Were these houses always white? Stand here before Vita villorna. These charming houses nestle on the shores of Lake Tullingesjön. They weren’t always so picturesque. Vita villorna meaning White Villas in Swedish has a fascinating history.
Originally these weren’t white at all. They were built in the early 1900s for workers at AB Separator a company that later became Alfa-Laval. The first houses built were painted a reddish-brown color. Local people nicknamed them Röda villorna or Red Villas. Later a set of houses were built using white limestone. These were the actual Vita villorna. They were later painted in light colors.
Each villa housed four families. In the 1920s two larger buildings each with eight apartments were added. These were known as the Svarta villorna or Black Villas likely because they were initially painted black. They are red today. In the 1950s more row houses were added south of the Svarta villorna.
By the early 1970s the foundry at AB Separator closed. The company started demolishing the older Röda villorna. The last of them were gone by the early 1980s. Vita villorna were slated for demolition too. Luckily local people protested. Botkyrkabyggen a municipal housing company bought the property. The houses were saved and renovated.
Today you see these charming renovated homes. They stand as a testament to the workers who lived here. They also serve as a reminder of the importance of preserving local history. They’re not just pretty houses they’re part of a story. They’re a story of industry community and preservation. Isn’t that remarkable?