Has anyone ever heard of a “malmgård”? Hedbergs malmgård is one such place. It stands here before us, a relic of a bygone era. Hedbergs malmgård is one of Stockholm’s remaining country estates. It’s nestled on Kvastmakarbacken 3 in eastern Södermalm. The building is owned and managed by AB Stadsholmen. It’s also blue-listed by the Stockholm City Museum. This designation signifies its “exceptionally high cultural-historical values”, equivalent to the requirements for listed buildings.
The area around Kvastmakarbacken retains its 18th-century character. Small, Falun red painted cottages and tall brick chimneys dot the landscape. It is now a designated preservation area with a number of properties of special cultural-historical value. Hedbergs malmgård was built in 1711 for Hans Westman. He sold the property in 1721 to merchant Daniel Hedberg. Hedberg expanded the estate in 1726 with additional buildings. The estate boasted “a large and extensive garden with several fruit trees”. There were stables, barns, two gazebos, a duck pond, and even a greenhouse. According to the fire insurance from 1794, the property covered an area of 6,720 square meters. The building’s exterior is a prime example of 18th-century construction. It features paneled, red-painted facades, a hipped roof, and square windows with shutters. The interior also retained its old-fashioned character for a long time. It showcased woodwork and fireplaces from the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Hedberg family owned the malmgård until 1787. Their name remains attached to the estate to this day. Through a public auction, the miller’s widow Sara Wennberg acquired the property. Just three years later, it was registered to her heirs. That same year, tanner Carl Diurberg took ownership. Diurberg’s era ended in 1849, and various gardeners moved onto the estate. When the City of Stockholm purchased the property in 1900, it was leased to gardeners Öhman and Källman, among others. Källman can be seen in a photograph from 1907.
During the renovation of the buildings along Kvastmakarbacken in the 1950s, the large plot was reduced. All buildings except the main house were demolished, and most of the garden was removed. When the house was remodeled and modernized in the 1980s, it had stood virtually unchanged for more than 200 years. Hedbergs malmgård stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Stockholm’s past. It offers a glimpse into a time of country estates, flourishing gardens, and a slower pace of life.