The Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland (Swedish: Världsarvet Hälsingegårdar) is a World Heritage Site added to the list on July 1, 2012, as Sweden's fifteenth entry. Seven farmhouses built in the 19th century were chosen to show the best examples of local architectural and decorative traditions that are well preserved.

Plans to nominate the site began in the 1990s. The first nomination included a mix of farmhouses and areas linked to farming life in Hälsingland, with 15 sites, including a whole village. This nomination was not accepted at a meeting in Seville in 2009, where experts suggested selecting fewer sites. In the second and successful nomination, the focus was on the decorative painted interiors of the farmhouses, which is reflected in the English name of the World Heritage Site: "Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland."

History

The farmhouses of Hälsingland are an important part of Sweden's cultural heritage and show traditional building methods used in the old farming society of the region. These large homes are symbols of the term "Hälsingland farms," even though a complete farm, including buildings and land, is what truly defines a Hälsingland farm.

These farms use only wood in their construction and reflect the building styles of rural areas. They show how farmers built homes based on the materials and tools available. It is hard to describe a typical Hälsingland farm because they differ between areas and time periods.

A special feature of these farms is the size of their homes. Many have large, decorated houses, sometimes two or three, which could house multiple generations. Some homes were used for special events, while others were for sleeping, called "bed-cottages." Most homes had two floors, but some had one floor and could fit two families.

The homes are well-built and often have detailed designs, such as carved roof edges, decorated window frames, and beautiful doorways. These styles mostly come from the 19th century, but older farms have simpler, square-shaped houses, and newer ones from the early 20th century have large porches and intricate carvings.

Each area of Hälsingland had its own style of building, especially in the front porches and entrances. Coastal areas often had no porches, instead using expensive doors and hardware.

Inside the homes, there are amazing, well-preserved rooms with painted walls, stenciled designs, and imported wallpaper. Religious stories and local tales were painted by artists from Dalarna, mixing them with floral patterns and ribbons. These decorations covered walls, ceilings, and fireplaces. The number of homes with original interiors is rare worldwide.

Each farm also had many buildings outside the main house, such as barns, storage houses, and stables. By the late 1800s, these were often replaced by larger buildings that served multiple purposes.

Many farms are connected to other structures like mills and summer homes, showing the lifestyle of people in Hälsingland. These farms are located in old village areas that have changed little since the 19th century.

Today, about 1,000 Hälsingland farmhouses remain in the region. Some have been added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites.

Listed farmhouses

• Gästgivars, Vallsta
• Bommars, Letsbo
• Bortom åa, Fågelsjö
• Kristofers, Järvsö

Ovanåker Municipality

• Jon-Lars, Alfta
• Pallars, Alfta

Söderhamn Municipality

• Erik-Anders, Söderala / Söderhamn Municipality

Gallery

• Aerial views of Gästgivars
• Aerial views of Gästgivars
• Aerial views of Gästgivars
• Left corner of Gästgivars
• Door and window features of Gästgivars
• Scenic views from the World Heritage Farm Gästgivars
• Bommars
• Jon-Lars Room
• Detailed view of the gate at Kristofers Farm