The Living Room at the Estonian Open Air Museum is an authentic reconstruction of a traditional rural Estonian living space from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The room is part of the museum’s collection of over 70 historical buildings that have been relocated to the museum’s 72-hectare site, which recreates the rural landscape and village life of Estonia in the past.
The Living Room is located in the museum’s Võru Farmstead, which is a typical example of a small, self-sustaining Estonian farm from the early 20th century. The farmstead consists of several buildings, including a house, a barn, and a sauna, and was donated to the museum by a local family in the 1970s.
The Living Room is situated in the main house of the Võru Farmstead, which was built in the 1860s and renovated several times over the years. The room itself is sparsely furnished, with only a few pieces of furniture that would have been typical of a rural Estonian living room of the time.
One of the most striking features of the Living Room is the large stove that dominates the space. The stove is made of bricks and decorated with colorful tiles, and was used for both heating and cooking. It was a central feature of many Estonian homes before the advent of modern heating systems.
Another notable feature of the Living Room is the wooden bench that runs along one wall of the room. This bench would have been used for seating during the day, and could be converted into a bed at night. This type of convertible furniture was common in Estonian homes where space was at a premium.
The Living Room also contains a set of shelves that would have been used for storing dishes, and a small table that would have been used for meals. There are no chairs in the room, as seating was typically done on the bench or on the floor.
The walls of the Living Room are made of logs that have been whitewashed, which was a common method of decoration in rural Estonian homes. The floor is made of planks and covered with a rug made of sheepskin.
Overall, the Living Room at the Estonian Open Air Museum provides a fascinating glimpse into the everyday life of rural Estonians in the past. The room’s sparse furnishings and simple decoration serve as a reminder of the challenges that faced Estonian farmers and their families, and the ingenuity and resourcefulness that they used to make the most of their limited resources.
Posted by AudioClassic on 2017-10-31 16:45:17