Skeppsbron
Encyclopedia
Gamla stan
Gamla stan , until 1980 officially Staden mellan broarna , is the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Gamla stan consists primarily of the island Stadsholmen. The surrounding islets Riddarholmen, Helgeandsholmen, and Strömsborg are officially part of, but not colloquially included in, Gamla stan...
, the old town of Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, capital of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, stretching from the bridge Strömbron
Strömbron
Strömbron is a 140 metres long viaduct in central Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching over Norrström, it is connecting the old city Gamla stan to the northern-central district Norrmalm, or, more specifically, to Blasieholmen near the park Kungsträdgården.- History :Though initially put forward by the...
in front of the Royal Palace
Stockholm Palace
The Stockholm Palace is the official residence and major royal palace of the Swedish monarch. . Stockholm Palace is located on Stadsholmen , in Gamla Stan in the capital, Stockholm...
southward to Slussen
Slussen
Slussen is an area of central Stockholm, connecting Södermalm and Gamla stan. The area is named after the locks between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The locks themselves allow passage between these two bodies of water...
.
The quay Skeppsbrokajen
Skeppsbrokajen
Skeppsbrokajen is a quay and a harbour in central Stockholm, Sweden. Passing along Skeppsbron, it forms the east waterfront of the old town Gamla stan....
runs along the street. Several alleys connects Skeppsbron to the thoroughfare Österlånggatan
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...
: Slottskajen
Slottskajen
Slottskajen is a quay and a street in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden.Named after its location north of the Royal Palace, it stretches west from Skeppsbron and Strömbron to the square Mynttorget, overlooked by Lejonbacken, the ramps leading to the palace's northern entrance,...
, Lejonbacken
Lejonbacken
Lejonbacken is a system of ramps leading up to the northern entrance of the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden, during the 1780s named after the pair of sculpted Medici lions prominently exposed on the stone railings of the ramps....
, Slottsbacken
Slottsbacken
Slottsbacken 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 of the old town...
, Telegrafgränd
Telegrafgränd
Telegrafgränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching from Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan, it is a parallel street to Slottsbacken and Skeppar Karls Gränd.- Origin of the name :...
, Skeppar Karls Gränd
Skeppar Karls Gränd
Skeppar Karls Gränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching from Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan, it forms a parallel street to Telegrafgränd and Bredgränd....
, Bredgränd
Bredgränd
Bredgränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching from Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan, it forms a parallel street to Skeppar Karls Gränd and Kråkgränd.- Origin of the name :...
, Kråkgränd
Kråkgränd
Kråkgränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching between Skeppsbron and Österlånggatan, it forms a parallel street to Bredgränd and Nygränd....
, Nygränd
Nygränd
Nygränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, connecting Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan.Old names : Niia grenden , Nygrenden...
, Brunnsgränd
Brunnsgränd
Brunnsgränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Connecting Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan, it forms a parallel street to Nygränd and Skottgränd...
, Skottgränd
Skottgränd
Skottgränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm Sweden, stretching from Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan.Old names : Skottegrändenn , østan till Skåttegrändhenn...
, Stora Hoparegränd
Stora Hoparegränd
Stora Hoparegränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Connecting Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan, it forms a parallel street to Skottgränd and Drakens gränd....
, Drakens Gränd
Drakens Gränd
Drakens Gränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching from Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan, it forms a parallel street to Stora Hoparegränd and Ferkens Gränd....
, Ferkens gränd
Ferkens Gränd
Ferkens Gränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, connecting Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan. It forms a parallel street to Drakens gränd, Lilla Hoparegränd, Pelikansgränd, and Gaffelgränd....
, Gaffelgränd
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....
, Johannesgränd
Johannesgränd
Johannesgränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, connecting Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan....
, Packhusgränd
Packhusgränd
Packhusgränd 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....
, Tullgränd
Tullgränd
Tullgränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, connecting Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan. It forms a parallel street to Packhusgränd and Norra Bankogränd....
, Norra Bankogränd
Norra Bankogränd
Norra Bankogränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Connecting Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan and Järntorget, it forms a parallel street to Tullgränd and Södra Bankogränd....
