Julita Gård manor house, a yellow building with white columns, at the end of a gravel path with clipped hedges
Julita Gård manor house, a yellow building with white columns, at the end of a gravel path with clipped hedges

Julita Gård (Julita Manor): History, Gardens & Family Fun near Stockholm

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ByZayera

Julita Gård / Julita Manor

Julita Gård (Julita Manor) is a unique, open-air manor museum in Sörmland, about two hours from Stockholm. The estate is owned by Nordiska museet and preserved to show how a large Swedish estate functioned in the early 1900s—nearly 360 buildings across ~2,200 hectares of manor grounds, forests, farmland and waters.

A quick history

  • Medieval monastery: The site began as a Cistercian abbey. Founded in 1160 near Sigtuna, the community relocated in 1180 to Säby/Julita by Lake Öljaren (also called Saba in Latin). After the Reformation (1527), the monastery lands became a secular estate.

  • From noble estate to museum: The present main house dates to the 1730s, with later 18th-century completion; the last private owner, Lt. Arthur Bäckström, bequeathed Julita to Nordiska museet in 1941. To me it is obvious that Arthur Bäckström was homosexual, a gay man who lived life the best he could with social happenings, entertaining his friends and people he found interesting.

What the site looks like today

  • Historic buildings & interiors: Tour the Main House and explore wings, dairy, windmill, fire station, workshops, and Monastery House—whose ground floor preserves medieval brick vaults from the abbey. Guided tours of the Main House are included in summer admission (subject to capacity).

  • Gardens & living collections: Walk style gardens, kitchen plots and orchards. Julita maintains living collections: a fruit tree gene bank (hundreds of apple trees/cultivars) and a hop clone archive that forms part of Sweden’s national gene bank for cultivated plants. Expect peonies and geraniums in season.

  • Open-air heritage zone: At Julita Skans, Bäckström gathered cottages and built a small parish church in National-Romantic style—great for photos and context on rural life.

  • For families: Pettson’s farm (Pettsongården)—created with author Sven Nordqvist—is a beloved play area built at 2/3 scale so kids can “step into” the books. The family area and playgrounds round out a very kid-friendly day.

Best things to do (1–6 hours)

  • Join a guided tour of the Main House (45 min) to see Bäckström’s interiors, carriages and the copper kitchen.

  • Garden loop: Greenhouse exhibits (hops, geraniums), peony garden, kitchen garden, hop archive, and the fruit gene bank. Time your visit for special Garden Days (Peony, Geranium, Bee Day).

  • Abbey traces: Peek into the Monastery House vaults—rare medieval remains on a manor site.

  • Skans walk: Stroll the Julita Skans cottages and church; finish at the lakeside jetty for fika with an Öljaren view.

  • Seasonal events: Classic Midsummer festivities, art shows, and Apple Days in late September (fruit exhibition, talks, family activities).

Practical planning

Season & opening: Julita runs full programming in summer (typically mid-June to late August, with shoulder-season weekends). Outside summer, the park/gardens stay open year-round for self-guided walks. Always check current hours before you go.

Getting there: From Stockholm take a train to Katrineholm or Eskilstuna, then bus to “Julita Gård / Julita gård entré”. Driving takes ~2 hours; parking (incl. accessible spaces) and EV charging are available on site.

Tickets & tours: Summer admission covers grounds and buildings; guided Main House tour is included but space is limited—collect a tour ticket on arrival (first-come, first-served). Julita gård

Eat, shop & stay: You’ll find a café/inn (seasonal) and a shop focused on sustainable country living; Hostels, hotels and camping sites are available in the region too.

Fast facts (good to know)

  • Where: By Lake Öljaren, 25 km outside Katrineholm, Sörmland; roughly two hours from Stockholm.

  • Who runs it: Nordiska museet (the Nordic Museum).

  • Scale: About 360 buildings across ~2,200 hectares.

  • With kids: Pettson’s Farm + outdoor play areas.

Sample half-day itinerary

  1. Main House tour (45 min).

  2. Garden circuit: greenhouse exhibits → hop & fruit collections → peonies/roses in season.

  3. Julita Skans cottages & church.

  4. Family time: Pettson’s farm/play areas (summer).

  5. Fika by the jetty at Lake Öljaren.

Yellow manor buildings at Julita Gård behind a formal garden with red flower beds
Formal garden with curved hedges and flower beds in front of the manor buildings at Julita Gård
Tall rune stone in the grass under trees at Julita Gård, with an information sign in front
Information board about the medieval Cistercian monastery of Saba at Julita, part of the Munkleden trail
Carved wooden monk sculpture under a black wooden shelter, with red buildings behind
Information sign Opel från år 1908, about the old car in the garage at Julita Gård
Brown Opel car from 1908 with large spoked wheels, inside an old garage at Julita Gård
Black wooden bell tower with tall spires on green grass at Julita Gård
Small dark wooden chapel with a spire beside red wooden buildings and large trees
Simple farmhouse room with wooden floor, a red cupboard and a wooden sofa bench
Old farmhouse room with a wooden desk, a chair and a built-in bed
Large farmhouse room with white walls, a round tiled stove and old furniture
Long garden view with clipped hedges and white flowers, a small chapel at the far end
Red wooden cottage with a grass roof and an open front, under green trees
Information sign about Smedjestugan, a small museum at Julita Gård, with old photos
Close view of moss and grass on the roof of a red wooden cottage, against a blue sky
Interior of Smedjestugan with a wooden floor, a painted wooden staircase and old household objects
Library room in Julita manor with bookcases, a large wooden desk and a brass chandelier
Bedroom in Julita manor with yellow walls, a green carpet, two beds and a dark wooden desk
Bedroom in Julita manor with blue and white wallpaper, a white bed and a large rug
Long salon in Julita manor with red chairs, round tables and a crystal chandelier
Room in Julita manor with a painted ceiling border, portraits on the walls and a writing desk
Bedroom in Julita manor with red bedspreads, a tiled stove and old furniture
Bright hall in Julita manor with a crystal chandelier, a wooden floor and a tall carved cabinet
Bedroom in Julita manor with a canopy bed, yellow curtains and light painted chairs
Round wooden table with blue and white plates on display, in a room in Julita manor
Dining room in Julita manor with a set table, crystal chandeliers and a painted ceiling
Room with green walls in Julita manor, with a tiled stove, a set table and a chandelier
Room with dark red walls in Julita manor, with family portraits, a fireplace and armchairs
Room with yellow walls in Julita manor, with a bed in an alcove and wooden furniture
Salon with blue walls in Julita manor, with a round table, framed photos, a green sofa and a gilded mirror

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