Johannesgränd (
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
: "Alley of
aint
The word "ain't" is a contraction for ''am not'', ''is not'', ''are not'', ''has not'', ''have not'' in the common English language vernacular. In some dialects ''ain't'' is also used as a contraction of ''do not'', ''does not'' and ''did not''. ...
John") is an
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 ...
in
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 of
Stockholm,
Sweden, 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 ru ...
to
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 ...
.
History
First appearing in historical records as ''sancte johannis grendt'' in 1503, the alley forms a parallel street to
Pelikansgränd
Pelikansgränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, connecting Gaffelgränd to Österlånggatan. It forms a parallel street to Ferkens Gränd, Lilla Hoparegränd, Gaffelgränd, and Johannesgränd.
The alley appears ...
,
Lilla Hoparegränd
Lilla Hoparegränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Passing between Skeppsbron and Österlånggatan it forms a parallel street to Ferkens Gränd, Gaffelgränd, Pelikansgränd and Johannesgränd.
The street appears ...
,
Gaffelgränd
Gaffelgränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, connecting Skeppsbron to Lilla Hoparegränd and Pelikansgränd, both of which are leading to Österlånggatan. It is a parallel street to Ferkens Gränd, Lilla Hoparegränd ...
, and
Packhusgränd. It derives its name from the church of the
Order of Saint John
The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...
, in the early 16th century found north of the eastern part of the alley.
Records mentions the knightly order, with a presence in the city dating back to the 1330s, as owner of the site in 1499, and tells the church was inaugurated by a bishop from
Strängnäs
Strängnäs is a locality and the seat of Strängnäs Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 15,363 inhabitants in 2020. It is located by Lake Mälaren and is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Strängnäs, one of the thirteen dioceses ...
in 1514. Following the
Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
, the church was demolished a few years after 1530 and the site became royal property.
Excavations in the 1960s exposed parts of the church, including traces of a portal, the south-eastern corner of the foundation, and a
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
column. A small graveyard east of the church, in which excavations have unveiled remains of coffins and bones, is said to have been ravaged by King
Gustav Vasa
Gustav I, born Gustav Eriksson of the Vasa noble family and later known as Gustav Vasa (12 May 1496 – 29 September 1560), was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death in 1560, previously self-recognised Protector of the Realm ('' Riksför ...
who was looking for raw material for his
saltpetre
Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . This alkali metal nitrate salt is also known as Indian saltpetre (large deposits of which were historically mined in India). It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitra ...
production, a deed commented in the chronicles as ''Ej är kristeligt i väder så skjuta sina förfäder'' ("Not Christian is
n publicthus shoot/push one's ancestors").
See also
*
List of streets and squares in Gamla stan
This is an alphabetical list of streets, alley, squares, and other structures in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, including the islands Stadsholmen, Helgeandsholmen
Helgeandsholmen () is a small island in central Stockholm, Sweden. It ...
*
Fru Gunillas Gränd
References
External links
hitta.se - Location map and virtual walk
Streets in Stockholm
{{Stockholm-road-stub