“Gårdspoeten” that was Carl Michael Bellman. He often visited this place. We are standing in front of Årsta Gård. It is a place steeped in history. It echoes with tales from centuries past.
Årsta Gård’s history stretches back to the 1200s. It may have been owned by Birger Jarl’s uncle Birger Brosa. A written record from 1344 shows that Årsta Gård was given to Uppsala Cathedral by Duke Valdemar. He died in 1318 after the infamous Nyköping Banquet.
Årsta Gård started as a village. From the 1400s it became a manor owned by the Oxenstierna family. Årsta was the only manor in Brännkyrka parish. At its peak its lands stretched far. They reached from Sätra in the west to Gåsö and Saltsjöbaden in the east.
The Danish King Kristian II met Sten Sture the Younger near here in 1518. This was the Battle of Brännkyrka. Gustav Vasa is said to have carried the Swedish flag. Sten Sture won even though the Danes had 500 mercenaries. The battle likely took place on a meadow near Årsta Gård.
In the 1600s Stockholm grew rapidly. The king gave land to nobles for their service. Several noble families owned Årsta. These included the families de la Gardie and Brahe.
Märta Helena Reenstierna is perhaps the most famous resident of Årsta Gård. She is also known as Årstafrun. She kept a diary from 1793 to 1839. Her writings provide a detailed look at daily life then.
Carl Michael Bellman lived at Årsta Gård with his family in the 1760s. His family moved here due to debt. Bellman remained a frequent visitor. Årstafrun called him “gärdspoeten” meaning the estate poet. He always performed a new song at the annual harvest festival.
The main building dates from the 1700s. It rests on an older medieval foundation. In 1860 the railway between Stockholm and Södertälje opened. Later it extended to Gothenburg. Stockholm grew quickly and the old estates were divided.
In 1905 Årsta Gård was sold to Stockholm City. The city bought it from Legation Counselor Rappe. The city incorporated Brännkyrka parish in 1913.
From 1959 Årsta Gård has been home to a special school. It offers both primary and secondary education. It also has boarding facilities.
Årsta Gård stands as a reminder of Stockholm’s rich past. Its stones whisper stories of nobles poets and everyday life. It connects us to the people who shaped this land.