Sundborn between an artists’ home and a cultural landscape

Discover Sundborn through its artistic heritage, sacred architectural history and trails through the cultural landscape. Carl Larsson-gården represents an artists’ home developed jointly; Stora Hyttnäs offers a glimpse into the history of an old miner’s farmstead. The church, portrait collection, cultural sites and routes on the water add to these themes. When planning your trip, you can consider guided tours, village sites and activities on the Sundbornsån as different points of interest.

Carl Larsson-gården and Sundborn’s artistic history

Lilla Hyttnäs, now known as Carl Larsson-gården, was given to Carl and Karin Larsson in 1888. Together, they transformed the small log house, built in 1837, into a world-famous artists’ home. Visits to the artists’ home take place as part of guided tours. Before planning your visit, check the current seasonal visitor information.

Stora Hyttnäs: farmstead, residence and garden

Stora Hyttnäs offers another perspective on Sundborn’s history: the farmstead is one of the village’s oldest miners’ farmsteads and dates back to the 16th century. It is open to visitors during the summer season, and the preserved residence can be viewed on guided tours. Check the seasonal visitor information before planning your visit.

Around the farmstead is a garden from the 1880s, designed in the German style. There stands “Gubbäppelträdet,” one of Sweden’s oldest apple trees, which still bears fruit today. The history of the farmstead and the garden’s design offer two distinct aspects of a visit: a preserved residence and a historic garden with a named tree that continues to bear fruit.

The church and portrait collection

The present-day Sundborns kyrka was built at its original site in 1755. The cruciform church has remained relatively unchanged as a building. Carl Larsson left his mark on it during a renovation in 1905, when he painted and decorated the entire building.

Another cultural stop is the portrait collection in Sundborns Församlingsgård. Carl Larsson donated it to the Sundborn parish; it includes several portraits of parish residents painted by Larsson himself. The village’s history is thus reflected both in the church’s design and in portraits of its residents.

Trails through Sundborn’s cultural and natural landscape

The Hyttnäs nature reserve is defined by the Sundbornsån, Sundbornsåsen and the surrounding agricultural and meadow landscape. The Carl Larsson-leden runs between Sundborn and Falun; its northern section follows the western boundary of the nature reserve. This helps put the route between the two places into context, including its specific course along the reserve.

You can explore Kulturstråk Sundborn on foot. Trails and places are marked on maps and along the village streets, and signs describe the various stops along the way. While the Carl Larsson-leden runs between Sundborn and Falun, Kulturstråk focuses on its marked places and stops. These two descriptions provide different ways to orient yourself when planning a walk.

Paddling on the Sundbornsån

A paddling route of about 6.5 kilometres runs along the Sundbornsån. Via Lake Hosjön, it can be extended to a total of 12 kilometres to Roxnäs udde. The two distances offer a clear choice between a shorter option and a longer route via the lake. Water conditions and access may vary; check current conditions before planning your paddling trip.

From May 1, visitors can rent boats at Carl Larsson-gården to row on the Sundbornsån. Book through the booking system or directly at the site’s shop. Since availability may vary by season, check the latest information before making plans.

Discover more destinations: Bjursås, Enviken, Svärdsjö, Sågmyra, Linghed, Falun.

Go to the main travel overview: Falun.