Villa Götha – Hjo Town Park

A Home for Single Women

During the 1930s, Villa Götha became a residence for single women. The home was founded in 1937 by the organisation “Friends of the Elderly” (De gamlas vänner), which renovated the house to include 13 guest rooms (down from the original 18), a dining hall, a lounge, kitchen areas and an apartment for the housekeeper.

The initiative was warmly welcomed – at its peak, the organisation had 116 members, and the home was highly appreciated. One review described it like this:

“You can hardly imagine a more beautiful and pleasant setting for a ‘Friends of the Elderly’ home. Especially in summertime, it must be particularly uplifting to live in the stately town park, with the ‘fairy tale lake’ Vättern visible from almost every path... It is indeed a peaceful place for those fortunate enough to come under the care of Friends of the Elderly.”

Facts about Villa Götha

The introduction of steam-powered sawmills in the 19th century made it possible to cut complex decorative shapes from wood with ease – a technique beautifully demonstrated at Villa Götha.

Originally, the villa featured richly decorated wooden balconies in the so-called Swiss style. At a time when architecture prized symmetry and formal balance, this playful and picturesque style stood out as charming and elegant. Compare it, for instance, with the nearby Villa Flora, which features much more modest decoration.

During the 1930s, however, many of the ornate balcony details were removed, along with the villa’s original flagpoles. Additional changes were also made to the exterior.

Beginning in 2004, a careful restoration process began. Using original blueprints and historic photographs, Villa Götha was gradually restored to reflect its original appearance. The intricate woodwork and flagpoles have returned to their rightful places, and all four grand balconies have been reconstructed with support from national heritage grants – and used as part of educational training in traditional building techniques.

Today, the villa once again radiates its original decorative splendour – and has served as a preschool for many years.

Read More

You can read more about Villa Götha in Hjo Stadspark och dess byggnader by Per-Göran Ylander. The book is available at Hjo City Library, or for purchase at Hjo Bookshop and the Tourist Information Centre.

Self-Guided Tour

Take a stroll and explore the historical architecture and craftsmanship of Hjo at your own pace.

Quick Facts

• Number of stops: 17

• What to do: At each stop/sign, scan the QR code

• Starting point: Any stop

• What you need: Mobile phone and QR code scanner

• Duration: Around 1 hour

• Walking distance: Approx. 1.5 km

• Season: All year round

• Price: FREE