Stortorget (, "the Grand Square") is a
public square
A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true square, geometric square, used for community gathe ...
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 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 ...
. It is the oldest square in Stockholm, the historical centre on which the medieval urban conglomeration gradually came into being.
Today, the square is frequented by tens of thousands of tourists annually, and is occasionally the scene for demonstrations and performances. It is traditionally renowned for its annual
Christmas market
A Christmas market, also known as ''Christkindlmarkt'' (literally: ''Christ Child Market'', but the term "Christkind" usually refers to an angel-like "spirit of Christmas" rather than literally the Christ Child), ''Christkindlesmarkt'', ''Chris ...
offering traditional
handicrafts
A handicraft, sometimes more precisely expressed as artisanal handicraft or handmade, is any of a wide variety of types of work where useful and decorative objects are made completely by one’s hand or by using only simple, non-automated re ...
and
food
Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is inge ...
.
Notable buildings and structures
Located in the centre of the plateau of
Stadsholmen
Stadsholmen is the historical name of an island in the centre of Stockholm, Sweden. Stadsholmen is connected to the mainland via several bridges. Together with the small islands of Riddarholmen and Helgeandsholmen it forms Gamla stan, the old t ...
, the square never was the stylish show-piece occupying the centre of many other European cities during the Middle Ages; it was created gradually, buildings and blocks around the square, still sloping west, occasionally added haphazardly. The exception being the Stock Exchange Building taking up the northern side of the square and concealing the
Cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
and the
Royal Palace
This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent.
Africa
* Abdin Palace, Cairo
* Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo
* Koubbeh Palace, Cairo
* Tahra Palace, Cairo
* Menelik Palace
* Jubilee Palace
* Guenete Leul Palace
* Imperial Palace- Massa ...
.
The Stock Exchange Building and the well
Today, Stortorget is the location of the Stock Exchange Building (''Börshuset''), which houses the
Swedish Academy
The Swedish Academy ( sv, Svenska Akademien), founded in 1786 by King Gustav III of Sweden, Gustav III, is one of the Swedish Royal Academies, Royal Academies of Sweden. Its 18 members, who are elected for life, comprise the highest Swedish lang ...
, the
Nobel Museum
The Nobel Prize Museum (formerly the Nobel Museum _sv.html" ;"title="/nowiki> sv">Nobelmuseet/nowiki>) is located in the former Stock Exchange Building (''Börshuset'') on the north side of the square Stortorget in Gamla Stan, the old town in c ...
, and the
Nobel Library
The Nobel Library ( sv, Nobelbiblioteket or, officially, sv, Svenska Akademiens Nobelbibliotek, e.g. "Nobel Library of the Swedish Academy") is the public library of the Swedish Academy instituted to assist the evaluation of Nobel laureates to ...
. Designed by
Erik Palmstedt
Erik Palmstedt (16 December 1741, Stockholm — 12 June 1803) was a Swedish architect working for the court circle of Gustav III, where he was in the forefront of Neoclassical style and at the heart of a social and intellectual circle that formed ...
and built 1773–1776, it replaced the town hall that had occupied the lot for several hundreds years before and subsequently been relocated first to the
Bonde Palace
The Bonde Palace ( sv, Bondeska palatset) is a palace in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Located between the House of Knights (''Riddarhuset'') and the Chancellery House (''Kanslihuset''), it is, arguably, the most prom ...
and then to the present
Court House
A courthouse or court house is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English-sp ...
in 1915. The plan of the building, French
Rococo
Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...
in style, is a
trapezium, the rounded corner of which greatly widened the flanking
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 ...
s. While the building is generally designed much like a private
palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which ...
, the central
pediment
Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape.
Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds.
A pedimen ...
and the lantern-style
cupola
In architecture, a cupola () is a relatively small, most often dome-like, tall structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome.
The word derives, via Italian, from ...
crowning the building underline its public status. The closed first floor, accommodating the Swedish Academy, contrasts the openness of the ground floor—a contrast enhanced during the
restoration
Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to:
* Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage
** Audio restoration
** Film restoration
** Image restoration
** Textile restoration
* Restoration ecology
...
in the 1980s.
The present well on the square was also designed by Palmstedt and built in connection to the new Stock Exchange Building. It dried up in 1856 due to
land elevation
Post-glacial rebound (also called isostatic rebound or crustal rebound) is the rise of land masses after the removal of the huge weight of ice sheets during the last glacial period, which had caused isostatic depression. Post-glacial rebound a ...
