Tiny living space.
In the forests of Småland in southern Sweden, you can find small, unique cabins. These half-earthed huts can even be rented as accommodation. The roof of the bunk is covered with grass, and you hardly notice the cabin, it blends so well into the landscape.
The cottages are called “backstuga” in Swedish, which roughly means “hill house.” They are not found in large numbers these days, but in the 17th and 18th centuries they provided shelter for the country’s poorest.
Many backstugas had only one room and were often built into the hillside. Three walls were made of wood, with the hill itself serving as the back wall. This type of construction was common in the southern and southwestern parts of Sweden, where wood was an expensive commodity.
The people living here were called “backstugustittare.” Almost without exception, they were very poor, living on other people’s property and usually supporting themselves with casual, day labor, handicrafts, or donations.
Sometimes the landowner allowed them to cultivate a little land, to grow potatoes, but the cottages were usually located on barren, unproductive land unsuitable for growing crops. The residents did not pay taxes, but they did not receive any respect either. As the social status of the people living here improved, many backstugas became abandoned. However, some were preserved, and some can be visited as museums or renovated and rented.
