Hårtorpssjön

Hair sized lake

Since the 1920s, Hårstorpssjön has flowed below Charlottenborg Castle. The lake was formed when the Motala stream was dammed up in connection with the construction of the nearby power station. At the bottom of the lake are the ruins of a medieval farm: Hårstorp farm. Perhaps you can see the small island out in the lake? That's roughly where the farm was located. The island is a landscaped memorial site that is now overgrown with trees and bushes.

Hårstorp was a large and powerful estate complex located on the north side of Motala stream. The estate included a stone house on an islet in the water and many plots of land where craftsmen, millers and fishermen had their business.

At the time of the damming, there was a newer farmhouse in the area. It was built in 1827-1828 and had been the official residence of the Göta Canal Company's chamberlain and later a domestic school. The building had to be moved so as not to end up under water. Today, the house is located on Östermalmsgatan in Motala and has been a hotel since 2013.