, however. It was relocated to
Brunkebergstorg but moved back to its original location in the 1950s and is today connected to the city water conduit.
Image:Borshuset-2003-04-14.jpg, Façade of the Stock Exchange Building.
Image:Stortorget fontän mars 2007.JPG, The well
Number 3–5
Built by the merchant Hans Bremer in the 1640s and originally featuring pointed
cairn
A cairn is a man-made pile (or stack) of stones raised for a purpose, usually as a marker or as a burial mound. The word ''cairn'' comes from the gd, càrn (plural ).
Cairns have been and are used for a broad variety of purposes. In prehis ...
s, Number 3, on the right side of
Köpmangatan
Köpmangatan (Swedish: "The Merchant Street") is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. A parallel street to Trädgårdsgatan, it stretches from the central square Stortorget to Köpmantorget, intercepted by Trädgårdstv ...
still features the original
cross vault
A groin vault or groined vault (also sometimes known as a double barrel vault or cross vault) is produced by the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults. Honour, H. and J. Fleming, (2009) ''A World History of Art''. 7th edn. London: Lau ...
s and a German inscription in the entrance hall. However, the building is today called ''Grillska huset'' ("
The Grill House") after the goldsmith Antoni Grill, who immigrated from
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
to Sweden in 1659 during the era of
Carl Gustav to found the Grill Dynasty. He bought the building in 1681 which came to remain in the family's possession for more than a century. The cloverleaf-shaped gables were added in 1718 together with the blue livid colour and the
Rococo
Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...
portal. The Dynasty's most prominent member was the merchant
Claes Grill
Claes Grill (sometimes spelt Claës Grill; 19 April 1705 – 6 November 1767) was a Swedish merchant, factory owner and ship-owner. He was director of the Grill Trading House, one of the leading companies in the East India trade through the Swed ...
(1705–1767), leader of the
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
, owner of several banks and many mining industries and shipping companies, and a great art collector. The building is today the headquarters of the
Stockholm´s City Mission, an independent
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
charity devoted to support homeless and exposed citizens with food, accommodation, and education, also running
advisory bureaus and others elsewhere in the old town.
In the second hand shop on Number 5 are painted
joist
A joist is a horizontal structural member used in framing to span an open space, often between beams that subsequently transfer loads to vertical members. When incorporated into a floor framing system, joists serve to provide stiffness to the s ...
s from the 1640s displaying animals, flowers, and fruits. There are many such restored ceilings in Gamla stan, but this one is one of the few accessible to the general public. On the first floor is the so-called ''Bullkyrkan'' ("Bun Church") where the City Mission offers services every Sunday together with buns, sandwiches, and coffee.
Rev. Karl-Erik Kejne, who served in the church in the 1950s, was quoted by public service radio saying working there was a grateful commission as the penniless and homeless crowded the church where other congregations were considerably more conspicuous by their absence.
Image:Stortorget 3-5 mars 2007.JPG, Number 3–5.
Image:Stortorget Bremer Höjer mars 2007.jpg, German inscription at Number 3.
Number 7
Until the mid-15th century, the south side of the square was lined with wooden shops, in the spacious
basement
A basement or cellar is one or more floors of a building that are completely or partly below the ground floor. It generally is used as a utility space for a building, where such items as the furnace, water heater, breaker panel or fuse box, ...
s of which
peasant
A peasant is a pre-industrial agricultural laborer or a farmer with limited land-ownership, especially one living in the Middle Ages under feudalism and paying rent, tax, fees, or services to a landlord. In Europe, three classes of peasants ...
s kept their provisions and prepared meals. Among the numerous historical
tenants
A leasehold estate is an ownership of a temporary right to hold land or property in which a lessee or a tenant holds rights of real property by some form of title from a lessor or landlord. Although a tenant does hold rights to real property, a ...
in the building was
adventurer
An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme spo ...
Filip Kern from
Meissen
Meissen (in German orthography: ''Meißen'', ) is a town of approximately 30,000 about northwest of Dresden on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, the Albrecht ...
,
Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
. He served as a
barber
A barber is a person whose occupation is mainly to cut, dress, groom, style and shave men's and boys' hair or beards. A barber's place of work is known as a "barbershop" or a "barber's". Barbershops are also places of social interaction and publi ...
and a
master builder
A master builder or master mason is a central figure leading construction projects in pre-modern times (a precursor to the modern architect and engineer).
