I have been to southern Sweden, driving 700 km a day and beeing amazed by the landscape. As you maybe know, I am quite interested in old house, and how these buildings are adapted to the landscape. I have thought Norway and Sweden are more or less the same in many ways, even if I have seen some small differences before. I was wrong, at least from going through the counties of Härjedalen, Dalarna and Örebro. Much more of the old swedish farms and rural villages are intact. Not replaced by modern buildings that looks moore or less the same everywere. I have heard that this is maybe due to the fact that Norway got oil some decades ago, that wealth made people to tear down the old and build new. While the swedes have repaired and cared for their old buildings. I don’t know, but it sure looks great. Especially now in June when the landscape is so green and the colours so bright.
Many houses are red, the very special falu red, a deep red paint originating from the copper mines at Falun. This traditional colour still remains popular due to its effectiveness in preserving wood. But there are also traditional buildings that are not painted, or coated with tar, like these at the museum of Hede in Härjedalen. There are more photos in my web gallery.
This is an old farm in the mountains between Idre and Funäsdalen, while the little red one belongs to a bakery in Tännäs.
So charming!
Love the porches over the front doors….hope you spot a few more cottages on your ravels.
¡Me encantan las fotos! se ve un lugar precioso, me encata, abrazos
These are lovely Bente!
This is interesting, Bente, about the copper paint. We use it for the hull on wood fishing boats and it’s very expensive. Now it’s harder to get and even more expensive because of all the environmental issues. Copper paint is quite toxic but that’s the whole idea. It kills the bugs that would otherwise eat the wood.
The houses are unique. It’s so good that they haven’t torn them all down. There’s a bit of history “preserved” in that copper paint.
I loved them all but especially the wooden one and has flower pot… this is so beautiful… I love these kind of houses… Thank you dear Bente you did wonderful photographs. Love, nia
Good shots. I like the close ups the best. I see many similarities to the farms I saw when I visited Norway.
Sitting in the front and sipping a hot cuppa oh it will be bliss..Beautiful cottages
stunning shots
Ler, Sverige är pà mànga sätt ett fantastiskt land, när det gäller bevarandet av gamla byggnader och en rik historia, men jag ser ju mest de genuina franska smàstäderna och de som moderniseras, Paris förlorar mycket nuförtiden, nya byggnader som dyker upp… Sà jag försöker dokumentera dagens Paris och dess förorter… Fast Visby är en fantastisk stad, Gotland gillar jag verkligen. Jag har en del fotografier fràn Eskilstuna, där jag tillbringade en stor del av min barndom…
Jag är uppväxt vid kusten i Överjärna, södra Stockholms skärgàrd, jag saknar östersjön… Men det blir troligtvis en resa till Sverige nu… Det lustiga är att jag aldrig har varit i södra Norge, endast i norra… Oslo har jag aldrig besökt… Mànga Norrmän gàr i svenska kyrkan i Paris. Fast jag finner ju den norska församlingen i Le Pecq utanför Paris…
Sköt om dig
Love the cottages…the colors…the little flower planted set against the bare wood is perfect. Great shots:)
nice little portfolio. great shots and well done.
I had no idea the red paint came from copper mines! Thanks so much for sharing with us.
They’re so cute, I’m reposting on Facebook!
I love the details in the architecture, very different from what I see in America.
Love these photos. My grandfather came from Ostersund and I very much want to go to visit Sweden. I’m seeing a little of it through your photos and Viveka’s (myguiltypleasures.wordpress.com). Thank you for sharing.
I included you here on my list because I’d love to see what you come up with:
http://theusualbliss.com/2012/06/19/15173-photos-46-2/
I love them all! There is such charm to old buildings and houses..
I loved them all and then I scrolled down to the last one…I LOVE IT
How lovely these are with the flowers, etc.
These are all so wonderful. I am part Swedish but have never been anywhere but the United States. Thanks for sharing these.
And I have never been to the US. Thanks for your (partly swedish) comment, Carissa.
