Södermalm is a district representing in all its appealing splendour the eclectic and creative spirit of Stockholm, the stunning Capital of Sweden one of the most beautiful, attractive, lively and captivating cities of Scandinavia well known to boast a vast historical, cultural and monumental patrimony, fabulous views on the Baltic Sea and an endless list of attractions in every corner of its urban environment.
During a visit of that marvellous Nordic centre you will
immediately notice its magnificent preservation, a place with a myriad of superb monuments, majestic palaces, stylish buildings, refined houses all superb architectural masterpieces located in quarters which conserve a marked historic identity.
Its wonderful nature presents in its boundaries is a further highlight with large green parks and fascinating gardens also symbols of that charming Scandinavian beauty founded on fourteen islands and additional charming aspect which makes that site extremely special as the stupendous Venice, Amsterdam or Copenhagen which arose in different times in the same way when they were founded on stupendous archipelagos.(if you are interested I wrote posts about those three places)
Stockholm is a Northern European metropolis with many positive features, the transport works very well facilitating the visit of a tourist, the information service is among the best in the world, the locals are very kind and polite and it is a fantastic destination because there is always something to do thanks to a considerable cultural calendar, numerous museums and exhibitions, a notable offer in terms of leisure, shopping and a vibrant nightlife.
Apart all those mentioned outstanding qualities and a long history to narrate in that city you will also breathe a constant trendy atmosphere feeling in the air that unmistakable desire of progress highlighted by an eternal research to launch innovative projects in terms of design, decor, art, architecture and due to all that it is a reality enriched by a large variety of very attractive contrasts.
Its wonderful nature presents in its boundaries is a further highlight with large green parks and fascinating gardens also symbols of that charming Scandinavian beauty founded on fourteen islands and additional charming aspect which makes that site extremely special as the stupendous Venice, Amsterdam or Copenhagen which arose in different times in the same way when they were founded on stupendous archipelagos.(if you are interested I wrote posts about those three places)
Stockholm is a Northern European metropolis with many positive features, the transport works very well facilitating the visit of a tourist, the information service is among the best in the world, the locals are very kind and polite and it is a fantastic destination because there is always something to do thanks to a considerable cultural calendar, numerous museums and exhibitions, a notable offer in terms of leisure, shopping and a vibrant nightlife.
Apart all those mentioned outstanding qualities and a long history to narrate in that city you will also breathe a constant trendy atmosphere feeling in the air that unmistakable desire of progress highlighted by an eternal research to launch innovative projects in terms of design, decor, art, architecture and due to all that it is a reality enriched by a large variety of very attractive contrasts.
In a concrete urban
point the city subdivided by the
Slussen, a famous lock established to connect the Baltic Sea to the Lake Malaren, superb masterpiece of civil engineering created in the 50's.
That extraordinary work also consists in a pedestrian passage leading to the famous Gamla Stan, the magnificent old city which started to be a flourishing site in 1252, a great historical borough which conserves with pride numerous Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Architectural gems.
Just two steps from there lies Södermalm, another local emblematic symbol, one of the
14 districts of the municipality administratively part of that site but those two realities one integrated in another are extremely different and also that is a special marvel of Stockholm.
Among a wide maze of winding streets, narrow alleys, long boulevards, large avenues, locks networks, railway sections all those elements have created a centre highly advanced and organised but also as a sort of invisible and transparent barrier dividing two different realities in a concrete municipal corner in which that area is also a vibrant urban cross road linking nearby islands and numerous bridges.
Those two places with their diverse image and soul despite their vicinity live with a different spirit and they look each other every day with respect but never with envy or awe because Stockholm was and is old accepted the new with tolerance and in its kind in a sort of welcome.
That extraordinary work also consists in a pedestrian passage leading to the famous Gamla Stan, the magnificent old city which started to be a flourishing site in 1252, a great historical borough which conserves with pride numerous Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Architectural gems.
Just two steps from there lies Södermalm, another local emblematic symbol, one of the
14 districts of the municipality administratively part of that site but those two realities one integrated in another are extremely different and also that is a special marvel of Stockholm.
Among a wide maze of winding streets, narrow alleys, long boulevards, large avenues, locks networks, railway sections all those elements have created a centre highly advanced and organised but also as a sort of invisible and transparent barrier dividing two different realities in a concrete municipal corner in which that area is also a vibrant urban cross road linking nearby islands and numerous bridges.