Historically, the term has generally referred to "the head of a construction project in the ...
for
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
John III and is suspected to have poisoned King
Eric XIV
Eric XIV ( sv, Erik XIV; 13 December 153326 February 1577) was King of Sweden from 1560 until he was deposed in 1569. Eric XIV was the eldest son of Gustav I (1496–1560) and Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg (1513–1535). He was also ruler of Es ...
. During the reign of
Gustavus Adolphus
Gustavus Adolphus (9 December Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates">N.S_19_December.html" ;"title="Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Old Style and New Style dates">N.S 19 December">Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="/now ...
, the Dutch merchant
Abraham Cabiljau, one of the founders and first
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
s of
Gothenburg
Gothenburg (; abbreviated Gbg; sv, Göteborg ) is the second-largest city in Sweden, fifth-largest in the Nordic countries, and capital of the Västra Götaland County. It is situated by the Kattegat, on the west coast of Sweden, and has ...
, lived in the building.
The French
wig
A wig is a head or hair accessory made from human hair, animal hair, or synthetic fiber. The word wig is short for periwig, which makes its earliest known appearance in the English language in William Shakespeare's ''The Two Gentlemen of Verona' ...
maker Jean Bedoire bought the building in 1682 and, just like his son and namesake who gave his name to the alley
Bedoirsgränd
Bedoirsgränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching from Västerlånggatan to Stora Nygatan, it forms a parallel street to Kåkbrinken and Skräddargränd.
History
The alley is named after the merchant Je ...
, made a fortune in trading
wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
,
salt
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...
, and
iron
Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...
. The building was completely rebuilt in 1937 when the
façades of the three buildings located south of the square were united to form the present façade. Occupying the three buildings in the block since 1944 is the
Mäster Olofsgården ("Homestead of Master Olof"). It was founded as a
youth centre
A youth center or youth centre, often called youth club, is a place where young people can meet and participate in a variety of activities, for example table football, association football (US soccer, UK football), basketball, table tennis, vid ...
by the priest Gabriel Grefberg in 1931 when Gamla stan was mostly a
slum
A slum is a highly populated urban residential area consisting of densely packed housing units of weak build quality and often associated with poverty. The infrastructure in slums is often deteriorated or incomplete, and they are primarily inh ...
, and the number of activities quickly grew to include elderly, mothers, scouts, workers, and many other groups. Following a generous donation, the organisation was able to gather its activities to the present location in 1944. Today its services include studies in the history of the old town and the "Gamla stan Society" (''Gamla stan sällskapet'').
The
cannonball
A round shot (also called solid shot or simply ball) is a solid spherical projectile without explosive charge, launched from a gun. Its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the barrel from which it is shot. A round shot fired from a lar ...
in the corner of
Skomakargatan
Skomakargatan ( Swedish: "The Shoemaker Street") is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, Stretching between the square Stortorget and the streets Kindstugatan and Tyska Brinken, it forms a parallel street to Prästgatan a ...
, according to popular
legend
A legend is a Folklore genre, genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human valu ...
, dates back to the
Stockholm Bloodbath
The Stockholm Bloodbath ( sv, Stockholms blodbad; da, Det Stockholmske Blodbad) was a trial that led to a series of executions in Stockholm between 7 and 9 November 1520. The event is also known as the Stockholm massacre.
The events occurred af ...
in 1520, when it was fired at the Danish king
Christian Tyrant. Undoubtedly, it was more likely built into the wall by an early proprietor and subsequently put back into place after each restoration.
The
restaurant
A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...
on the ground floor, ''Stortorgskällaren'', is built over a medieval basement, part of which dates back to the 15th century. According to some sources, this was the location for the tavern ''Spanska druvan'' ("The Spanish Grape"), the oldest known
tavern
A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern that h ...
in Stockholm, which was (according to tradition) frequented by King
John III when he wanted to mingle with
commoner
A commoner, also known as the ''common man'', ''commoners'', the ''common people'' or the ''masses'', was in earlier use an ordinary person in a community or nation who did not have any significant social status, especially a member of neither ...
s.
Number 14–22
The buildings on the west side are the only ones occupied by private persons.
Number 22, the green building on the left side of
Kåkbrinken
Kåkbrinken is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching from the western waterfront Munkbroleden, to the central square Stortorget, it forms a parallel street to Yxsmedsgränd, Solgränd, and Bedoirsgränd, while ...
