Black Friars' Monastery of Stockholm
Encyclopedia
The Black Friars' Monastery, Svartbrödraklostret, also called the convent of Stockholm, was a Dominican monastery on the island of Stadsholmen
(City Island) in central Stockholm
, founded by King Magnus IV of Sweden
in 1336 when he donated a plot of land located in the southern part of Stadsholmen to the Black Friars. By order of Gustav Vasa the monastery was demolished in 1547, but some of the vaults are still preserved and can be visited. Today Svartmangatan (Blackman Street), which led down to the monastery, is still reminiscent of the Black Friars' era.
founded by Saint Dominic
in 1216. The name 'Black Brothers' refers to the friars style of dress, wearing black, hooded robes. In 1220, the friars came to Sweden to build convents in Sigtuna
and Strängnäs
. They soon sought a plot of land to construct a homeless shelter
, or abbey, also in Stockholm, and found a suitable piece of land at the southern bridge between Stadsholmen and Södermalm
. But the king's vogt
at Three Crowns
Castle declared that property unlawful for them. According to another source, the friars bought a house at the southern bridge in 1289, where they lived during their trips to Stockholm.
at today's Prästgatan
–Österlånggatan
, to the Black Friars. The following year he also gave a larger sum of money to the Black Friars, but the monastery could not be built until the Pope Clement VI
issued a permit in 1343. The reason for the delay was discord between him and the friars in Strängnäs. Toward the end of the fourteenth century the monastery had already acquired certain fame.
In 1359, according to some historians, the young Swedish Queen Beatrice of Bavaria and her newborn son were buried in the cloister of the monastery, as was Queen Richardis in 1377.
The monastery was completely destroyed by a severe fire that hit Stadsholmen in the year 1407
, and some of the friars were even killed in the blaze. In a short period of time the monastery was rebuilt, bigger and more beautiful than before. The new monastery was Stockholm's largest and played a political role in city at that time. It was here that Charles Knutsson (the future King King Carl II
of Sweden) was appointed Rikshövitsman (Kingdom Captain) during the Engelbrekt rebellion
of 1436, and Sten Sture the Elder
took office as Riksföreståndare (Regent) in 1501.
In 1929 the antiquarian and later City Curator Tord O:son Nordberg conducted a comprehensive examination and measurement of the blocks Venus and Juno. He found remains of medieval walls indicating, as he saw it, a likelihood that the monastery buildings for the most part had been in the Venus block and the church in the neighboring Juno block. It is assumed that the monastery basement during the late Middle Ages
was leased to a wine merchant to serve as a local restaurant with direct entrance from the street, but without access to the monastery itself.
There are still two basement rooms with seven majestic brick arches at southern Benickebrinken
, and four next to Österlånggatan
in Gamla stan
, which originally were supposed to have been used as a shelter for wayfarers and pilgrims. These basement rooms are managed by the Museum of Medieval Stockholm
.
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....
(City Island) in central 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...
, founded by King Magnus IV of Sweden
Magnus IV of Sweden
Magnus Eriksson as Magnus IV was king of Sweden , including Finland, as Magnus VII King of Norway , including Iceland and Greenland, and also ruled Scania . He has also vindictively been called Magnus Smek...
in 1336 when he donated a plot of land located in the southern part of Stadsholmen to the Black Friars. By order of Gustav Vasa the monastery was demolished in 1547, but some of the vaults are still preserved and can be visited. Today Svartmangatan (Blackman Street), which led down to the monastery, is still reminiscent of the Black Friars' era.
Arrival of the friars
The Black Friars or Dominicans, as they were also called, was a mendicant orderMendicant Orders
The mendicant orders are religious orders which depend directly on the charity of the people for their livelihood. In principle, they do not own property, either individually or collectively , believing that this was the most pure way of life to copy followed by Jesus Christ, in order that all...
founded by Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic , also known as Dominic of Osma, often called Dominic de Guzmán and Domingo Félix de Guzmán was the founder of the Friars Preachers, popularly called the Dominicans or Order of Preachers , a Catholic religious order...
in 1216. The name 'Black Brothers' refers to the friars style of dress, wearing black, hooded robes. In 1220, the friars came to Sweden to build convents in Sigtuna
Sigtuna
Sigtuna is a locality situated in Sigtuna Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 18 inhabitants in 2005. It is the namesake of the municipality even though the seat is in Märsta....
and Strängnäs
Strängnäs
Strängnäs is a locality and the seat of Strängnäs Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 12,296 inhabitants in 2005. It is located by Lake Mälaren and is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Strängnäs, a former Roman Catholic and present Lutheran Diocese, with the Strängnäs Cathedral, built...
. They soon sought a plot of land to construct a homeless shelter
Homeless shelter
Homeless shelters are temporary residences for homeless people which seek to protect vulnerable populations from the often devastating effects of homelessness while simultaneously reducing the environmental impact on the community...
