We have a groovy history

Every Saturday we offer a free guided tour of Sätra Brunn! Come to "Brunnshuset" 2 pm (14.00) any Saturday!

During the second half of the 17:th century it was high fashion in among the nobles of Europe to visit a spa and drink the healthy water. The medical paradigm was built on the body fluids, the humors, and unhealth or disease meant they were out of balance. One way of balancing your fluids again was to drink water, preferrably water with high mineral content.

Samuel Skragge, Provincial medicus of the region Västmanland came to the spring at Sätra in the year 1700. He found the water to be of such high quality he decided to start a Health Spa. He bought the land around the spring and built a Well House, Bath House, Church, Hospital and Lodgings. The reputation of Sätra Brunn and its healing water spread rapidly. To ensure that they were alway welcome at Sätra Brunn, people from the nobility built their own houses on the premises. These houses were later donated to the Spa and many of them still bear the names of their original owners.

Not only nobility came to Sätra Brunn.  Then, just as now, everyone was welcome. The common people and the poor also came to Sätra Brunn to enjoy the cure. As a guest in the early 18:th century you had to follow strict rules, regardless of your social status. Early in the morning the well opened for the poorest to come and drink, and later, around six am, it was time for the nobility to visit the well and drink their share. The guest were prescribed several litres of water per day. Between the glasses of water, you were supposed to walk around in the parks in light conversation. Talking about religion, politics and economy was strictly forbidden, as they were believed to upset the guests. Being upset was believed to have an unfavourable effect on health and might counteact the beneficial effects of the water. The rest of the days were spent socializing, entertaining and excursing. The Spa's were places where people might find a suitable marriage candidate. Dr. Samuel Skragge had very clear views on food and drink. He advocated restraint from strong alcoholic drinks (of which the Swedes have always been prone to have too much) and considered green salad and meat to be dangerous for peoples health.

During the 19:th century the business developed and bathing in the beneficial water got more common. The bath should be warm if you were of melancholic or flegmatic constitution and cool if you were choleric or sanguinic.

It may not have been just the water that improved the health of the guests. The invigorating social life and all the walks will probably have contributed to the effects. In the Well house there used to be stands where the cured guests could leave their canes and crutches.

A lot still remains the same at Sätra Brunn. Our guests still benefit from visiting this calm environment, walking in the parks and participate in some of all the social activites on offer.