långhus

Långhus, Swedish for “long house,” denotes a long rectangular dwelling that was common in Northern Europe from the Iron Age through medieval times. It typically served as the primary family residence on a farmstead, combining living space with storage and, in many cases, space for animals under one roof.

Construction and layout commonly involved timber framing or log construction, with walls made of vertical timbers, wattle and daub, or planking. The roof was usually thatched or shingled. Inside, the main feature was a long hall or central room, heated by an open hearth. Smoke was vented through a hole or opening in the roof. Along the sides, benches, platforms, or small rooms provided sleeping and storage areas, while one end of the building might function as a byre for cattle or other livestock, especially in harsher climates.

Historical and regional context: longhouses appear in various forms across Scandinavia, the British Isles, and parts of continental Europe from late prehistory into the medieval era. They reflect social organization centered on extended families and household economies, with households often incorporating both living and working functions under a single roof. Over time, changes in farming practices, population, and settlement patterns led to the gradual decline of traditional longhouses as stone houses, smaller family dwellings, and separate byres became more common in some regions.

Notes: in Swedish architectural terminology, långhus can also refer to the nave of a church, a distinct use from the domestic dwelling sense.