiss from Vanga and Oppmanna in the Kristianstad region (Skåne) in southern Sweden. On the market the material is carried under the principal names VANGA, OPPMANNA, ARKELSTORP, ROSSO VANGA and CARNATION RED. Characteristic is a warm red to carnation red (clove red) overall effect with a medium to coarse-grained mineral arrangement and a discreet directional foliation texture that lends the slab pattern a subtle signature of movement. At ROSSITTIS we carry Rosso Vanga for exterior paving, floor areas, staircases, façade claddings, plinth details, pool surrounds, fountain surrounds, gravestones, kitchen worktops, wall claddings and project-specific bespoke work.
Geologically, Rosso Vanga is a Precambrian gneiss from the Swedish basement — the Vanga and Oppmanna quarries in the province of Skåne have been extracting this material for over a hundred years. Gneisses are formed by high-pressure and high-temperature metamorphism of old granitic parent rocks; in the international stone trade they are consistently assigned to the hard rocks and carried under “granite”. The warm red colour signature comes from the high proportion of pink to red-tinted potassium feldspar, supplemented by plagioclase, quartz and black biotite. On the market the material runs under numerous trade names: Rosso Vanga (the principal Italian designation on the German market), Vanga, Oppmanna, Arkelstorp, Carnation Red (the English name after the colour of the carnation), Vanga Red, Vanga Fein, Vanga Ivoe and Vanga Ivo Granit.
The following technical values are documented: bulk density 2,620 kg/m³, compressive strength 198.0 MPa (very high), flexural strength 17.1 MPa, water absorption 0.14 per cent, abrasion resistance 5.0 cm³/50cm². Frost-resistant (very important for its spread in Germany) and acid-resistant within the normal range of application; the polish is durable outdoors as well. The material counts as “very frequently used” — Rosso Vanga is among the longest and most widely installed foreign natural dimension stones on the German market, with a tradition particularly in cemetery work and exterior construction. Compared with Finnish red granites such as Rosso Balmoral, Rosso Vanga is somewhat coarser-grained with a discreet foliation; compared with Finnish or Ukrainian single-coloured reds, the colour saturation is warmer and the character classically Nordic.
At ROSSITTIS, Rosso Vanga is available as a raw slab (random-size slab), as a floor tile, as tread and riser, as a window sill, as a skirting, as a paving stone, as a façade element, as a pool surround, as a gravestone element and as a project-specific cut to size; likewise as a kitchen worktop and vanity top. The surface finishes available from stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down.
Our honest assessment: Rosso Vanga is a very coherent choice for projects looking for a classic, long-proven warm red natural dimension stone with the full robustness of a hard rock and a northern European tradition. The combination of a warm red effect, very high compressive strength (198 MPa), frost resistance and an exterior surface that permanently takes a polish makes Rosso Vanga the first choice for exterior paving, staircases, façades and cemetery applications — its spread in Germany over decades speaks for the high fabrication reliability and consistent quality of this material.
In stock
Current availability from our warehouse.
48 slabs in stock · plus 5 blocks
Thicknesses: 2 & 3 cm · Finishes: Polished, River finish · Available as: Slabs
Guide values for the stone type, taken from manufacturer and test reports. Natural stone is a natural product — individual batches and slabs can differ. For critical applications, request slab-specific test data.
Rosso Vanga is available in a range of finishes. The finish affects appearance, feel and the care it needs.
Polished
Polishing is the most classic finish in the hard stone segment — a mirror-smooth, high-gloss surface with the highest possible colour intensity and maximum depth effect in the mineral structure. As an acid-resistant silicate stone, polished granite is easy to care for and the first choice for kitchen worktops, wall claddings and prestigious exposed surfaces.
River finish
The surface is roughened by water pressure and then given a colour-enhancing treatment — the shade comes through more strongly than on the flamed-and-brushed variant. Recommended for outdoor areas, terraces and façade claddings that call for a level, slip-resistant surface with a powerful depth of colour.
Care & fabrication
As a Swedish gneiss, Rosso Vanga can be cared for and cleaned without difficulty over the long term. With a water absorption of only 0.14 per cent and full acid resistance the material is very robust in everyday use — wine, lemon juice, vinegar or carbonated drinks leave no etch marks. An impregnation on a silane or polysiloxane basis after laying provides additional protection against strongly colouring substances such as red wine, coffee, oil and tomato sauce. Daily cleaning with a pH-neutral natural stone cleaner and a soft microfibre cloth. Avoid strongly alkaline deep cleaners and abrasive steel wool. Outdoors it is frost-resistant and tolerates road salt (confirmed by DNSA) — rinse off road salt residues in spring. Refresh the impregnation every three to five years. For gravestone applications the polish is permanently weather-resistant.
Frequently asked questions
Which other designations does Rosso Vanga carry?
On the market the material runs under numerous trade names: Rosso Vanga (the principal Italian designation), Vanga, Oppmanna, Arkelstorp, Carnation Red (the English name), Vanga Red, Vanga Fein, Vanga Ivoe and Vanga Ivo Granit. All of them refer to the same Swedish gneiss from the Vanga and Oppmanna quarries near Kristianstad.
Where is Rosso Vanga quarried?
Rosso Vanga comes from the quarry regions of Vanga and Oppmanna in the Kristianstad region (province of Skåne) in southern Sweden — one of the most tradition-rich granite and gneiss extraction regions in Sweden, with over a hundred years of production.
What technical values does Rosso Vanga have?
The following characteristic values are documented: bulk density 2,620 kg/m³, compressive strength 198.0 MPa (very high), flexural strength 17.1 MPa, water absorption 0.14 per cent, abrasion resistance 5.0 cm³/50cm². Frost-resistant, acid-resistant and with an exterior surface that permanently takes a polish. Very frequently used in Germany.
Which surface finishes are there for Rosso Vanga?
The surface finishes available from stock are listed in the »Finishes« block on this page.
Is Rosso Vanga suitable for kitchen worktops?
Very well suited. As a Swedish gneiss of the granite family, Rosso Vanga is acid-resistant, stain-resistant (with a good impregnation) and very robust in everyday cooking — the high compressive strength of 198 MPa is clearly above average.
Is Rosso Vanga suitable for gravestones?
Yes, outstandingly so. Rosso Vanga is among the classic cemetery and gravestone materials on the German market, with decades of tradition. Its frost resistance and the lasting durability of the polish outdoors qualify the material for this demanding application without restriction.
Rosso Vanga or Rosso Balmoral — which fits better?
Both are classic red natural dimension stones from Scandinavia. Rosso Balmoral from Finland is a single-coloured fine-grained granite with an even mineral distribution. Rosso Vanga from Sweden is medium to coarse-grained with a discreet foliation signature — somewhat livelier in the slab pattern. Both are proven materials; the choice depends on grain size and the preference for movement.
What does Rosso Vanga cost?
The price depends on the batch, thickness, surface finish and fabrication — with natural stone there is no serious flat rate per square metre. Business customers see prices once their B2B account is activated; private customers receive a complete quote through a fabricator near them.
