Södermalm
Encyclopedia
Söder
Söder can refer to several places in Sweden:*Södermalm, a major district of central Stockholm*Södermanland*Södertörn*Söderhamn Municipality*Söderköping Municipality*Södertälje Municipality...
", is a district 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...
. 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
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. Although Södermalm usually is considered an island, water to both its north and south does not flow freely but passes through lock
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
s.
Södermalm is connected to its surrounding areas by a number of bridges. It connects to 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...
to the north by 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...
, a grid of road and rail and a lock that separates the lake Mälaren
Mälaren
Lake Mälaren is the third-largest lake in Sweden, after Lakes Vänern and Vättern. Its area is 1,140 km² and its greatest depth is 64 m. Mälaren spans 120 kilometers from east to west...
from the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
, to Långholmen
Långholmen
Långholmen is an island in central Stockholm, between Södermalm and Kungsholmen.Långholmen is a green oasis in the city, and a popular spot for walks, picnics and swimming. The small beaches, located right outside the former prison, are usually crowded in summer. However, up until 1975, Långholmen...
and Kungsholmen
Kungsholmen
Kungsholmen is an island in Lake Mälaren in Sweden, part of Stockholm City. It is situated north of Riddarfjärden and considered part of the historical province Uppland....
to the northwest by one of the city's larger bridges, Västerbron
Västerbron
Västerbron is an arch bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden. With a total length exceeding 600 m, 340 m of which stretches over water, it is one of the major bridges in Stockholm, offering one of the most panoramic views of the central part of the city centering on Gamla stan, the old town...
, to the islet Reimersholme
Reimersholme
Reimersholme is a small island in central Stockholm, lying to the west of Södermalm and to the south of the neighbouring island Långholmen. As of 2006 Reimersholme is inhabited by 2,324 people, living in 1,527 dwellings, and with an average annual income of SEK 306,500. 12 percent of the...
to the west, to Liljeholmen
Liljeholmen
Liljeholmen is a district in South Stockholm, organized into the borough with the same name.In 1860 Liljeholmen became the first suburb outside Stockholm city limit...
to the southwest by the bridge Liljeholmsbron, to Årsta
Årsta
Årsta may refer to:* a Stockholm district, west of Hammarby and south of Södermalm, across the Årstaviken gulf of Lake Mälaren, see Enskede-Årsta borough* Årsta Castle, a castle in the municipality of Haninge, Stockholm County...
by Årstabron and Skanstullsbron in the south, and, finally, to Södra Hammarbyhamnen to the east by Danvikstull Bridge.
Administratively, Södermalm is part of Stockholm Municipality
Stockholm Municipality
Stockholm Municipality or the City of Stockholm is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. It is the largest of the 290 municipalities of the country in terms of population, but one of the smaller in terms of area, making it the most densely populated...
. It constitutes, together with 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...
and some other districts, from 2007 the administrative district Södermalms stadsdelsområde, often translated as Södermalm borough
Södermalm borough
Södermalm is a city district area in central Stockholm, created January 1, 2007, through the merging of the boroughs of Maria-Gamla Stan and Katarina-Sofia. It covers the island of Södermalm and some neighboring districts.-Overview:...
.
History
The name Södermalm ("suthraemalm") is first mentioned in 1288 in a letter from Bishop Anund of Strängnäs. Until the early 17th century Södermalm was mainly a rural, agricultural area. Its first urban areas were planned and built in the mid 17th century, comprising a mixture of working class housing, such as the little red cottages of which a few can still be seen in northeastern Södermalm, and the summer houses and pavilions of wealthier families, such as Emanuel SwedenborgEmanuel Swedenborg
was a Swedish scientist, philosopher, and theologian. He has been termed a Christian mystic by some sources, including the Encyclopædia Britannica online version, and the Encyclopedia of Religion , which starts its article with the description that he was a "Swedish scientist and mystic." Others...
's pavilion, which is now in the outdoor museum Skansen
Skansen
Skansen is the first open air museum and zoo in Sweden and is located on the island Djurgården in Stockholm, Sweden. It was founded in 1891 by Artur Hazelius to show the way of life in the different parts of Sweden before the industrial era....
. During this time, it was also the location of perhaps the first theatre in Scandinavia, Björngårdsteatern
Björngårdsteatern
Björngårdsteatern, also called Christian Thums Commedi-huus and Theums Spelehus , was an old Swedish theatre in Stockholm, active between 1640 and 1655. It was possibly the oldest theatre in Scandinavia, but the information about it is incomplete. - History :In 1637 or 1640, the German Christian...
. Södermalm is often poetically named "Söders höjder", which reflects its topography of sheer cliffs and rocky hills. Indeed the hills of Södermalm provide remarkable views 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...
's skyline.
In the 18th century, the working-class cottages that clung to Mariaberget, the steep cliffs facing Riddarfjärden
Riddarfjärden
Riddarfjärden, literally the Knight Firth, is a bay of Lake Mälaren in central Stockholm. Stockholm was founded in 1252 on an island in the stream where Lake Mälaren drains into the Baltic Sea . The island is today called Stadsholmen and constitutes Stockholm's Old Town...
, were replaced by the large buildings that are still present today. It was not until the beginning of the 20th century that urbanisation grasped the entire width of Södermalm, and even today parts of Södermalm have a rural feeling to them, as for instance the landscape of tiny allotments
Allotment (gardening)
An allotment garden, often called simply an allotment, is a plot of land made available for individual, non-professional gardening. Such plots are formed by subdividing a piece of land into a few or up to several hundreds of land parcels that are assigned to individuals or families...
that climb the slopes of Eriksdal.
Also, rather than being known as a slum, Södermalm is now known as home of bohemian
Boho-chic
Boho-chic is a style of female fashion drawing on various bohemian and hippie influences, which, at its height in 2004-5, was associated particularly with actress Sienna Miller and model Kate Moss in the United Kingdom and actresses Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Nicole Richie in the United States...
, alternative culture
Alternative culture
Alternative culture is a type of culture that exists outside or on the fringes of mainstream or popular culture, usually under the domain of one or more subcultures...
and a broad range of cultural amenities. Meanwhile, the growing demand of housing, as well as an increasing gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
of Stockholm's central parts, makes apartments in Södermalm more and more difficult or expensive to come by. Thus what was once a working-class district is now somewhat a district of the privileged.
Neighbourhoods and parishes
Södermalm is roughly divided into the following neighbourhoods (from west to east):- Högalid (western area):
- Bergsund
- Drakenberg
- HeleneborgHeleneborgHeleneborg is an estate on Södermalm, a part of the city of Stockholm, Sweden. It is opposite Långholmen island ....
- TantolundenTantolundenTantolunden is a park near Zinkensdamm and Hornstull in Södermalm, the southern part of central Stockholm....
- ZinkensdammZinkensdammZinkensdamm is a Stockholm Metro station in Södermalm, Stockholm, Sweden opened on 5 April 1964. The surrounding area is known for the Zinkensdamm sporting grounds, the Tantolunden Park, the Drakenberg area, and the STF Zinken hostel.-External links:*...
- Maria Magdalena (mid-northern area):
- Mariaberget
- MariatorgetMariatorgetMariatorget is a square and a city park in Södermalm, Stockholm, constructed at the end of the 1760s. Its original name was Adolf Fredriks torg , but it was renamed "Mariatorget" in 1959 to avoid confusion with the church and parish of Adolf Fredrikskyrkan in Norrmalm...
- SlussenSlussenSlussen 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...
- Södra stationsområdet
- Åsö (mid-southern area):
- Eriksdal
- HelgalundHelgalundHelgalund, Helgalunden, or Tjurberget, is a neighbourhood on the island Södermalm in Stockholm, Sweden. The picturesque area was designed by architect and city planner Per Olof Hallman, c. 1930....
- MedborgarplatsenMedborgarplatsenMedborgarplatsen is one of the largest squares in Stockholm. It is located on Södermalm and is often colloquially referred to as "Medis". The square was once called Södra Bantorget , but was changed to Medborgarplatsen in 1940.The square is a common place for demonstrations...
- RosenlundRosenlundRosenlund is a locality situated in Tranemo Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 340 inhabitants in 2005....
- SkanstullSkanstullSkanstull is an area in Södermalm in Stockholm. Skanstull connects the traffic between the inner city and the south parts of Stockholm and its suburbs. Skanstull was originally the city’s southern toll station, but the toll station was removed in 1857....
- Katarina-Sofia (north-eastern area):
- Blecktornsområdet
- Danvikstull
- Ersta
- Norra Hammarbyhamnen
- NytorgetNytorgetNytorget is a square on Södermalm, a district of Stockholm, Sweden. The name roughly translates into "New Square", and for most of the 17th century until the early 20th century, it was a venue for open air markets as well as a locals hangout....
- MosebackeMosebackeMosebacke is a part of Södermalm in Stockholm, Sweden where cultural events take place. There is a restaurant and theater, , and a stage where local legends like Cornelis Vreeswijk have performed....
Main sights
- Göta LejonGöta LejonGöta Lejon is a theatre in Stockholm, Sweden, located in Södermalm.It is especially popular for musical productions.The current plays are: High School Musical and Buddy - The Buddy Holly Musical....
- Högalid Church
- Karl JohanslussenKarl JohanslussenKarl Johanslussen is a lock and a sluice, connecting and controlling the flood discharge between Riddarfjärden, the easternmost part of Lake Mälaren, and Saltsjön, the section of the Baltic Sea reaching into central Stockholm, Sweden. The lock is 75 meters long, 10 meters wide and 3.90 meters deep...
- Katarina ElevatorKatarina ElevatorThe Katarina Elevator is a passenger elevator in Stockholm that connects Slussen to the heights of Södermalm. The original elevator was constructed in 1881, but the current structure dates from the rebuilding of the Slussen transport interchange in 1935.-References:...
- Katarina Church
- Maria Magdalena ChurchMaria Magdalena ChurchMaria Magdalena Church is a church on Södermalm in central Stockholm, Sweden.The church plan has a nave but no aisles. In its eastern end is a three-sided choir and the transept taking up three bays. In the corners of the crossing are enlargement from various periods, all serving liturgical...
- MedborgarhusetMedborgarhusetForsgrenska medborgarhuset or colloquially Medborgarhuset is a civic hall in Stockholm, Sweden, located on the southern side of Medborgarplatsen, Södermalm....
- Stockholm MosqueStockholm MosqueZayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan's Mosque , commonly known as the Stockholm Mosque or the Stockholm Grand Mosque , is the largest mosque in Stockholm, Sweden. It is located at Kapellgränd 10, adjacent to the small park Björns trädgård, in the Södermalm district of Stockholm...
- Saint Eric's CathedralSaint Eric's Cathedral, Stockholm- External links :* *...
- SkatteskrapanSkatteskrapanSkatteskrapan is a skyscraper in Stockholm, Sweden. It is located at Götgatan 76 in the district of Södermalm, in a block named Gamen...
- SlussenSlussenSlussen 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...
- Södra teaternSödra TeaternSödra Teatern is a theatre in Stockholm, Sweden. Located in the popular "Söder"-district , it's one of Stockholms most appreciated private theatres. Established in 1859, it's Stockholm's oldest private theatre...
- Sofia kyrkaSofia kyrkaSofia kyrka is one of the major churches in Stockholm, Sweden. It was designed during an architectural contest in 1899, and was inaugurated in 1906. Sofia church belongs to Sofia parish of the Church of Sweden.-See also:* Katarina kyrka* Maria Magdalena Church...
- Stockholms södraStockholms södraStockholms södra or Södra Station is a railway station in Stockholm. The Stockholms södra railway station was originally opened in the year 1860, and was the northern terminus the Västra Stambanan railway line until the construction of Stockholm Central Station...
- Söder TornSöder TornSöder Torn is a highrise building at Fatburstrappan 18 by Fatbursparken on Södermalm in Stockholm. The building was originally designed to be 40 floors, but when it was finished in 1997 it was only 86 metres tall and contained 24 floors of flats...
In poetry and fiction
- The songs and poems of the popular 18th century poet and songwriter Carl Michael BellmanCarl Michael Bellmanwas 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....
are filled with recurring references to names of places, primarily bars and meadhalls, on Södermalm. - The celebrated first paragraph of August StrindbergAugust StrindbergJohan August Strindberg was a Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist and painter. A prolific writer who often drew directly on his personal experience, Strindberg's career spanned four decades, during which time he wrote over 60 plays and more than 30 works of fiction, autobiography,...
's satirical novel The Red RoomThe Red Room (Strindberg)The Red Room is a Swedish novel by August Strindberg that was first published in 1879. A satire of Stockholm society, it has frequently been described as the first modern Swedish novel. While receiving mixed reviews in Sweden, it was acclaimed in Denmark, where Strindberg was hailed as a genius. ...
(Röda rummet) describes Stockholm as seen from Mosebacke on Södermalm, where much of the story takes place. - City of My Dreams (Mina drömmars stad), the first in a series of books by Per Anders FogelströmPer Anders FogelströmPer Anders Fogelström was among the leading figures in modern Swedish literature. He spent his whole life in Stockholm, and the most famous of his many works is a series of novels set in the city he dearly loved....
telling the story of several generations of Stockholmers, follows the young worker Henning's life on Södermalm. - Lisbeth SalanderLisbeth SalanderLisbeth Salander is a fictional character created by Swedish author and journalist Stieg Larsson. She is the heroine of Larsson's award-winning "Millennium series", first appearing in the novel The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo...
and other characters in the Millennium TrilogyMillennium TrilogyThe Millennium series is a series of bestselling novels originally written in Swedish by the late Stieg Larsson. The primary characters in the series are Lisbeth Salander, an intelligent, eccentric woman in her twenties with a photographic memory and poor social skills, and Mikael Blomkvist, an...
by Stieg LarssonStieg LarssonKarl Stig-Erland Larsson , who wrote professionally as Stieg Larsson, was a Swedish journalist and writer, born in Skelleftehamn outside Skellefteå. He is best known for writing the "Millennium series" of crime novels, which were published posthumously...
live and work on Södermalm. Much of the action in those books takes place in that district. - Greta GarboGreta GarboGreta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
grew up in the area.
