The Old House in Häverödal

Last summer we happened to drive through a small community, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, a couple of hours drive northeast of Stockholm. The village of Häverödal itself was perhaps not much to write blog about, but the church looking odd building residing in a pine clearing on top of a small rise in the village has left me wondering ever since.

A recent return trip showed an amazing looking as well as matching eerie sadly decaying building. Obviously not a church, more of a masonic lodge looking house, it sent chills down my back at the same time as I found it completely mesmerizing. In disrepair surrounded by silence in waiting for purpose.

After a bit of sleuthing by web - now and then google is my friend - I did manage to find out exactly what kind of building it was, built in the early 1920ies in national romantic style it was declared a notable building in 1989. When the county administrative board inspected the place in 2001 it was obvious the beautiful building was in dire need of repair. Despite the owner having been enjoined to restore the building under the penalty of fine since 2003 nothing seem to have been done. I think it's such a disgrace and waste of cultural as well as historical value and I'm more than curious to know why the place apparently hasn't undergone public administration control.

The answer to the once upon a time sector of use for this building somehow opened up to even more questions, because of its quite unlikely location. Yes unlikely even back then I should think. Care to have a guess, what was the purpose of this grand building?