Viking Homelands: Stockholm III (9/7/2018)

Friday, September 7, 2018 (continued)
Continuing through Gamla Stan/Old Town.

Rick Steves, in his guide, wants you to see "his"
telephone, but the booth is empty!

Västerlånggatan, the pedestrian street for tourists

Helga Lekamens gränd/alley

Gåsgränd, another alley

Boundary marker between Uppland and Södermanland

Example of the use of columns to retrofit
these buildings with large windows

A rune stone on Prästgatan, which states "Torsten and
Frogun erected this stone in memory of their son"

Prästgatan/Priests' Lane,
a more typical old town street (KSS)

Prästgatan coal or wood hatch

Modern use for the hatch

Firefighters (in medieval times) knew that
this house paid their fire insurance fee

Medallion with a flaming phoenix under a crown
meant the fire insurance was paid

Tie bolt to bind timber beams

Västerlånggatan

Västerlånggatan (7/21/1982)

Gate to the Tyska Kyrkan/German Church
(1638-1642, by Hans Jakob Kristler) for the
community of German merchants, with Fürchtet
Gott! Ehret den König!/Fear God! Honor the King!

The Lord's Prayer Labyrinth

Tyska Brunnen/German Fountain
(1783, by Erik Palmstedt)

Gates to a school that is now an Estonian school

Looking south down a street that was once a pier
when the water came up to this point

Since the Ice Age, the land in Sweden has been rising relative to the sea in a geological process of uplift. Thus, the sea has retreated in this area that once was filled with piers. However, it is stated that climate change will soon overcome the lift, resulting in rising sea levels.

Tomtar/Gnomes and Troll shop

Wrought-iron sign for the Den Gyldene Freiden/
Golden Peace Restaurant (1721)

Former Riksbank/National Bank (1680, by
Nicodemus Tessin the Elder) was in the first
building constructed only for banking

Water pump well in Järntorget/Iron Square

Statue (1985, by Karl Göte Bejemark) of Evert Taube,
Swedish composer and singer,
a troubadour of Swedish ballads

Mårtin Trotzigs Gränd/alley, the narrowest
alley in Stockholm; the narrowest
point being 90 cm/3' wide

Mårtin Trotzigs Gränd (7/21/1982)

Von der Lindeska House with 17C façade and porch

Donken is the Swedish nickname for McDonald's

Bågspännaren/the Arbalester (user of a weapon
resembling a crossbow) (1916, by Christian Eriksson)
in honor of Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson, who
led the revolt against Erik the Pomeranian in 1434

Helldog Food Truck with spicy burgers and hot dogs

Medieval corner brace, maybe

Riddarholmskyrkan/Riddarholmen Church
(13C) was the burial place for
Swedish monarchs up to 1950

Riddarholmen Church (7/21/1982)

Statue (1854, by Bengt Erland Fogelberg) of Birger Jarl,
considered to be the first true king of Sweden and
the founder of Stockholm for building a fortress here

Solbåten/Sunboat (1966, by Christian Berg)

Statue (1990, by Willy Gordon) of Evert Taube, the Swedish Troubadour,
with City Hall across Lake Mälaren 

Birger Jarls Torn/Tower (1530 defense tower)

Riddarhuset/House of Nobility
(1641-1657, by Simon De la Vallée and Jean De la Vallée

House of Nobility (7/21/1982)

Statue (1773, by Pierre Hubert L'Archevêque)
of Gustav Eriksson Vasa, the first
king of modern Sweden

It has been a long day, and the others went to catch the Viking shuttle bus back to the ship.

Högsta domstolen/Supreme Court in the Bondeska palatset/
Bonde Palace (1662-1673, by Jean de la Vallée)

Statue (1927, by Christian Eriksson) of
Lars Johan Hierta, a Swedish newspaper
publisher, considered the "father
of free press" in Sweden

Brantingtorget/"square" (1945-1950, by Artur von Schmalensee)
with the statue Morgon/Morning (1962, by Ivar Johnsson) 

Axel Oxenstiernas Palats/Palace (1653-1654,
by Jean de la Vallée) for the man who was
Lord High Chancellor of Sweden from 1612-1654

Royal Palace Högvaktsflygeln/Guard Wing and Parade Square,
where the Changing of the Guard takes place

As I headed towards the Viking shuttle bus stop, I saw that a bus was still sitting there, so I started trotting, and made it on the same bus as Kent, Fernando & Josefina. We returned to the Viking Star together for our final dinner on the ship.

Mousse pyramid made to look like a volcano

Gröna Lund, the amusement park at night

Next: Stockholm Drottningholm I.