Brunnsgränd
Encyclopedia
Alley
An alley or alleyway is a narrow lane found in urban areas, often for pedestrians only, which usually runs between or behind buildings. In older cities and towns in Europe, alleys are often what is left of a medieval street network, or a right of way or ancient footpath in an urban setting...
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...
, the old town 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...
, 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....
. Connecting Skeppsbron
Skeppsbron
Skeppsbron 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....
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...
, it forms a parallel street to 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 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...
. It is the widest alley in the old town.
The alley, mentioned as brundzgrenden in 1526, is named after a water well
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
mentioned in 1461, when a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
named Henrik was paid for having "forged on the well on 'Fisherman's Square'" (smidat till brunnen på Fiskaretorget). Historically, wells in cities were located in open spaces, and, oddly enough, neither a well or a square can be found near the present alley. During the Middle Ages and until the 1520s, however, a square called Fisketorget
Fisketorget
Fisketorget or Fiskaretorget is a historical public square in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden...
was found between Brunnsgränd and the alley north of it, Nygränd
Nygränd
Nygränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, connecting Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan.Old names : Niia grenden , Nygrenden...
("New Alley"), at the time the biggest in Stockholm connected to the central square 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") through 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"). In the early 19th century, the well could still be found in the western end of the alley, but since it have been surrounded by buildings. Occasionally, the alley's name is erroneously associated with a fountain from 1912, located on Österlånggatan, under the statue of Saint George and the Dragon
Saint George and the Dragon
The episode of Saint George and the Dragon appended to the hagiography of Saint George was Eastern in origin, brought back with the Crusaders and retold with the courtly appurtenances belonging to the genre of Romance...
.