The red landmarks of Norway

The barn is the farmer’s centre of activity, says the author.

“It’s the large building that would contain the farm animals, food for the livestock, farm equipment and also act as storage for grain”, Røyrane says.

Until 1850, the Norwegian farms normally consisted of several smaller buildings, but in modern agriculture that was no longer practical.

Thanks to its rich, fertile farmlands, the Trøndelag counties in particular are important breadbaskets for Norway. That fact is reflected in all the great barns in the area. Their farm buildings had to accommodate a large herd of cattle, as well as hay and grain.

“The houses on a typical big farm in Trønderlag forms a square, framing the yard”, the author says. 

Even if the barns normally are painted red, you sometimes find one in yellow or white. Then you can be fairly sure that a prosperous farmer used to live there.

Furthermore, the Trøndelag’s barns are often built at an angle and with a gateway that you drive through to get into the yard.

Mostly unused

According to Røyrane, the barns have constantly had to adapt to new uses. As in other countries, farming in Norway has been through a great technological development, like the invention of the tractor and the silo.

Many of the Norwegian barns are still in use, but after 1950 an increasing number of farms have constructed buildings specialised for a new era in agriculture instead. For example by building houses exclusively for sheep husbandry.

Today’s farmers often have their animals in new farm buildings, and sometimes also in large, specialised barns that they share with their neighbours.

“Nowadays, the typical Norwegian barn is mostly unused. The owner isn’t practising farming anymore, and he or she just lives on the farm”, says Røyrane.

A lot of the barns just function as storage rooms, but since it’s such a great expense to maintain these signature buildings, many choose to tear them down.