Alsters herrgård: the birthplace of poet Gustaf Fröding

Alsters herrgård, located in Alster, Karlstads kommun, Värmlands län, is a historic manor with a storied past that dates back to the 14th century. While the earliest preserved document mentioning the manor is from 1397, the current structure was rebuilt in 1772. The building has since been expanded and renovated, with the addition of a second floor in 1787 and a neoclassical-style makeover in the early 19th century. The manor is the birthplace of the poet Gustaf Fröding, who was born here on August 22, 1860.

Alsters herrgård was held by several notable figures over the centuries. In the 16th century, it belonged to Queen Margareta Eriksdotter (Leijonhufvud) and King Gustav Vasa, and later to his son Duke Karl - the founder of Karlstad. The main building was then made of stone and stood where the eastern wing is located today. After the manor burned in the 1760s, it was rebuilt in 1772 on its current site. At that time, the manor building was faluröd with only one floor, but a second floor was added in 1787.

Brukspatron Jan Fröding - Gustaf Fröding’s grandfather - bought Alsters herrgård in 1837 and renovated the building in the neoclassical style following drawings by architect Johan Fredrik Åbom. The manor became white-painted during this period and remains so today. Four stoves and a panoramic tapestry from this time still exist on the second floor. In 1928, the property was purchased by Per Clarholm, överläkaren at Karlstads centrallasarett, and was donated to the county council upon his death in 1942. The county council operated the manor as a convalescent home until 1968. The memorial house for Gustaf Fröding opened in 1976.

Today, Alsters herrgård is open to the public daily. Various businesses such as a café, shops, and exhibitions are located near the manor. The Alsterån river flows nearby and empties into Vänern.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons