Skånegården & Sommarhagen

Skånegården and Sommarhagen, located on Sollidsbacken in Stockholm, provide a fascinating glimpse into Sweden’s rural past and architectural heritage.

Skånegården is a meticulously reconstructed 19th-century farmhouse that originally stood in Bara, Scania, built in 1812. Its relocation to Stockholm in 1891 was part of the early open-air museum movement, spearheaded by Artur Hazelius, the founder of Skansen. Visitors can explore its whitewashed walls, thatched roofs, and richly decorated interiors that reflect rural aristocratic traditions from southern Sweden during the early 1800s. Historical records indicate that such farmhouses often hosted community gatherings and seasonal festivities, emphasizing their role in both agriculture and social culture.

Adjacent to Skånegården is Sommarhagen, a picturesque summer cottage erected in the late 19th century. Originally intended as a display of the leisure lifestyle that emerged in Sweden during the industrial revolution, it showcases the rise of the urban middle class and their embrace of countryside retreats. The buildings together serve as a testament to the significant agricultural reforms that swept Sweden in the 1800s, especially following the land redistribution acts known as the Laga skifte, enacted in 1827. Walks through these buildings reveal rich woodwork, period furnishings, and gardens cultivated with heirloom plant varieties.

Both Skånegården and Sommarhagen play integral roles in Skansen’s mission to preserve and illustrate the evolution of Swedish society, offering visitors an immersive journey through rural traditions, architectural innovation, and the changing lifestyles brought about by industrialization and modernization in 19th-century Sweden.