Kulturens Östarp, Kulturreservat

Kulturens Östarp is a unique open-air museum and one of two cultural reserves in Skåne. It is located in a rolling and scenic landscape in the southwestern parts of Vombsänkan. Here you will find older farm environments and a small, broken agricultural landscape with small fields, meadows, fences and grazing cows that are reminiscent of older times. Unusual meadow flowers and wild bees coexist here with old farm breeds of many animal species, such as Linderöd's pigs, Gotland pigs and Göing goats. The area is owned and managed by Kulturen i Lund, which has run the museum since 1924. You are welcome to visit the cultural reserve all year round.

Östarp dates back to the 16th century

Kulturens Östarp is part of the older village of Östarp, which has been known since 1530. Since then, the village has mainly consisted of two farms. In the 18th century, the two farms were replaced by a manor-like complex, but in 1810 the large farm complex burned down. Three closely spaced half-timbered farms were then built. One of them was Gamlegård, which still exists today. After the 1831-1843 land consolidation, only Gamlegård remained, the other farms were moved to new farm locations. In 1922 Gamlegård was then bought by Kulturen in Lund. Möllegården, the inn and several other buildings were built before the museum was opened two years later. In the 1990s, Kulturen also bought the adjacent Alriksgården. This meant that Östarp's oldest farmland was included in the open-air museum.

Flowering sandy fields teeming with bees and butterflies

The old arable land is found up on the sandy plateaus surrounded by lower lying grasslands and stream valleys. The sandy soils have been easy to cultivate, but they have also been poor. This had to be compensated by having a lot of arable land. The grasslands are home to unusual meadow flowers and insects that have benefited from the unfertilized use of meadows and pastures in earlier times. Here and on the old arable land lives the rare species of heath flowers, as well as exclusive wild bees such as the haymaking bee and the cuckoo bee.

In the steeper parts there is mixed deciduous forest with lots of beech. And along the watercourses, dense swamp forest grows in places. In the north and furthest west there are also some pine trees that have been planted to bind the sand and thus avoid sand drift. In the forest edges there are also a large number of older, wide-crowned oaks and beeches.

Outdoor life

Start from the parking lot. Here is both Gästgivaregården with catering and at Östarpshallen you can borrow a map of the area. By following the Östarps trail, a nature and culture trail of 1.8 kilometers, you will learn more about the cultural landscape and Östarps history. The trail starts at Östarpshallen and the trail leaflet is also available there. During the walk you will get acquainted with both wind and water mills and not least the old farm environment and garden at Gamlegård. Special opening hours apply for visits inside the farm buildings. Remember to take your rubbish home. You can take the bus to the stop Kulturens Östarp and walk last bits (850 m, 10 min).