kvarn

Kvarn is the Swedish word for a mill, a device that grinds grain or other materials into flour or meal by turning a set of grinding surfaces. Traditional kvarnar were powered by wind or flowing water, and later by engines or electricity. The core of a kvarn consists of a stationary bedstone and a rotating upper stone, or runner, which grinds the material between them. Energy is transmitted through gears and drive wheels that adjust speed and torque to optimize grinding.

There are several main types. A vattenkvarn (watermill) uses a water wheel or turbine driven by a river or stream to turn the mill, often through a gear train and a vertical shaft. A vindkvarn (windmill) uses sails or a rotor to catch wind and convert it to rotational energy. Some mills were powered by animal power in earlier periods, and later by steam or electric motors as technology advanced.

History shows that mills emerged in Europe in late antiquity and the Middle Ages, with watermills among the earliest mechanical industrial devices. In Sweden, kvarnar were closely tied to rural agriculture and local economies, frequently located near rivers or coastal sites where water or wind resources were available. Many have been preserved as cultural heritage; others were dismantled, repurposed, or replaced by modern milling facilities.

In contemporary contexts, kvarnar commonly appear as museums, cultural monuments, or tourist attractions illustrating historical milling methods. A few continue to operate as working demonstrations or for the sale of milled products. The term also appears in place names and in the names of mills that historically served communities.