Sjønstå Farm

Overview

Sjønstå Farm is Northern Norway´s only preserved and protected “klyngetun” and is surrounded by great nature. A Norwegian “klyngetun” was a way of living where the houses were situated close together and the families had shared responsibility for farming the land. In 1859 these “klyngetun” were banned by the Norwegian government.

Sjønstå Farm is a great starting point for guided hikes. The farm first appeared in historical sources in a tax census from 1665 under the name Süinstad.

The settlement counts 22 houses and is idyllically situated at Sjønstå, about 15 km from Sulitjelma. The farm is a nationally important cultural heritage because the “klyngetun” farmes are not preserved in Northern Norway and because of its connection to the mining in Sulitjelma.

In 1892 the Sulitjelma railroad tracks between Sjønstå and Fossen were completed. The ore from the mining was transported over the lake Langvatnet in Sulitjelma by boat to Fossen, onwards by train between Fossen and Sjønstå, by boat over the lakes Øvervatnet and Nedervatnet, before it was loaded onto a ship at Finneid next to Skjerstadfjorden.

In 1956 the railroad was extended to Finneid, making the transportation easier.