Photographer: Hofsnäs Herrgård

The Estates around the Lake
Ulricehamn

Birgit Sparre made the Estates around the lake famous

Many travellers have taken the trip around Lake Åsunden. Birgit Th. Sparre has tempted them to Ulricehamn with her novels, and made them want to know more about the legendary ’Estates Around the Lake’.

Thousands of tourists

Every summer, thousands of tourists take trips around the farms and listen to the guides’ tales about the author Birgit Sparre and her characters, about stories and legends that have been interwoven with real events in the area.

As a thread through the novels runs the author’s love for her home region and the people who lived there. She talks warmly of the farm workers, of the eleven labourer’s children in the poor cottage with damp patches in the ceiling, of the slightly off characters who people looked down upon, but who were missed when they passed away. Of “the lake that was more beautiful than other lakes”…

The Estates Around Lake Åsunden

Torpa Stone House
Torpa Stone House is a well-preserved medieval fort with an exciting history. Torpa Stone House is also one of our best kept manors from the Renaissance and dates as far back as the Middle Ages. The oldest part of the building is from the 15^th century, but the stone house we see today is more characteristic of the 16^th century. During the summer popular exhibitions are held in the King’s Hall. In the old butcher’s shop you can buy arts and crafts from the area, and close by is a coffee shop, which is open during the summer. Torpa Stone House reopens for visitors the first weekend in May 2006.

Hofsnäs
Hofsnäs is situated on the narrow isthmus between Yttre Åsunden and the lakeTorpasjön. After a fire in 1924, the house was rebuilt more or less to the original drawings. The estate, which is one of the oldest in the area, was mentioned as early as in 1526. The present owner is BoråsTown. The coffee shop is open during the summer and there is a crafts shop as well. There are also beautiful walking trails, a beach and boats available for hire. The coffee shop is open to pre-booked groups during the rest of the year.

Åsundsholm’s Manor
Åsundsholm, the home of the author Birgit Th. Sparre, is beautifully situated by the eastern shore of Lake Åsunden 25 km from Ulricehamn. This is where Birgit lived with her mother after the death of her father when Sjörred was sold. The buyer of Sjörred was Karl Anton Löwenadler. A plot was divided off on which Åsundsholm was built in the 1920s. Today Åsundsholm is the private residence.

Källebacka
Källebacka was built around 1675 by lieutenant-colonel Anders Biörnskiöld. The main building contained six rooms and a hall with low ceilings and small windows in keeping with the building standards of the time. In the 1750s a second floor was added with higher ceilings and taller windows. The main building at Källebacka is a very well preserved representative of 18^th century mansions with its tall hipped tiled roof and classicistic panel architecture with decorative detailing. The building is timbered and covered with yellow wood-panels with white details. Also of great interest is the well-preserved interior with wainscots, skirting, wallpapers, paintings as well as tiled stoves and a large very old oven. In the 1750s, the manor house was extended with two wings, of which the eastern one remains. The building has a similar roof to the main building, red wood-panels and mullioned windows. Also from the 1750s is a red wooden outhouse with a farmyard bell on the roof. It contains a privy with seven holes as well as a woodshed. There is also a traditionally built outbuilding for storing potatoes and other vegetables. Today Källebacka is the private residence of the Josefsson family; however viewings for pre-booked groups can be arranged.

Brunnsnäs
Brunnsnäs Mansion dates back as far as the 16th century; the present buildings were erected in 1770 onwards. Both nobility and middle class have lived here through the centuries. We can offer you a relaxing stay in a historical setting which offers peace and quiet, but with lots of sports and outdoor activities just around the corner.

Högagärde
Högagärde is situated by the northern shore of Yttre Åsunden. The manor house is yellow and of harmonious proportions, it’s located in a leafy oak park with a fantastic view of the lake. Miss Ebba Sparre of Torpa married the captain Nils Storkenfeldt in 1891 and thereby became the owner of Högagärde. The present owner is Magnus Barnekow who is sometimes available to show the estate to groups on agreement. Bookings and enquiries are made through Ulricehamn’s Tourist Information.

More information about the Estates Around the Lake is available from the Ulricehamn's Tourist Office.

Visit the Estates

Some of the estates are open for the public to visit and are popular tourist destinations. Here you find a guide with information that takes you around the lake with car or by bike.