Those two places with their diverse image and soul despite their vicinity live with a different spirit and they look each other every day with respect but never with envy or awe because Stockholm was and is old accepted the new with tolerance and in its kind in a sort of welcome.
Gamla Stan is still majestically conserved reminding in what you can admire nowadays its stunning and artistic historic past related to the golden period of Sweden in the Middle Ages highlighted by a magic aura surrounding its charming agglomeration composed by fascinating buildings and lines of beautiful decorated houses in a place in which the visitor immediately feels the sensation the time stands still evoking the glory of great historic centuries.
Södermalm also has its considerable secular patrimony but it is less conservative, always busy to impress people, in continuous development with its eternally eclectic and creative spirit extremely visible by avant garde movements which in a contemporary era have marked a defined profile and lifestyle all around its boundaries creating an environment in which the word trendy is a sort of first letter of an encoded alphabet.
Söder is the abbreviation that the inhabitants used and still use for that district which with its approximately 110,000 inhabitants is one of the most densely populated areas of the city.
That nickname derives by two words such as Söders and Höjder which respectively means height and south for the geographical location of that neighbourhood on a cliff dominating part of the city in that concrete cardinal point.
Its core starts just behind the famous Ringvagen, an important artery which forms a sort of ring as tells its denomination surrounding the heart of that large borough meeting in its northern
side a long avenue called Hornsgatan running from west to east from the famous Sorderaljevagen bridge to the proximity of the renowned Södra Teatern located at the entrance of Gamla Stan.
Söder Malarstrand is the northernmost boulevard along the coast
facing the district of Normallm and the iconic
Stadshus also known as Stadshuset, the Town Hall representing along its course an ample and wonderful panoramic hallway offering spectacular views of one
of the most suggestive and significant corners of the city.
Linked to west by a great bridge to the scenic islands Långholmen and Kungsholmen also that it is an attractive and captivating image highlighting in that point the sea as protagonist completing a very fascinating frame around it.
Originally Södermalm was a small district but apart its size which significantly increased it also grew as a notable cultural hub and thanks to that it always played an important role in the city gaining in the urban ranking an extreme relevance and resonance.
For long time until today that quarter is considered one of the most trendy and rich in creativity of the entire metropolitan grid, In many of its corner you will notice chic and fashionable shops highlighted by eclectic windows arranged with the latest trends and often changing their layouts with something of innovative and highly captivating and it is the beloved residence of many artists who have their studios there as well as prominent architects.
Bohemian, elegant but not sophisticated, bustling and lively anytime, highlighted by fine restaurants offering the trendiest nouvelle and fusion cuisine, cosy cafes and clubs serving sparkling cocktails, it is also the dream of many Swedish young student of art or emergent talents who desire to live there.
Linked to west by a great bridge to the scenic islands Långholmen and Kungsholmen also that it is an attractive and captivating image highlighting in that point the sea as protagonist completing a very fascinating frame around it.
Originally Södermalm was a small district but apart its size which significantly increased it also grew as a notable cultural hub and thanks to that it always played an important role in the city gaining in the urban ranking an extreme relevance and resonance.
For long time until today that quarter is considered one of the most trendy and rich in creativity of the entire metropolitan grid, In many of its corner you will notice chic and fashionable shops highlighted by eclectic windows arranged with the latest trends and often changing their layouts with something of innovative and highly captivating and it is the beloved residence of many artists who have their studios there as well as prominent architects.
Bohemian, elegant but not sophisticated, bustling and lively anytime, highlighted by fine restaurants offering the trendiest nouvelle and fusion cuisine, cosy cafes and clubs serving sparkling cocktails, it is also the dream of many Swedish young student of art or emergent talents who desire to live there.
Södermalm represents in its kind a site in which all is possible and where every generation has always absorbed cycles
of artistic life but with a strong respect of all was previously created and established.
The predecessors were never considered retro and in many cases they were took as inspiration as happened in the Nordic Romanticism and Renaissance movements which left considerable imprints followed in modern key by new talented exponents of a determined cultural sphere focused by the desire to establish trendy proposals, something very rooted in Sweden and in the Scandinavian countries.
Never tired to boast its code to be different, the atmosphere of that huge quarter is very distinctive, immediately visible in a stop in one of its attractive streets with bohemian taverns next to a successful and animated bars, all them offering in their interiors the latest fashion design in furniture, lights, arrangements, and layout including in their offer always less traditional and more related to innovative tastes and furthermore with a very cosmopolitan clientele.
