Couple’s traditional underground home hides in magical Nordic forest

In an enchanted forest in Småland, Sweden, Marianna and Anders Agetorp live on a fairytale-like homestead surrounded by moss, boulders, and stories of trolls.

On their land, they re-built their own 100-year-old backstuga — a traditional earth-sheltered home dug into the hillside and so perfectly blended into the landscape that people online often mistake it for AI-generated.

Nearby, on another piece of land they own, the couple restored a second backstuga, where they spend quiet nights fully immersed in nature.

This tradition of underground homes has deep roots in Småland’s history. The rocky soil here made farming difficult, and in past centuries, some of Sweden’s poorest people went underground, building earthen dwellings for warmth and survival during harsh winters.

Marianna and Anders carry that spirit of resilience and connection forward. They’ve built a “forest cathedral” among the trees — a sacred space for reflection and simply being. Their main farmhouse is alive with the scent of sourdough, the warmth of old stoves, and handmade furniture crafted from the surrounding forest.

The couple’s homestead, once part of a 19th-century farm, is now a place where old traditions and natural beauty intertwine — a living story of Sweden’s past and an inspiring vision of life rooted deeply in the earth.

https://www.agetorp.se/
To donate to Marianna's work with the backstuga (scroll to bottom): https://marianna.agetorp.se/backstugor/
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