Koversta, or Koversta Gammelby, is an old settlement in the historical province of Gästrikland in eastern Sweden. It was once a part of Österfärnebo Parish, which today is a part of Sandviken Municipality in Gävleborg County. Today the farmsteads that make up this old settlement can only be considered an open-air museum.
A Short History of Koversta
Most of the main buildings making up this small settlement date back to somewhere around the mid-18th century. This was originally a farming community that came under the ownership of the mill in Gysinge. This was why the settlement during the 19th century was unaffected by the reform in Sweden known as “Laga Skifte”. That was an agricultural reform that saw a decentralization of the villages. The land was re-distributed so that each owner had all their land in one place, which usually meant that also the residential and farm buildings were moved from the small shared settlements and villages to the newly marked land. This means that Koversta is special in the way that the farmsteads are still gathered in one centralized settlement.
The local heritage organization, Föreningen för hembygdsvård i Österfärnebo, was established in 1918. They first only managed and took care of one of the farmsteads, but were eventually given the rest of the settlement from the various owners. Eventually creating the open-air museum that is here today.
Things to Do and See
Koversta is in itself the attraction here. This old settlement with its five farmsteads is able to take any visitor back in time, With the main buildings dating back to the mid-18th century, it is easy to let the dreams take you back to a time that is almost forgotten. There are plenty of events taking place here each year, especially during the summer months. One of the highlights is according to many sources the midsummer celebrations.
How to Get to Koversta
- Flights: Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) is121 kilometers to the southeast.
- Car: Koversta is along smaller roads outside of Österfärnebo.
- Bus: Buses from X-Trafik connect Koversta with the surrounding region.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 155 kilometers (1 h 51 min)
- Gothenburg – 477 kilometers (5 h 41 min)
- Malmö – 697 kilometers (7 h 55 min)
- Linköping – 292 kilometers (3 h 41 min)
- Kiruna – 1120 kilometers (13 h 24 min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