, is from 1758 but is standing on medieval walls. It was occupied by the councillor Johan Berndes who developed the Swedish
copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...
production in the 17th century, then by the
Saxon
The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic
*
*
*
*
peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...
Polycarpus Crumbügel, close friend to King
Charles XI
Charles XI or Carl ( sv, Karl XI; ) was King of Sweden from 1660 until his death, in a period of Swedish history known as the Swedish Empire (1611–1721).
He was the only son of King Charles X Gustav of Sweden and Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein- ...
who caused the so-called
Reduction when an important part of the Swedish
nobility
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...
lost its
estates (for which he was raised to peerage as Cronhielm).
During an archaeological
excavation in 1998, a vaulted chamber measuring 1.8×1.6 metres (approx. 5'11"×5'3") was discovered in the basement. It was supplied with a channel which is believed to have connected it to privies and kitchen sinks in the building. Along with some wooden tubes found near
Kornhamnstorg
Kornhamnstorg (Swedish: "Grain Harbour Square") is a public square in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Known as ''Kornhaffn'' (1427), ''Jernboen'' (1586), ''Åkaretorget'' (1644), and ''Kornhampns torget'' (1651), it is conn ...
, it is one of the few indications contradicting the traditional view of medieval Stockholm as a repulsive place where filth and refuse filled the streets.
The buildings on Number 18-20 were merged in the 17th century and subsequently named after Johan Eberhard Schantz, the secretary of
Charles X Gustavus
Charles X Gustav, also Carl Gustav ( sv, Karl X Gustav; 8 November 1622 – 13 February 1660), was King of Sweden from 1654 until his death. He was the son of John Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Catherine of Sweden. Afte ...
who also added the
stepped gable
A stepped gable, crow-stepped gable, or corbie step is a stairstep type of design at the top of the triangular gable-end of a building. The top of the parapet wall projects above the roofline and the top of the brick or stone wall is stacked in a ...
and the grand portal on the left building. Parts of the interior still reflect the luxury which surrounded the royal secretary.
The 82 white stones on Number 20, ''Ribbinska huset'' ("House of Ribbing") or ''Schantzka huset'' ("House of Schantz"), are occasionally said to symbolize the heads
decapitated by the Danish king in 1520. The house was, however, built no later than 1479, when it appears in historical records. The former of the names refers to the councillor Bo Ribbing who gave the property to Schantz in 1627, who added the stones the following year.
The block on Number 14–16 is named after
Æsculapius, the son of
Apollo
Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...
and the
demigod
A demigod or demigoddess is a part-human and part-divine offspring of a deity and a human, or a human or non-human creature that is accorded divine status after death, or someone who has attained the "divine spark" ( spiritual enlightenment). A ...
of
medicine
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...
, which reflects the presence of the "Raven Pharmacy" (''Apoteket Korpen'') at this address for more than 300 years. While still present on
Västerlånggatan
Västerlånggatan ("the Western Long Street") is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching southward between the squares Mynttorget and Järntorget, it follows the course of the city's now demolished 13th-century def ...
just a few blocks away, the
pharmacy
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it links heal ...
was originally settled on Stortorget in 1638 when the court pharmacist Philip Schmidt offered not only medicine at this address, but also assorted
sweets
Candy, also called sweets (British English) or lollies (Australian English, New Zealand English), is a confection that features sugar as a principal ingredient. The category, called '' sugar confectionery'', encompasses any sweet confection, i ...
and
mulled wine
Mulled wine, also known as spiced wine, is an alcoholic drink usually made with red wine, along with various mulling spices and sometimes raisins, served hot or warm. It is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas. It is us ...
. In the alley
Solgränd
Solgränd (Swedish: "Sun Alley") is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. It connects the Stortorget square to the street Prästgatan. It is a parallel street to Storkyrkobrinken, Ankargränd, Spektens gränd, and Kåkbrink ...
, the initials of the pharmacist in 1764 and his wife are still found on the wall. The pharmacy was relocated to its present address in 1924.
File:Stortorget pano mars 2007.jpg, Panoramic view of Stortorget 22–14. Composite of three photos.
Image:Stortorget 20 psalm37 mars 2007.JPG, Inscription over the front door of 20 quoting Psalm 37:5 in German: "Befiehl dem Herrn deine Wege und hoffe auf ihn, er wirds wohl machen". English translation: "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass."
