Discover the unique details of Hjo’s wooden town

A living small-town history

Dating a house in Hjo is not always straightforward. A building may have been constructed in the 18th century, given new cladding in the 19th century and repainted in a different colour scheme during the 20th century. As a result, many buildings carry traces of several eras, making Hjo a living representation of how a Swedish small town looked up until the 1920s and 1930s.

Colours inspired by nature

Many of Hjo’s wooden houses still retain colour schemes dating from the 19th century onwards. At that time, natural earth pigments such as ochre, umber and iron oxide were commonly used. Red paint was most often reserved for outbuildings, while homes were decorated in warm shades of red, yellow and brown. By mixing pigments, beautiful green tones could also be created – a tradition that remains visible on the town’s façades today.

Roofs that signalled status

In Hjo, you can spot hipped roofs – a roof style introduced from southern Europe during the 18th century. The clipped gable ends were not merely an architectural detail; they were also a way of displaying status. Examples can be found at Sjögatan 7 and around the town square, where several historic properties still remain.

Towers as decoration

The small towers that appear throughout Hjo serve no practical purpose – they are purely decorative features typical of their era. During the late 19th century, architectural styles moved away from strict symmetry and embraced more elaborate forms. In Hjo, you can see examples at the Vete & Råg café, the Mission House and Sandtorget.

Hand-planed timber cladding – a rare sight

Most houses were originally built from timber and later covered with cladding. Until the late 19th century, boards were sawn and planed by hand, giving them a distinctive character. Today, surviving examples are rare, but in Hjo you can still find more than 70 buildings with preserved hand-planed timber cladding. Notable examples include Torggatan 8, Sjögatan 9 and Klings Gård at Långgatan 10.

Vertical and horizontal cladding

Take a closer look at the façades. Many of Hjo’s older houses feature a combination of horizontal cladding on the ground floor and vertical cladding on the upper floor – a traditional solution that adds variety and character to the streetscape.

Charming outbuildings

The small outbuildings found throughout Hjo have served many purposes over the years, from privies to woodsheds. Their doors are often decorated with cross-bracing, providing both structural strength and visual interest. It is a simple yet elegant example of how function and aesthetics come together in the design language of the wooden town.

Learn more at Kulturkvarteret

Would you like to discover more about Hjo’s history as a wooden town? Visit the exhibition Fragments of Hjo (Skärvor av Hjo) at Kulturkvarteret. Admission is free.