Beschrijving

This work presents the emergence and influence of Dutch architecture in Sweden during the 17th century, focusing on town houses, country estates, palaces and garden layouts. It shows how Dutch builders, architects and patrons contributed to the Swedish built environment, bringing stylistic and construction innovations from the Netherlands into Swedish contexts. The text emphasises the architectural vocabulary—such as gables, facades, brickwork and spatial planning—that the Dutch introduced in estates and urban homes in Sweden.

It then examines specific clients and projects, giving particular attention to prominent Dutch-Swedish figures like Louis de Geer who played a key role in financing or commissioning major estates. The book also explores how these architectural forms did not simply copy Dutch prototypes but adapted to Swedish materials, climate conditions and social contexts: the result is a hybrid architecture that blends Dutch aesthetics with Swedish landscapes and traditions.

Finally, the book situates these buildings within broader developments of trade, culture and science in 17th-century Sweden, noting how the Dutch presence influenced city founding (such as the early history of Gothenburg) and estate-forming patterns. The reader is invited to appreciate these structures not just as architectural objects, but as cultural artifacts that reflect cross-border exchange, social ambition and the evolution of landscape design.