Sjötorp Locks 4-5

Product description

Formal name: Lock number four is named Borgarna (‘the Burghers’) and lock number five Bönderna (‘the Peasants’)
Year of construction: Both locks were built in 1819-1820
Technical facts: This double lock covers a height of 4.8 metres. The upper gate is made entirely out of wood and was not built in Sweden, but in the Netherlands, out of azobé wood. The remaining gates are cast iron, covered with wooden boarding.

Locks 2-3 and 4-5 here in Sjötorp form a unit and are named after what was known as the Four Estates of Sweden, the nobility, the clergy, the burghers and the peasants. The wooden lock keeper’s house nearby was thought to have been built as early as 1858. Just downstream from the lock, the canal is traversed by a modern bascule bridge. Even further down, canal travellers can enjoy the sight of the first canal inspector’s house. Its year of construction is a matter of debate between historians on the subject. Some claim that it was built in 1896, whilst others claim it was built no earlier than 1905. In addition to the canal inspector’s house you can also see the original washhouse, farmhand’s house, stable and root cellar.