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The medieval house at Huse

The medieval house at Huse (Egil Korsnes, owner: Hardanger Folkemuseum).

The farm Huse is situated on a broad terrace in the valley above the church and the commons ground in Kinsarvik. Huse is one of the largest farms in Kinsarvik. The house from the Middle Ages, still standing at Huse today, probably from the middle of 1200, is joined on to a house in the Swiss style from around 1890. This house, with a smoke-vent in the roof, bears witness of a grand old farm and of the chieftain’s power in early medieval times.


The name itself Huse – dative singular of the noun for a house, hus – may be related to the Huseby name, which is known from other places, a collection of houses by a military or administrative centre. It is fitting that Huse - a fine, grand farm near the church, court centre, market place and army ship’s place – a king’s farm, became the centre for local state representatives. Snorre mentions that around the year 1200, king Sverre’s relative, Martein, stayed at Kinsarvik. He probably resided at Huse. Already in medieval times the farm was divided into two holdings. The house of the lower holding was pulled down in 1870, while the house of the upper holding is still standing, characterised by fine craftsmanship in the elaborate portal with half columns and twisted rope motifs and elegant contour lines at the coned ends where the timber logs meet door or window uprights.