Hjortnäs – Village Groups and Cultural Landscape

Located on Lake Siljan, Hjortnäs is defined by five clearly distinct older village groups. Four of them lie around Storåkern; the separate locations of all five groups have largely been preserved since the land consolidation of the 1820s. This spatial arrangement is essential for finding your way around the village: Hjortnäs is best understood through the interplay between its village groups and cultural landscape, not just through individual historic building styles.

Storåkern and the Cultural Landscape

Storåkern is located in the centre of Hjortnäs. This large, open, flat area brings together most of the village’s clay- and silt-rich grazing and cultivated land; the entire area is still farmed today. In describing the village, landscape and land use go hand in hand: the open terrain is not merely a backdrop, but remains an agricultural landscape. Storåkern is considered to be of very high cultural-historical value. Those interested in rural cultural landscapes can appreciate the connection between the central layout of the land, agricultural use, and historical development.

Village History and Architectural Styles

In the 16th century, Hjortnäs was one of the largest villages in Leksand. An unusually high proportion of the older farmsteads are laid out in a square or enclosed on three sides around the farmyard. These two basic forms describe different types of farmstead layout and give the village its distinctive architectural character. Hjortnäs has an unusually large number of well-preserved parstugor, traditional Swedish houses with two sections of living space. The term identifies these houses as a specific type of dwelling. The timber houses of Hjortnäs and Sunnanäng are considered an important source for understanding the timber-house culture of Leksand and have special cultural-historical value. Together, these architectural points of interest range from the arrangement of the farmsteads to timber-house culture.

The history of shipping is also part of the village’s cultural identity. Hjortnäs and Sunnanäng have more than 90 boathouses in total, bearing witness to the historic shipping trade on Lake Siljan. The boathouses add a connection to the lake and its former use to the history of the farmsteads and timber houses.

Events and Cycling Routes

There is a festival ground at Hjortnäs brygga, still frequently used for events such as dances. If you are planning a visit around a dance or festival event, check the relevant dates. Hjortnäs Handel Galleri is listed as a venue in the Dalarna Art Trail 2026 programme; if you are visiting as part of the trail, it is worth checking the programme and dates.

Two cycling routes also offer practical information for planning your trip. The Tällbergsrundan passes through Hjortnäs and then climbs uphill towards Tällberg. As route details can change, check the current route before setting out. The Leksandsturen Nord cycling route also passes through Hjortnäs, is about 40 kilometres long, and runs past Hjortnäs brygga, among other places. These details provide different information to help with your general route choice: the climb towards Tällberg after Hjortnäs on the Tällbergsrundan, and the approximate total distance and route past the brygga on Leksandsturen Nord.

Discover more destinations: Tällberg, Siljansnäs, Djura, Leksand, Insjön

Go to the main travel overview: Leksand.