How it started
The tradition of student nations dates back to the 13th century, when students across Europe travelled long distances to attend university. At universities such as Paris and Bologna, students often formed groups based on their place of origin. When Uppsala University was founded in 1477, this tradition continued, with students organising themselves according to their Swedish province, or landskap. These associations became the foundation of Uppsala’s student nations.
Södermanlands Nation was founded in 1595 by two theology students, making it the oldest student nation in Sweden and the Nordic countries. Nerikes Nation was established in the 1640s. The two nations merged in 1805, forming Södermanlands-Nerikes Nation, which continues to this day.
For much of the 17th and 18th centuries, the nation held its meetings in members’ homes and local taverns, as it had no permanent premises of its own. Over the following centuries, the nation moved between various buildings in Uppsala while gradually saving money for a permanent home.
In 1874, the nation purchased the site where its building stands today. Construction began in 1894, and the new nation house was officially opened in 1897. Designed by architect Gerdt Hallberg, the distinctive pink building resembles a castle, complete with towers and turrets. According to legend, its design was inspired by a castle in the Loire Valley in France.