Image:Kaffekoppen and Chokladkoppen.jpg, Numbers 20 and 18.
Streets and alleys
Historical
thoroughfare
A thoroughfare is a primary passage or way as a transit route through regularly trafficked areas, whether by road on dry land or, by
extension, via watercraft or aircraft. On land, a thoroughfare may refer to anything from a multi-lane highway ...
s stretch from Stortorget in all
cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions, or cardinal points, are the four main compass directions: north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials N, E, S, and W respectively. Relative to north, the directions east, south, and west are at ...
s:
Kåkbrinken
Kåkbrinken is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching from the western waterfront Munkbroleden, to the central square Stortorget, it forms a parallel street to Yxsmedsgränd, Solgränd, and Bedoirsgränd, while ...
("Slope of the
amshackleHouse") stretches west down to
Västerlånggatan
Västerlånggatan ("the Western Long Street") is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching southward between the squares Mynttorget and Järntorget, it follows the course of the city's now demolished 13th-century def ...
.
Skomakargatan
Skomakargatan ( Swedish: "The Shoemaker Street") is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, Stretching between the square Stortorget and the streets Kindstugatan and Tyska Brinken, it forms a parallel street to Prästgatan a ...
("Shoemaker's Street") and
Svartmangatan
Svartmangatan ( sv, (literally)) "Black Man Street") is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching south-east from the central square Stortorget to Södra Benickebrinken and Norra Benickebrinken leading to the easter ...
("Black Man's Street") stretch south to
Tyska Brinken ("German Slope") and
Kindstugatan
Kindstugatan is a street in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching west from Brända Tomten to become Tyska Brinken in its western end, it is crossed by Svartmangatan and Skomakargatan.
Origin of the name
The oldest ...
("Box on the ear Street"), both of which used to lead past the Blackfriars monastery to the southern gate.
Köpmangatan
Köpmangatan (Swedish: "The Merchant Street") is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. A parallel street to Trädgårdsgatan, it stretches from the central square Stortorget to Köpmantorget, intercepted by Trädgårdstv ...
("Merchant's Street"), paralleled by
Trädgårdsgatan
Trädgårdsgatan (Swedish: "Garden Street") is a small street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. It stretches west from Skeppar Olofs Gränd to Källargränd, just south of the Royal Palace and north of the square Stortorget. Fo ...
("Garden Street") north of it, leads east to
Köpmantorget
Köpmantorget (Swedish: "Merchant's Square") is a small public square in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. It is located between the street Köpmangatan to the west and between two slopes collectively named Köpmanbrinken, bo ...
("Merchant's Square"),
Köpmanbrinken ("Merchant's Slope") and
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 ...
("Eastern Long Street"), and used to be the only street leading through the eastern city wall down to
Fisketorget, a former square and for hundreds of years the largest in Stockholm. Furthermore, a number of
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 ...
s connect to the immediate surrounding blocks: On the northern side,
Trångsund
Trångsund () is a part of Huddinge to the south of Stockholm located between the two lakes Magelungen and Drevviken. Trångsund had 9,114 inhabitants in 2019. Trångsund is 17 minutes away from Stockholm City Station by train on the Bålsta-Nyn ...
and
Källargränd
Källargränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden, connecting Slottsbacken, the slope south of the Royal Palace, to the square Stortorget. It forms a parallel street to Trångsund and is intercepted by Trädgå ...
stretch to
Storkyrkobrinken and
Slottsbacken
Slottsbacken (, "Castle Slope") is a street in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden.
It stretches east from the Stockholm Cathedral and the Royal Palace down to the street Skeppsbron which passes along the eastern waterfront o ...
on either side of the Stock Exchange Building. On the west side, three alleys —
Solgränd
Solgränd (Swedish: "Sun Alley") is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. It connects the Stortorget square to the street Prästgatan. It is a parallel street to Storkyrkobrinken, Ankargränd, Spektens gränd, and Kåkbrink ...
,
Ankargränd
Ankargränd (Swedish: "Anchor Alley") is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, connecting the streets Trångsund and Prästgatan, just west of church Storkyrkan. Ankargränd is a parallel street to Storkyrkobrinken, Spektens g ...