, Södra Bankogränd
Södra Bankogränd
Södra Bankogränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden: Connecting Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan and Järntorget, it forms a parallel street to Norra Bankogränd and Norra Dryckesgränd....
, Norra Dryckesgränd
Norra Dryckesgränd
Norra Dryckesgränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Connecting Skeppsbron to Järntorgsgatan it forms a parallel street to Södra Bankogränd and Södra Dryckesgränd....
, Södra Dryckesgränd
Södra Dryckesgränd
Södra Dryckesgränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Connecting Skeppsbron to Järntorgsgatan, it forms a parallel street to Norra Dryckesgränd and Slussplan....
, Slussplan
Slussplan
Slussplan is a street in Stockholm, Sweden.Located on the southern end of Gamla stan, the old town, and just north of Slussen and the public square Karl Johans Torg, it stretches west from Skeppsbron to Katarinavägen and Munkbroleden. South of the street is the statue of Charles XIV John, the...
History
Stadsholmen
Stadsholmen is the historical name of an island in the centre of Stockholm, Sweden. Together with the small islands Riddarholmen and Helgeandsholmen it forms the Old town of Stockholm....
in accordance to the pretensions of a nation becoming a Great Power
Rise of Sweden as a Great Power
During the 17th century, despite having scarcely more than 1 million inhabitants, Sweden emerged to have greater foreign influence, after winning wars against Denmark–Norway, The Holy Roman Empire, Russia, and The Commonwealth of Poland and Lithuania...
, it is known this development started during the 1630s and it is generally assumed the plan's originator was King Gustav II Adolf
Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden
Gustav II Adolf has been widely known in English by his Latinized name Gustavus Adolphus Magnus and variously in historical writings also as Gustavus, or Gustavus the Great, or Gustav Adolph the Great,...
(1594-1632). The new street, built on land created by continuous fillings, was subsequently accrued to the city and old streets stretching from Österlånggatan
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...
to the old city wall, were extended down to the new street.
Poles associated with an old quay preceding the existing one have been found some hundred metres from the present quay. It was called Koggabron (see cog
Cog
Cog may refer to:* A part of a gear system* Cog , a small sailing vessel* A tenon that extends all the way through another piece of wood, in joinery* The evil robots in Toontown Online...
) or stadens allmänningsbro ("the city's common bridge").
The stone quay was not completed until 1854 by Nils Ericson
Nils Ericson
Friherre Nils Ericson was a Swedish mechanical engineer...
. Today 'Skeppsbron' refers to the road passing over the quay, while the harbour area outside of it is called Skeppsbrokajen
Skeppsbrokajen
Skeppsbrokajen is a quay and a harbour in central Stockholm, Sweden. Passing along Skeppsbron, it forms the east waterfront of the old town Gamla stan....
.
An old fish market, once found between today's Nygränd
Nygränd
Nygränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, connecting Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan.Old names : Niia grenden , Nygrenden...
and Brunnsgränd
Brunnsgränd
Brunnsgränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Connecting Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan, it forms a parallel street to Nygränd and Skottgränd...
, was the biggest market place in Gamla stan during the Middle Ages, at the time connected directly to Stortorget
Stortorget (Stockholm)
Stortorget is a small public square in Gamla Stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. It is the oldest square in Stockholm, the historical centre around which the medieval urban conglomeration gradually came into being...
("The Big Square"), the central market place, by mean of Köpmangatan
Köpmangatan
Köpmangatan is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. A parallel street to Trädgårdsgatan, it is stretching from the central square Stortorget to Köpmantorget, intercepted by Trädgårdstvärgränd, Skeppar Olofs Gränd, Peder Fredags Gränd, Själagårdsgatan, Staffan Sasses Gränd,...
("The Merchant's Street"). The fish market was scrapped and replaced by a block during the 1520s.
Skeppsbron remained the vital centre for the local shipping business until the early 20th century. Though Kinnevik have been furnishing Skeppsbron with one of the world's biggest Christmas tree
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
s annually for ten years, Skeppsbron is today crossed by a major traffic route and is mostly sparsely used. Proposals have been brought forward to revitalize the area by adding new shopping areas, residential areas, and ferries.