I love the unpainted house in the second photo – it reminds me of something timeless and hundreds of years old. Thanks for sharing all these wonderful houses and farm buildings. It’s a shame Norway doesn’t spend the time preserving their buildings like Sweden – I think it would be a very worthwhile task.
I must say, Victoria, that there are people also in Norway who takes very well care of their houses and our cultural heritage. But there are not enough of them, and not as many as in this part of Sweden I travelled through, were the traditions were very well kept alive and flourishing. Even the few big, modern farms I saw had build their barns and othere farm building to suit these old values and traditions. This doesn’t mean I am against modern buildings.
Interesting buildings & great photos. I love the weathered timbers & decorative touches, and that the buildings are intact and cared for. You can’t replicate decades of history and the touch of people past, once the old buildings are gone so is that tangible link to those who lived & loved there.
I so much agree, Ella. Thanks for your comment.
Such wonderfully charming cottages! I love the textures and ornate entry ways used in them. How I would love to visit one and stay for a while out in the countryside. Thanks for sharing!
They are very nice looking buildings. Even the un-painted ones appear well cared for.
These houses look so charming. Beautiful photos. As always TFS.
Regards Florence x
Thanks for showing these beautiful old houses. I love them really. The falu red is a timeless and beautiful colour. I was a few times in the Siljan lake region and near the Norwegian border (Sälen), and for me the rustic Sweden is beginning only above a line Gothenburg – Stockholm. Especially the Siljan region is awesome! Have a nice day!
I wasn’t in Siljan, but not so far away, and I agree with you about the rustic Sweden. I have also passed through most of northern Sweden. There are mainly forest there, and a lot of old houses are gone it seems, but not all of course. And not many houses anyway..
splendid and relaxing place
beautiful and informative
Very nice. I like such detail.. Relaxing
I like this cottages. This kind of buildings we don’t have them. They have very lovely details and there is space around. I hope to visit this region once!
A very interesting article, Greetings.
Beautiful cottages!
Lovely pictures. Do your travels bring you to Finland?
Hi, Bente! I always enjoy your posts because I learn so much. Now I have to go learn more about Falu red. A quick Google netted me 275,000 hits, so I am going to be a bit busy. Wish you could buy your favorite barn and preserve it.
Preservation. To preserve a building with care and love is to honor it. Why do we continually build houses here in America to only move to newer ones. Our neighborhood has no character or individualism. There is nothing special about the house other then it has more rooms then our old one. Our neighborhood board does not even allow us to paint any color other then white, beige, cream and sometimes gray.
We have lost our personality, tangled in rules and regulations that try to please all but please none. What i would give to live in a house such as what is seen here on your blog. Even more, I would love to see the inside because I just know that if you love your house enough to preserve it you must have the most wonderful collection of linens, glass wear, paintings and furnishings.
Alas, I will never be able to, I will forever be stuck here in the Stepford community. Such a pity.
Like the castles on which you commented, I find these lovely Swedish cottages magical, too!
Beautiful, peaceful structures and landscapes.
Soooooo beautiful!
Such beautiful porches on the old houses!
Finally, I am saying thanks for becoming one of our followers. We are slow learners about WordPress. Seeing this piece about old Swedish architecture brought back memories of my 2 trips to Sweden to find and visit my relatives. My history is there. Thank you for the memories!
Jedes dieser Häuser auf deinen Fotos versprüht regelrecht seinen eigenen Charme. Ich stimme dir zu, sie haben eine Seele. Liebe Grüße und danke für deinen tollen Reiseberichte
Beautiful cottages!
Thank you for checking out Keeping up with Carol! I love your blog and this post is wonderful. Beautiful pictures!
I love these pictures, they are so vivid! Thanks for liking my post: “Meet my Stuffed Animals” and visiting my blog Whimsically Yours, http://patricecaldwell.wordpress.com/
driving in sweden is great. but this time, i find driving in austria is even greater!