, and
Spektens gränd
Spektens Gränd ( sv, Alley of Spekten) is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Located just west of Storkyrkan church, it connects the streets Trångsund and Prästgatan. It runs parallel to Storkyrkobrinken, Ankargränd
An ...
— stretch down to
Prästgatan.
History
Prehistory
Archaeological excavations along Kåkbrinken have shown the original boulder ridge is found directly under the pavement near Stortorget and gradually located deeper and deeper westward to reach some 12–15 m along the western shoreline.
Therefore, it is rather reasonable to assume that the gently-sloping square continues still reflects the shape of the original unsettled island.
Middle Ages
Excavations on the square in 1995 and 1997 showed that the mediaeval square is only 0.5 m below the present cobbles. Just above the deepest layer, coins from the reigns of
Magnus Ladulås
Magnus III ( 1240 – 18 December 1290), also called Magnus Ladulås, was King of Sweden from 1275 until his death in 1290.
Name
He was the ''first Magnus'' to rule Sweden for any length of time, not generally regarded as a usurper or ...
and
Birger Magnusson were found, together with ceramic sherds from the same eras. Three additional layers of cobbles from the Middle Ages as well as a coal mixed layer, just below the lower cobble level, have been
radiocarbon dated
Radiocarbon dating (also referred to as carbon dating or carbon-14 dating) is a method for determining the age of an object containing organic material by using the properties of radiocarbon, a radioactive isotope of carbon.
The method was dev ...
to 1066-1320. More superficial traces of poles indicate that simple sheds occupied the area in the late 13th century until they were destroyed by fire in the early 15th century, and traces of an older building are believed to date to 1024–1291.
The square started as a junction in which the tracks that criss-crossed the island converged. The dawning street system gradually developed into the current narrow streets
Köpmangatan
Köpmangatan (Swedish: "The Merchant Street") is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. A parallel street to Trädgårdsgatan, it stretches from the central square Stortorget to Köpmantorget, intercepted by Trädgårdstv ...
,
Svartmangatan
Svartmangatan ( sv, (literally)) "Black Man Street") is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching south-east from the central square Stortorget to Södra Benickebrinken and Norra Benickebrinken leading to the easter ...
,
Skomakargatan
Skomakargatan ( Swedish: "The Shoemaker Street") is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, Stretching between the square Stortorget and the streets Kindstugatan and Tyska Brinken, it forms a parallel street to Prästgatan a ...
,
Kåkbrinken
Kåkbrinken is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching from the western waterfront Munkbroleden, to the central square Stortorget, it forms a parallel street to Yxsmedsgränd, Solgränd, and Bedoirsgränd, while ...
,
Trångsund
Trångsund () is a part of Huddinge to the south of Stockholm located between the two lakes Magelungen and Drevviken. Trångsund had 9,114 inhabitants in 2019. Trångsund is 17 minutes away from Stockholm City Station by train on the Bålsta-Nyn ...
and
Källargränd
Källargränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden, connecting Slottsbacken, the slope south of the Royal Palace, to the square Stortorget. It forms a parallel street to Trångsund and is intercepted by Trädgå ...
. By 1400, the city had some 6,000 inhabitants, and stone buildings started to be built around the square. Its merchants and the well on the square made it a natural meeting place.
The present name first appears in historical records as ''stora torghit'' in 1420 and as ''stoor tårgeett'' in 1646.
The decrees proclaimed twice per year from the
town hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
, called ''Rådstugan'' ("Council Homestead"), once north of the square, together with recurrent manifestations, such as that of
Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson
Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson (1390s – 27 April/4 May 1436) was a Swedish nobleman, rebel leader and military boss of German ancestry. He was the leader of the Engelbrekt rebellion in 1434 against Eric of Pomerania, king of the Kalmar Union. En ...
leader of the
Engelbrekt Rebellion
The Engelbrekt rebellion (''Engelbrektsupproret'') was an uprising during 1434–1436 led by Swedish miner and nobleman Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson and directed against Eric of Pomerania, the king of the Kalmar Union. The uprising, with its center ...
