Parish Granary

The granary, parish granary, crown granary, loan granary – a splendid red building with many names. Moreover, it can boast of being the oldest building in Malax. By the king’s order, Malax parish granary was built in 1754 as a savings bank where grain could be securely stored if someone had surplus and to be used during times of scarcity. However, the story goes that farmers were not interested in such novelties, so the granary remained unused for several years. It wasn’t until 1810 that the people of Malax changed their minds about it. In a meeting held on October 21, 1810, it was decided to establish a granary, and since the ancestors had already built it, it could be repaired with little money. Therefore, starting from the autumn of 1814, the granary was put into use – not only as a storage for surplus grain but also as a lending institution. Originally, the south-end door had three identical locks. Three individuals, each with a key, were required to be present simultaneously to open the door.

Sources: Materials collected by Gunnel Svenns.