Lejonstedts Gränd is an
alley
An alley or alleyway is a narrow lane, footpath, path, or passageway, often reserved for pedestrians, which usually runs between, behind, or within buildings in towns and cities. It is also a rear access or service road (back lane), or a path, w ...
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. Gamla Stan includes the surrounding islets ...
, the old town in central
stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
. Stretching from
Stora Nygatan
Stora Nygatan is a street in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. The troubadour Carl Michael Bellman lived at number 1 in 1785-1787 and at number 20 (still present) in 1787–88.
Description
*Old names: ''nyegatun'' (1636), ' ...
to
Mälartorget
Mälartorget () is a public square in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden, named after its location on the western waterfront of the old town facing Lake Mälaren. Connected to the square are the streets and alleys Munkbrogatan, ...
and crossed by
Lilla Nygatan
Lilla Nygatan () is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching from the square Munkbron south to Kornhamnstorg, the street in intercepted by Yxsmedsgränd, Kåkbrinken, Schönfeldts Gränd, Tyska Brinken, and Le ...
, it forms a parallel street to
Tyska Brinken
Tyska Brinken () is a street in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Extending Kindstugatan past the German Church down to the square Mälartorget, it is crossed by Skomakargatan, Prästgatan, Västerlånggatan, Stora Nyg ...
and
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 named after the Country
marshal
Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...
(''lantmarskalk'') and
Councillor of the Realm
A councillor, alternatively councilman, councilwoman, councilperson, or council member, is someone who sits on, votes in, or is a member of, a council. This is typically an elected representative of an electoral district in a municipal or regio ...
Anders Lejonstedt (1649–1725). Lejonstedt who before knighthood was named Volimhaus, owned the block taking up the north-eastern part of the street in the late-17th century together with his brother Jakob (ennobled Gyllenborg) .
History
Together with its neighbourhood, the alley is a product of the reconstruction of the western part of the old town following the great fire of 1625. Before this, the unregulated urban structure of the city stretched down from
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 defen ...
to the eastern part of the alley, down to the shore. This area was unsuitable for any major construction and used mostly for sheds and for the city's defence.
[ (including maps of the assumed extension of the medieval walls)]
While the extent of the 14th-century city wall is not well documented, the area formed a part of the south-western harbour area where agricultural goods delivered from the
Lake Mälaren
A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on land and are separate from t ...
area were unloaded (which gave the present square
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 ...
its name). During the period 1543–1553, a new wooden defensive structure was built along the western shore, which, however, burnt down after only two years. This was replaced by new defences built in brick and stone, but these were outdated within 50 years and completely demolished after the fire of 1625. Archaeological remains of, arguably, this latter wall have been found under the buildings on the eastern part of the alley.
See also
*
List of streets and squares in Gamla stan
References
External links
hitta.se - Location map and virtual walk
Streets in Stockholm
{{Stockholm-road-stub