(1434–1436), made the square a politically-vital location. As the Germans long had a very important presence in Stockholm, the city council was composed by an equal number of Swedish citizens and German immigrants. Merchants, all
burghers, dominated the assembly; craftsmen were occasionally entrusted minor commissions. The remaining citizens were entirely excluded from any influence. Stockholm was a one-horse town, compared to splendid Continental European cities. The city hall was rebuilt following a fire in 1419 and gradually expanded over 500 years until it was relocated to the
Bonde Palace
The Bonde Palace ( sv, Bondeska palatset) is a palace in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Located between the House of Knights (''Riddarhuset'') and the Chancellery House (''Kanslihuset''), it is, arguably, the most prom ...
in 1732. It was thus a four-storey coherent complex. On the third floor were custodies known as ''Siskeburen'' ("The
Siskin
The name siskin when referring to a bird is derived from an adaptation of the German dialect words ''sisschen'', ''zeischen'', which are diminutive forms of Middle High German (''zîsec'') and Middle Low German (''ziseke'', ''sisek'') words, which ...
Cage"), ''Loppan'' ("The Flea"), and ''Vita märren'' ("The Mare"), ''Vita hästen'' ("The White Horse"), ''Gamla Rådstugan'' ("Old Council Homestead"), ''Skottkammaren'' ("Scottish Chamber"), and ''Nya kölden'' ("The New Cold"). In the basement was the city wine store, next to the memorable tavern ''Storkällaren'' (named because of it proximity to
Storkyrkan
Storkyrkan (, ), also called Stockholms domkyrka (Stockholm Cathedral) and Sankt Nikolai kyrka (Church of Saint Nicholas), is the oldest church in Stockholm. Storkyrkan lies in the centre of Stockholm in Gamla stan, between Stockholm Palace and ...
).
Modern times
In the middle of the square was the
pillory
The pillory is a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, formerly used for punishment by public humiliation and often further physical abuse. The pillory is related to the stocks ...
called ''Kåken'' ("The
amshackleHouse", see
Kåkbrinken
Kåkbrinken is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching from the western waterfront Munkbroleden, to the central square Stortorget, it forms a parallel street to Yxsmedsgränd, Solgränd, and Bedoirsgränd, while ...
), first mentioned in connection to the so-called "Käpplinge murders" (''Käpplingemorden'') in the first half of the 15th century. The story is that a group German burghers who trapped a large number of prominent citizens in a hovel on
Blasieholmen
Blasieholmen is a peninsula in central Stockholm, Sweden. It is located east of Kungsträdgården. Originally a small island, named Käpplingen, it became a peninsula, connected to Norrmalm, during the 17th century. Among the buildings at Blasie ...
(then called Käpplinge) and burned them in. The Germans are said to have been led from the
Royal Palace
This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent.
Africa
* Abdin Palace, Cairo
* Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo
* Koubbeh Palace, Cairo
* Tahra Palace, Cairo
* Menelik Palace
* Jubilee Palace
* Guenete Leul Palace
* Imperial Palace- Massa ...
to the pillory.
Originally, the pillory was placed atop a bricked prison, where the despised executioner kept those sentenced before shackling and whipping them, or even cutting their ears off, depending on the nature of the crimes.
The pillory was relocated to the present
Norrmalmstorg
Norrmalmstorg () is a town square in central Stockholm, Sweden. It connects shopping streets Hamngatan and Biblioteksgatan and is the starting point for tram travellers with the Djurgården line. Close to the southwest is the park Kungsträdgår ...
in 1771, when the Stock Exchange Building and the present well were completed.
Stortorget was the scene of the
Stockholm Bloodbath
The Stockholm Bloodbath ( sv, Stockholms blodbad; da, Det Stockholmske Blodbad) was a trial that led to a series of executions in Stockholm between 7 and 9 November 1520. The event is also known as the Stockholm massacre.
The events occurred af ...
in November 1520. For three days, the Danish-Swedish king
Christian II
Christian II (1 July 1481 – 25 January 1559) was a Scandinavian monarch under the Kalmar Union who reigned as King of Denmark and Norway, from 1513 until 1523, and Sweden from 1520 until 1521. From 1513 to 1523, he was concurrently Duke ...
beheaded and hanged 90 people. That deed was accomplished despite the reprieve proclaimed by Queen
Christina Gyllenstierna
Christina Nilsdotter Gyllenstierna of Fogelvik (Swedish: ''Kristina'' or ''Kerstin'': 1494 – January 1559, Hörningsholm Castle) was a Swedish noblewoman. She was married to the Swedish regent Sten Sture the Younger, and led the Swedish res ...
after four months of Danish siege. Still, the Danish king was not directly responsible for the deed. Archbishop
Gustav Trolle
Gustav Eriksson Trolle (September 1488 – 1535) was Archbishop of Uppsala, Sweden, in two sessions, during the turbulent Reformation events.