Prominent buildings and adresses
Stockholm Palace
The Stockholm Palace is the official residence and major royal palace of the Swedish monarch. . Stockholm Palace is located on Stadsholmen , in Gamla Stan in the capital, Stockholm...
, and opposite to Slottsbacken
Slottsbacken
Slottsbacken 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 of the old town...
the statue of Gustav III
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
(1746-1792) by Tobias Sergel (1740-1814) inaugurated in 1808. It is made in bronze and describes the kings landing on the quay after the Russian war 1788-90. The statue was inspired by the Apollo Belvedere
Apollo Belvedere
The Apollo Belvedere or Apollo of the Belvedere—also called the Pythian Apollo— is a celebrated marble sculpture from Classical Antiquity. It was rediscovered in central Italy in the late 15th century, during the Renaissance...
marble, and the artist described his work as "is in movement, holding a helm in one hand, while offering an olive branch signifying peace with the other. He wears a navy uniform with a large cape fastened at the left shoulder."
Isak Gustaf Clason
Isak Gustaf Clason was a Swedish architect.- Biography :Clason studied engineering and later architecture at the Institute of Technology in Stockholm, where he was a student of A. T. Gellerstedt, and later at the architectural school of the Academy of Arts, at the time headed by Fredrik Wilhelm...
(1856-1930) and built by the turn of the century 1900 in the style of Tessin the Younger
Nicodemus Tessin the Younger
Count Nicodemus Tessin the Younger was a Swedish Baroque architect, city planner, and administrator.The son of Nicodemus Tessin the Elder and the father of Carl Gustaf Tessin, Tessin the Younger was the middle-most generation of the brief Tessin dynasty, which have had a lasting influence on...
. The exploitation demands of the modern era resulted in the building as being disproportionately large for the setting on its completion, a problem however dissolved by the adoption of its scale by several other buildings along Skeppsbron.
N.42B, Södra Bankohuset
Södra Bankohuset
Södra Bankohuset or Gamla Riksbanken is a building in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, together with Norra Bankohuset the location of the Bank of Sweden until 1906...
("The Southern Bank Building"), formerly the Bank of Sweden, designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Elder
Nicodemus Tessin the Elder
Nicodemus Tessin the Elder was an important Swedish architect.-Biography:Nicodemus Tessin was born in Stralsund in Pomerania and came to Sweden as a young man. There he met and worked with the architect Simon de la Vallée...
and built 1663-1680, rebuilt in 1738 after plans by Carl Hårleman
Carl Hårleman
Baron Carl Hårleman was a Swedish architect.Hårleman was born in Stockholm, son of the garden architect and head of the royal parks and gardens Johan Hårleman, who hade been ennobled in 1698, and began his architectural training under Göran Josua Adelcrantz...
(1700-1753).
N.48, Räntmästartrappan (literally: "Interest Master's Stairs", meaning: "Stairs of the Director of the Financial Administration"), named after a building once found on the southern corner of Skeppsbron and the stairs leading up to its main entrance. The building was located south of an historical alley called Räntmästergränden which passed through the present building on the location.
The former name is also used for the area on the quay where the ferries to Djurgården departs. The red granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
sculpture 'Sea god' (Sjöguden) by Carl Milles
Carl Milles
Carl Milles was a Swedish sculptor, best known for his fountains. He was married to artist Olga Milles and brother to Ruth Milles and half brother to the architect Evert Milles...
(1875-1955) found on the quay, is from 1913 and depicts a monster with a broad smile pressing a bashful mermaid
Mermaid
A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk"...
to his chest. The sculpture is the only of the artist's many proposals for similar sculptures carried through.
See also
- List of streets and squares in Gamla stan
- Fru Gunillas GrändFru Gunillas GrändFru Gunillas Gränd is a historical alley in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden, once connecting Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan between Johannesgränd and Packhusgränd....
- FisketorgetFisketorgetFisketorget or Fiskaretorget is a historical public square in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden...