Fru Gunillas Gränd ( sv, Alley of Mrs. Gunilla) is a historical

alley An alley or alleyway is a narrow lane, path, or passageway, often reserved for pedestrians, which usually runs between, behind, or within buildings in the older parts of towns and cities. It is also a rear access or service road (back lane ...

Gamla stan Gamla stan (, "The Old Town"), until 1980 officially Staden mellan broarna ("The Town between the Bridges"), is the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Gamla stan consists primarily of the island Stadsholmen. Officially, but not colloquially, Gamla stan ...

, the old town in central

Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

, once connecting

Skeppsbron Skeppsbron (Swedish: "The Ship's Bridge") is both a street and a quay in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, capital of Sweden, stretching from the bridge Strömbron in front of the Royal Palace southward to Slussen. The quay Skeppsbrokajen ...

Österlånggatan Österlånggatan () is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching southward from Slottsbacken to Järntorget, it forms a parallel street to Baggensgatan and Skeppsbron. Major sights include the statue of Saint George ...

between

Johannesgränd Johannesgränd (Swedish: "Alley of aintJohn") is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, connecting Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan. History First appearing in historical records as ''sancte johannis grendt'' in 1503, the alley ...

and

Packhusgränd Packhusgränd ( sv, Warehouse Alley) is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching west from Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan, it forms a parallel street to Johannesgränd and Tullgränd. In 1686, the city bought a site ...

. In the old town, minor passages between properties, especially those located just outside the old city wall, were often shut off by adjacent proprietors to be used as back-yards and filled with heaps of rubbish, and were frequently the subject for lengthy legal proceedings between proprietors and the city during the 17th century. While some of these alleys, such as

Mårten Trotzigs Gränd Mårten Trotzigs gränd (Swedish: "Alley of Mårten Trotzig") is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Leading from Västerlånggatan and Järntorget up to Prästgatan and Tyska Stallplan, the width of its 37 steps tape ...

, today the narrowest alley in the old town, was reopened in 1945, Fru Gunillas Gränd remains closed. During the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, it was open in both ends, thereafter closed off towards Skeppsbron, and, judging from its absence on a map dated 1733, then sealed off in both ends. The alley was known as ''Doktor Belows gränd'' during the end of the 17th century, probably in reference to a major proprietor in the block constantly disputing the use of the alley with his neighbours. It is most likely the alley named ''Herr Henning Pinnows gränd'' ("Alley of Mr. Henning Pinnow") and ''Herr Måns Erikssons gränd'' ("Alley of Mr. Måns Eriksson") in the 15th century, the former known to have sold a house to the latter in 1472. In 1513, the alley was then named after Gunilla Johansdotter Bese (1473–1553), wife of Erik Turesson Bielke (-1511) and mother to the grandfather of Queen

Gunilla Bielke Gunilla Bielke; Swedish: ''Gunilla Johansdotter Bielke af Åkerö'' (25 June 1568 – 19 July 1597) was Queen of Sweden as the second wife of King John III. Queen Gunilla is acknowledged to have acted as the political adviser to John III and to h ...

(1568–1597), and in 1674 the alley was even referred to as ''Sancta Gunillas gränd'' ("Alley of St Gunilla").

References

See also