He was the son of Eric Arvidsson Trolle, a former regent of Sweden during the era of the Kalmar Union. ...
, dethroned and imprisoned by the regent
Sten Sture the Elder
Sten Sture the Elder ( sv, Sten Sture den äldre; 1440 – 14 December 1503) was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden from 1470–1497 and 1501–1503. As the leader of the victorious Swedish separatist forces against the royal unionist for ...
, who died during the siege, wanted to obtain a redress. Therefore, during the coronation of the Danish king, the prominent guests were confronted with the bill of indictment of the archbishop and subsequently condemned for blasphemy. The death sentences were to be accomplished at once and so the square was cleared while a curfew forced all citizens to stay indoors. The executioners beheaded archbishops, councillors, noblemen and city magistrates indiscriminately, including
Erik Johansson Vasa
Erik Johansson Vasa (c. 1470 – 8 November 1520) was a Swedish noble and the Lord of Rydboholm Castle in Roslagen. His son would rule as King Gustav I of Sweden from 1523–1560.
Biography
He was born around the year 1470 to Johan Kristier ...
, the father of the succeeding 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 ('' Riksföre ...
, who escaped the fate of his father by hiding. All the bodies were burned on
Södermalm
Södermalm, often shortened to just Söder, is a district and island in central Stockholm.
Overview
The district covers the large island of the same name (formerly called ''Åsön''). Although Södermalm usually is considered an island, wat ...
, together with the body of the dead regent, Sten Sture. The Danish king, satisfied with having pacified Sweden, returned to Denmark in December, drowning a few monks during the trip and ignoring the dawning insurrection in
Dalarna
Dalarna () is a '' landskap'' (historical province) in central Sweden. English exonyms for it are Dalecarlia () and the Dales.
Dalarna adjoins Härjedalen, Hälsingland, Gästrikland, Västmanland and Värmland
Värmland () also known a ...
.
By the end of the 19th century, the Swedish working class still lacked representation in the Parliament and the City Council. A committee, formed in 1892, in vain urged the council to counteract unemployment and alleviate distress by initiating roadworks and taking other measures. The labour demonstration of 1892 were subsequently fixed for February 1, when the council had a meeting in the Stock Exchange Building. To avoid the demonstration prohibition from 1848, people gathered on various locations to unite on the square. As they ran across deputies and other notables on
Slottsbacken
Slottsbacken (, "Castle Slope") is a street in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden.
It stretches east from the Stockholm Cathedral and the Royal Palace down to the street Skeppsbron which passes along the eastern waterfront o ...
, they were stopped by the police from reaching the square. Surrounding alleys quickly got clogged by demonstrators, however, and the cordon had to give way to the crowd, whose cries and protest songs quickly filled the square. Future Prime Minister
Hjalmar Branting
Karl Hjalmar Branting (; 23 November 1860 – 24 February 1925) was a Swedish politician who was the leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party (SAP) from 1907 until his death in 1925, and three times Prime Minister of Sweden. When Branting cam ...
got involved in a dispute before the crowd threatened to intrude the Stock Exchange Build from
Trångsund
Trångsund () is a part of Huddinge to the south of Stockholm located between the two lakes Magelungen and Drevviken. Trångsund had 9,114 inhabitants in 2019. Trångsund is 17 minutes away from Stockholm City Station by train on the Bålsta-Nyn ...
. The police then got assistance from the Royal Body Guard, which made demonstrators flee into the alleys to escape the horses and the sabres. Dozens got arrested, but a growing awareness among politicians occurred on the situation of the working force.
See also
*
History of Stockholm
The history of Stockholm, capital of Sweden, for many centuries coincided with the development of what is today known as Gamla stan, the Stockholm Old Town. Stockholm's ''raison d'être'' always was to be the Swedish capital and by far the larges ...
*
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 ...
References
External links
Bakery of the Stockholm's City Mission
Conference and reception rooms of the Stockholm´s City Mission
(
QTVR
QuickTime VR (also known as QTVR) is an image file format developed by Apple Inc. for QuickTime, and discontinued along with QuickTime 7. It allows the creation and viewing of VR photography, photographically captured panoramas, and the viewing ...
)
Mäster Olofsgården{{in lang, sv
Squares in Stockholm
Stockholm Bloodbath