Mårten Skinnares hus, Medieval residential building in Vadstena, Sweden.
Mårten Skinnares hus is a three-story stone building in Vadstena constructed with traditional Nordic brick masonry and featuring an underground cellar. Narrow staircases and preserved exterior architectural details characterize its interior and outer appearance.
Mårten Nilsson, a merchant trading in furs and copper, received three plots from Vadstena Abbey in 1519 to build a hospital for poor citizens. This structure emerged during the early Reformation period as both a welfare commitment and a display of mercantile power.
The upper floor contains fragments of biblical wall paintings, with only a single halo remaining visible from the medieval decorations. These remnants show how affluent residents decorated their homes with religious imagery during that era.
The building is managed by the Swedish National Property Board and offers guided tours through its preserved rooms and medieval structure. Plan your visit in advance to make the most of the guided experience and explore all the preserved spaces.
The northern facade incorporates Nordic magical symbols woven into its brick pattern, meant to signal protection and good fortune. Above, the building contains a rare medieval privy structure that reveals details about sanitation in wealthy medieval households.
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