Kolmätargränd
Encyclopedia
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| Kolmätargränd as viewed from Västerlånggatan and from Brantingtorget. |
Kolmätargränd (Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
: "Coal Meter's Alley") is a small alley
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....
. Passing under a low vault it connects the street Västerlånggatan
Västerlånggatan
Västerlånggatan 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 defensive wall....
to the square and courtyard Brantingtorget
Brantingtorget
Brantingtorget is the courtyard of the so called Kanslihusannexet , acting as one of the public squares in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden....
forming a parallel street to Klockgjutargränd
Klockgjutargränd
Klockgjutargränd is a small alley in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Passing under a low vault, it connects the street Västerlånggatan to the public square and courtyard Brantingtorget, forming a parallel street to Salviigränd and Kolmätargränd.Mentioned as Klåchgiuatre...
and Stenbastugränd
Stenbastugränd
Stenbastugränd is a small alley in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Connecting Västerlånggatan to the square Brantingtorget, it forms a parallel street to Kolmätargränd and Storkyrkobrinken....
.
Mentioned as Kholmetare Grenden in 1646 and Kåålmäterenss grändh in 1652, the alley is named after the assessor and magistrate Hans Kohlmeter (1626–1686), who according to a source dated 1661 had his house built over the alley. While this name seem to have been established around 1700, the commonly used name for the alley during the 17th century was Johan Sekreterares Gränd (Johannis secretereres grend, "Alley of Secretary John"), and a century earlier Herman Ruggens gränd (1584).
The present alley is one of the shortest in the old town, and while an article about it might seem superfluous, it have reached an all but legendary status among a large number of Swedes through the still popular troubadour Carl Michael Bellman
Carl Michael Bellman
was a Swedish poet and composer. Bellman is a central figure in the Swedish song tradition and remains a very important influence in Swedish music, as well as in Scandinavian literature in general, to this day....
(1740–1795) and his 34th epistle
Epistle
An epistle is a writing directed or sent to a person or group of people, usually an elegant and formal didactic letter. The epistle genre of letter-writing was common in ancient Egypt as part of the scribal-school writing curriculum. The letters in the New Testament from Apostles to Christians...
named Till Movitz, när elden var lös i hans kvarter uti Kolmätargränden ("To Movitz
Movitz
Movitz is an implementation of the Common Lisp programming language for x86 computers. It runs with no underlying operating system and is intended as "a development platform for operating system kernels, embedded, and single-purpose applications"....
, when fire ravaged his block in Kolmätargränden"). The eleven verses of the song details how a fire among the brothels in the alley and the succeeding hullabaloo, embarrassingly unveils the presence of the otherwise distinguished customers, symbols for various prominent ranks left behind in the gutters, and, in the end, how Movitz escapes the scene, likened to Aeneas
Aeneas
Aeneas , in Greco-Roman mythology, was a Trojan hero, the son of the prince Anchises and the goddess Aphrodite. His father was the second cousin of King Priam of Troy, making Aeneas Priam's second cousin, once removed. The journey of Aeneas from Troy , which led to the founding a hamlet south of...
leaving the burning Troy
Troy
Troy was a city, both factual and legendary, located in northwest Anatolia in what is now Turkey, southeast of the Dardanelles and beside Mount Ida...
, overburdened with all his musical instruments:
| Swedish | English |
|---|---|
| Skådom nu Kolmätargränden, | Now behold Kolmätargränden, |
| smal och smutsig, full med grus; | narrow and filthy, filled with gravel; |
| rådstutaket syns vid änden, | town house's roof seen on the end |
| sen blott krog och jungfruhus. | thereafter merely taverns and brothels. |
| Ur ett bugnat fönstergaller | From a bent window trellis |
| syns en nymf med skinnkarpus; | is seen a nymph in a leather cap; |
| straxt burdus | soon blunt |
| slagsmål och skvaller, | rows and gossips |
| nakna hjässar, tomma krus. | bald pates, empty jars |
| [...] | [...] |
| En Aeneas lik vid Troja | An Aneas' equal at Troy |
| Movitz utur porten går; | Movitz walks out through the door; |
| klarinett, fiol, hoboja, | clarinet, violin, oboe |
| allt i ljusan låga står. | all caught in bright flames. |
| Elden fladdra i peruken, | Fire licker's his periwig |
| sprutan han i nacken får; | fire-extinguisher strikes his neck; |
| slangen slår | the tube hits |
| Movitz på buken; | Movitz on the belly |
| vatten sköljer ben och lår. | water washing legs and thighs. |
Furthermore, the extent of the alley was considerably tail-docked during WW2, when the planned enlargement of Kanslihuset (The "Chancellery House") caused the old blocks in the neighbourhood to be levelled to the ground, the so called "Battle of Kolmätargränd" led by Vera Siöcrona ending in the current compromise, the circular courtyard (Brantingtorget
Brantingtorget
Brantingtorget is the courtyard of the so called Kanslihusannexet , acting as one of the public squares in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden....
) of the Chancellery annex (Kanslihusannexet) surrounded by the still intact remaining buildings.