, or abbey, also in Stockholm, and found a suitable piece of land at the southern bridge between Stadsholmen and Södermalm
Södermalm
Södermalm, often shortened to "Söder", is a district in central Stockholm. It covers the large island formerly called "Åsön". With a population of 99,685, it is one of the most densely populated districts of Scandinavia...
. But the king's vogt
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
at Three Crowns
Tre kronor (castle)
Tre Kronor or Three Crowns was a castle located in Stockholm, Sweden, on the site where Stockholm Palace is today. It is believed to have been a citadel that Birger Jarl built into a royal castle in the middle of the 13th century...
Castle declared that property unlawful for them. According to another source, the friars bought a house at the southern bridge in 1289, where they lived during their trips to Stockholm.
Researching the Venus quarter
It was not until the year 1337 that this issue was resolved. The recently crowned King Magnus IV donated one of his crown lands, located inside the old thirteenth century city wallsWalls of Stockholm
The Walls of Stockholm were a medieval fortification and defense system that would protect the city from attack from all sides. While the old city walls construction and process are largely unknown, the youngest city walls are now relatively well documented....
at today's Prästgatan
Prästgatan
Prästgatan is a street in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden, stretching from a cul-de-sac west of the Royal Palace to the street Österlånggatan in the southern corner of the old town. Prästgatan forms a parallel street to Västerlånggatan, Trångsund, Skomakargatan, and...
–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 Black Friars. The following year he also gave a larger sum of money to the Black Friars, but the monastery could not be built until the Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
issued a permit in 1343. The reason for the delay was discord between him and the friars in Strängnäs. Toward the end of the fourteenth century the monastery had already acquired certain fame.
In 1359, according to some historians, the young Swedish Queen Beatrice of Bavaria and her newborn son were buried in the cloister of the monastery, as was Queen Richardis in 1377.
The monastery was completely destroyed by a severe fire that hit Stadsholmen in the year 1407
Historical fires of Stockholm
Stockholm has escaped looting and natural disasters, but the city's major scourges have been fires, which in the worst cases have wiped out entire neighborhoods. The population of Stockholm have historically lived in constant fear of a fire coming loose. It was a legitimate fear because the risk of...
, and some of the friars were even killed in the blaze. In a short period of time the monastery was rebuilt, bigger and more beautiful than before. The new monastery was Stockholm's largest and played a political role in city at that time. It was here that Charles Knutsson (the future King King Carl II
Charles VIII of Sweden
Charles VIII of Sweden , Charles I of Norway, also Carl, , was king of Sweden and king of Norway ....
of Sweden) was appointed Rikshövitsman (Kingdom Captain) during the Engelbrekt rebellion
Engelbrekt rebellion
The Engelbrekt rebellion was a rebellion in 1434-1436 led by Swedish nobleman Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson against Eric of Pomerania, the king of the Kalmar Union...
of 1436, and Sten Sture the Elder
Sten Sture the Elder
Sten Sture the Elder was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden from .-Background:...
took office as Riksföreståndare (Regent) in 1501.
In 1929 the antiquarian and later City Curator Tord O:son Nordberg conducted a comprehensive examination and measurement of the blocks Venus and Juno. He found remains of medieval walls indicating, as he saw it, a likelihood that the monastery buildings for the most part had been in the Venus block and the church in the neighboring Juno block. It is assumed that the monastery basement during the late Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
was leased to a wine merchant to serve as a local restaurant with direct entrance from the street, but without access to the monastery itself.
Demolition of the monastery
In 1528 Gustav Vasa had the monastery demolished, but the church and a few rows of houses remained. As first described in 1547, the building material for the monastery was used for the reconstruction of Three Crowns Castle. In Stockholm, the tänkebok (protocol books held at the Municipal Court in the cities during the Middle Ages and in the 1500s) of 6 June 1547 reads: Anno dni 1547. Dhå brótz swartmunka klóster nidher i grundh och fórdis tiill slottet. (Anno Domini 1547 when the black brothers' monastery was brought to the ground and taken to the castle.)There are still two basement rooms with seven majestic brick arches at southern Benickebrinken
Benickebrinken
Södra/Norra Benickebrinken are two sloping streets in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden, stretching from Österlånggatan up to Svartmangatan....
, and four next to 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...
in Gamla stan
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...
, which originally were supposed to have been used as a shelter for wayfarers and pilgrims. These basement rooms are managed by the Museum of Medieval Stockholm
Museum of Medieval Stockholm
The Museum of Medieval Stockholm , centrally located north of the Royal Palace, was constructed around old monuments excavated in an extensive archaeological dig in the late 1970s...
.
Gallery
Further reading
- Hallerdt,Björn (2006); Svartbrödraklostret i Stockholm, Stockholmia publishers, ISBN 9170311730
- De Brun, Frans David(1916); Anteckningar rörande svartbrödraklostret i Stockholm (from Samfundet S:t ErikSamfundet S:t ErikSamfundet S:t Erik is a Swedish non-profit organisation with the stated mission to promote knowledge of the history of Stockholm and support the preservation and development of the city's culture and aesthetics. Named after St...
s yearbook), Stockholm,