The Toralf house is probably Lofoten’s most photographed house. The house at Røst has a special history. Many have become involved in the house’s future. It has now been confirmed that the Heritage Association has bought the house, which was owned by property investor Ola Moe. They will also put the house in order. Taken over by birds No people have lived in the mysterious house since 1973. During the breeding seasons, the birds take over the Toralf house. When the birds leave in the autumn, the remains of their nests are left on the windowsills. Among other things, the endangered gull Krykkje has used the Toralf house as a nesting place. Photo: Tove Andreassen The winter storms in Lofoten have also taken their toll. The house is dilapidated. Parts of an outer wall have been destroyed, and the lower corner to the south-west has fallen out. But there has been no evidence of rot damage to the roof or floor, and the walls with the lathed beams still appear to be solid. It is therefore in good faith that the Association of Historical Monuments is embarking on a restoration. – We’ve been scratching our fingers for a while, and wanted to do something, says secretary general of the Association of Historical Remembrance, Ola Fjeldheim. – We hope to be able to use this as an arena to teach new traditional crafts so that young people can test them. The process is just as valuable in itself, as the result itself, says Ola Fjeldheim in the Association of Historical Monuments. Photo: Press photo – The house is fantastic where it stands, but it would probably have fallen down on its own. According to Fjeldheim, the Past Memory Association has already been on the island and secretly supported the house. – The house is a ruin where it stands today. That is also part of what makes it spectacular. At the same time, it is probably in better condition than it appears from the outside. Therefore, it is a question of how much they should restore. Much of the house’s history is precisely in the fact that it looks the way it does. – It is part of the art of balance. We must get to know the house first, and its history, says the general secretary. – Then we do quite thorough work to find out where you can see traces of history from the past and what they have to take care of from the house so that it will still be the Toralf house. The hope is to turn the Toralf house into accommodation. But the Heritage Association has not set a date for when the house will be ready. Photo: Einar Stamnes / private The house will be restored as part of the around 45 properties that the association owns. The plan is to create an accommodation offer. – We are optimists and have a lot of experience from other projects, so we see that we will achieve this. Willing to preserve through use In addition to the Toralf house, the Fortidsminneforeningen has bought large parts of Kårøya. Among other things, the around 100-year-old docks. There has been accommodation and a workshop here in the past. The Fortidsminneforeningen is a voluntary cultural preservation organization that deals with cultural heritage preservation and building protection. They already own several stave churches in Norway. Photo: Bjørn Tore Pedersen / news The piers are very dilapidated, but the conservation value is high, according to the Association of Historical Monuments. – The plan is to also lift them out of disrepair and save them, without making any major changes, says Fjeldheim. The wish is that there will once again be commercial activity in the wharves. – In the long term, we will look for new owners for these two wharves who can use them for something good for the Røst community. Cheering for the takeover – It’s a day of joy, we’ve been working on this for a long time, says mayor Elisabeth Mikaelsen at Røst. There has long been great uncertainty about what will happen on Kårøya. Photo: Privat – There are many in Røst who have looked at the decay with sadness, because it is actually part of our identity out here, says the mayor. – And what is happening now is therefore even more gratifying. The fact that it is the association for past memories that participates is just a stamp of quality. The mayor says that working with cultural heritage as a resource and ensuring protection through use is something they have had a lot of focus on in Røst. – What is happening here now is almost unbelievable. It is a very happy day for us.
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The association for past memories will make accommodation out of the Toralf house – news Nordland
