Rehabilitation of Snipetorpgata 27

- An aesthetic boost for Ibsengården

Telemark Park and Garden Services has recently completed the rehabilitation of Ibsengården's garden. This has been a real boost for the protected farm in Snipetorpgata.

The work was carried out on behalf of Skien Municipality, which is responsible for the maintenance of the farm. Eli Haugland at the Cultural Office in Skien Municipality says that it was absolutely necessary for the work to be done now, as the collapsed dry stone wall and stone staircase were in danger of damaging the listed building at Snipetorpgata 27.

The work involved dismantling the garden's lower wall, stone steps and cobblestone pavement. Soil was excavated and removed, drained and replaced, before the drywall, natural stone steps and cobblestone pavement were reassembled.  

Construction manager Bjørn Simen Rørvik at Telemark Park and Garden Management states that all parts of the project were carried out manually for antiquarian reasons. The walls and stairs were sorted and reassembled, without the use of cement.

– The work represented a respectable, aesthetic boost for the farm. The measures were precarious for the preservation of the buildings, as the masses above placed increasing pressure on the building's foundation, says Rørvik.

Eli Haulgland says that the municipality is very satisfied with the work that has been done.

– Now the most critical part is done, and it is very gratifying that the result has been so great. Telemark Park and Gardening has done a very good job with the drywall, says Haugland.

Great cultural value

Snipetorp is one of the best preserved districts in Skien, with wooden houses from the late 18th century. The district survived the great city fires of 1854 and 1886, and with its historic architecture and narrow streets it provides a unique insight into the city's past. Snipetorpgata, which is still the only authentic city street from Henrik Ibsen's time in Skien, thus has great cultural value.

Snipetorpgata 27 was the last of the "Ibsens" homes in Skien. Ibsen's family moved here in 1843, at the same time that Henrik Ibsen himself traveled to Grimstad to become an apprentice pharmacist. He visited his family on the farm in Snipetorp on several occasions.

The farm, which was built in 1827, was listed in 1954, and taken over by the municipality in 1961. Today, the first floor of the house is used by artists who receive Skien Municipality's artist grant.

The rehabilitation has not only improved the aesthetic value of the area, but has also been an important step in securing the buildings against future damage.