baggård

Baggård is a term used in Danish, Norwegian and Swedish to describe the yard situated behind a main building, forming part of a courtyard or farm complex. The concept is similar to what in English might be called a backyard, but baggården historically served a primarily utilitarian function within rural and urban architecture.

In rural settings, the baggård lay behind the house and was bounded by outbuildings such as stables, barns, granaries and sheds. It functioned as a work area for storage, manure handling, and carting, and often contained wells or cisterns, spaces for drying, and areas for managing livestock. The arrangement supported daily farm operations and provided access to the various service buildings.

In urban contexts, baggård referred to the back courtyard behind a townhouse or block, accessible from alleys or side streets. It offered space for waste collection, coal and firewood storage, laundry, and other household services. The term appears in historical descriptions, architectural plans, and estate inventories, reflecting how city dwellers organized back-facing space behind the main façades. Related terms include bakgård in Swedish and innergård in other Nordic languages, while Danish usage commonly distinguishes baggård and baggårdsareal.