Railway and Stockholm Metro stations
- HornstullHornstullHornstull is an area in western Södermalm, Stockholm. Hornstull is actually the name of where the streets Hornsgatan and Långholmsgatan intersect...
: Red line metro - MariatorgetMariatorgetMariatorget is a square and a city park in Södermalm, Stockholm, constructed at the end of the 1760s. Its original name was Adolf Fredriks torg , but it was renamed "Mariatorget" in 1959 to avoid confusion with the church and parish of Adolf Fredrikskyrkan in Norrmalm...
: Red line metro - MedborgarplatsenMedborgarplatsenMedborgarplatsen is one of the largest squares in Stockholm. It is located on Södermalm and is often colloquially referred to as "Medis". The square was once called Södra Bantorget , but was changed to Medborgarplatsen in 1940.The square is a common place for demonstrations...
: Green line metro - SkanstullSkanstullSkanstull is an area in Södermalm in Stockholm. Skanstull connects the traffic between the inner city and the south parts of Stockholm and its suburbs. Skanstull was originally the city’s southern toll station, but the toll station was removed in 1857....
: Green line metro - SlussenSlussenSlussen 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...
: Green line metro, Red line metro and SaltsjöbananSaltsjöbananSaltsjöbanan is a suburban rail system between Stockholm and Saltsjöbaden in Nacka, Sweden. It is in length and has eighteen stations in use. An average of 19,600 journeys are made on an ordinary workday. The line is mainly single track, and is isolated from Sweden's national railway network,... - Stockholms södraStockholms södraStockholms södra or Södra Station is a railway station in Stockholm. The Stockholms södra railway station was originally opened in the year 1860, and was the northern terminus the Västra Stambanan railway line until the construction of Stockholm Central Station...
: Commuter railStockholm commuter railStockholm Commuter Rail is the commuter rail system in Stockholm County, Sweden. The system is an important part of the public transport in Stockholm, and is controlled by Stockholm Transport; the trains are operated under contract by Stockholmståg... - ZinkensdammZinkensdammZinkensdamm is a Stockholm Metro station in Södermalm, Stockholm, Sweden opened on 5 April 1964. The surrounding area is known for the Zinkensdamm sporting grounds, the Tantolunden Park, the Drakenberg area, and the STF Zinken hostel.-External links:*...
: Red Line Metro
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Bridges
- CentralbronCentralbronCentralbron is one of the major traffic routes in central Stockholm, Sweden, connecting the northern district Norrmalm to the southern Södermalm....
- DanviksbroDanviksbroDanviksbron or, alternatively, Danviksbro is a bascule bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden, connecting the eastern end of Södermalm to the eastern municipality Nacka. Under the bridge, the canal Hammarbykanalen carries the water of Hammarby Sjö over to Saltsjön...
- JohanneshovsbronJohanneshovsbronJohanneshovsbron is a 756 metres long and 17,9 metres wide motorway bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden. Overpassing two older bridges, Skansbron and Skanstullsbron, and one newer bridge, Fredriksdalsbron, it connects Södermalm and the tunnel passing under it, Söderledstunneln, to Johanneshov, the...
- LiljeholmsbronLiljeholmsbronLiljeholmsbron is a bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching over Liljeholmsviken, it connects the western end of the major island Södermalm to the southern mainland district Liljeholmen.- History :...
- VästerbronVästerbronVästerbron is an arch bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden. With a total length exceeding 600 m, 340 m of which stretches over water, it is one of the major bridges in Stockholm, offering one of the most panoramic views of the central part of the city centering on Gamla stan, the old town...
- LångholmsbronLångholmsbronLångholmsbron is a bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden. Connecting the major island Södermalm to the minor island Långholmen, it forms an extension to the street Bergsundsgatan....
- PålsundsbronPålsundsbronPålsundsbron is a bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching over the small water course Pålsundet, the bridge connects the major island Södermalm to the minor island Långholmen....
- ReimersholmsbronReimersholmsbronReimersholmsbron or Reimersbron is a bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden, connecting the major island Södermalm to the minor island Reimersholme....
- SkansbronSkansbronSkansbron is a bascule bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching over the canal Hammarbykanalen, it connects the major island Södermalm to the southern mainland district Södra Hammarbyhamnen....
- SkanstullsbronSkanstullsbronSkanstullsbron is a bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden. Overpassing the older bridge Skansbron, it connects the major island Södermalm to the southern district Johanneshov....
- ÅrstabroarnaÅrstabroarnaÅrstabroarna are two parallel railway viaducts in central Stockholm, Sweden. Passing over the watercourse of Årstaviken and the islets Årsta holmar, they connect the major island Södermalm to the southern mainland district Årsta.- Eastern Årsta Bridge :...
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