Seat farm

In Scandinavia, a seat farm (Danish: sædegård; Norwegian: setegård/setegard; Swedish: sätesgård or säteri; Finnish: säteriratsutila) was a farm where a nobleman had his permanent residence.

The term was originally used for any farm where a nobleman chose to reside.

[citation needed] After 1660, when absolute monarchy was introduced in Norway, non-noble persons could also achieve this status for their farm of residence.

[citation needed] Seat farms had, especially, freedom from taxes and tithes.

After 1800 the tax exemption was modified, and under the 1821 Nobility Law the exemption ended upon the death of the person owning the farm at the time of the law's enactment.

The seat farm Holsteinborg in Denmark .
Artist: Jens Peter Trap (ca. 1860)
Elingård Farm in Norway. The earliest known owner was Olav Torsteinsson (Gyldenhorn) in the 15th century
Interior of the manor at Sturehov in Sweden