The predecessors were never considered retro and in many cases they were took as inspiration as happened in the Nordic Romanticism and Renaissance movements which left considerable imprints followed in modern key by new talented exponents of a determined cultural sphere focused by the desire to establish trendy proposals, something very rooted in Sweden and in the Scandinavian countries.
Never tired to boast its code to be different, the atmosphere of that huge quarter is very distinctive, immediately visible in a stop in one of its attractive streets with bohemian taverns next to a successful and animated bars, all them offering in their interiors the latest fashion design in furniture, lights, arrangements, and layout including in their offer always less traditional and more related to innovative tastes and furthermore with a very cosmopolitan clientele.
That place started long
time ago to have a very particular and distinguished spirit with a large group of
artists, writers, poets and thinkers pioneers of the first philosophical messages and concepts to create schools escaping from the most conservative canons.
All that transmitted step by step a succession of new waves which captured the attention of a multitude of people and for that in a far comparison that environment is considered by someone a sort of Nordic Quartier Latin of Paris with something in common with Schwabing that famous district of Munich. (I wrote posts about those two quarters if you are interested)
Despite those approaches to find some similarities or things in common with those iconic sites at the end after a visit for everyone that place is simply Södermalm in all its unique essence.
All that transmitted step by step a succession of new waves which captured the attention of a multitude of people and for that in a far comparison that environment is considered by someone a sort of Nordic Quartier Latin of Paris with something in common with Schwabing that famous district of Munich. (I wrote posts about those two quarters if you are interested)
Despite those approaches to find some similarities or things in common with those iconic sites at the end after a visit for everyone that place is simply Södermalm in all its unique essence.
It
is very curious and more surprising the history of that district because at the beginning of
the 17th century it was a simple humble rural area mainly
devoted to agricultural activities largely populated by farmers.
Some years later in the
city started a considerable development with the construction in that area of
groups of middle class houses hosting several people part of the working social class.
Later were erected there the first typical Röda husen, red buildings adapted by the Swedish wealthiest families who used them as second residence to spend pleasant weekends or occupied during summer holidays and one of them was that of Emannuel Swedenborg, one of greatest Scandinavian philosophers all time.
Later were erected there the first typical Röda husen, red buildings adapted by the Swedish wealthiest families who used them as second residence to spend pleasant weekends or occupied during summer holidays and one of them was that of Emannuel Swedenborg, one of greatest Scandinavian philosophers all time.
A very intense strong urban reform of Stockholm took place in the late 18th century, a period
which changed in many
aspects Södermalm when a good number of big and high buildings were established to
host many families who could not live in an already congested historic
centre which started to be pretty expensive.
Due to that only one section of the district kept its original appearance consisting in the area on the slopes of Eriksdal.
Since then started until the early 20th century the establishment of new wooden houses today pretty well preserved and some of the most notorious are Fjällgatan, Åsoberget and Life Berget which in their kind for their scenic image represent a landmark of the district.
Those times were also linked to the flow of many young artists who selected to fix their residence in Södermalm because the price of rent was pretty affordable and that urban space was still in expansion.
Due to that only one section of the district kept its original appearance consisting in the area on the slopes of Eriksdal.
Since then started until the early 20th century the establishment of new wooden houses today pretty well preserved and some of the most notorious are Fjällgatan, Åsoberget and Life Berget which in their kind for their scenic image represent a landmark of the district.
Those times were also linked to the flow of many young artists who selected to fix their residence in Södermalm because the price of rent was pretty affordable and that urban space was still in expansion.
All that was obviously an incentive to populate that island of the Swedish Capital and in the meantine started to be opened new taverns, busy cafes and captivating bistros.
That new development was since then the beginning of a new era of an eclectic and creative spirit very rooted in the local boundaries with polyvalent characters who transformed those establishments in social daily meeting points highlighting with long chats, speeches, proposals and ideas many evenings with an always increasing audience.
That sort of metamorphosis attracted soon other talented personalities who flocked there starting to bring in that area a very distinctive Bohemian air.
Thanks to that transformation born since then the ancestral soul of the current borough continues to be alive nowadays and the visitor can notice those marks in a pretty big variety of places reminiscent those environments in a very relaxing and tolerant atmosphere as Södermalm always had in those times.
Someone classified that neighbourhood a bit out of the standard canons, very different than other city districts but it is also that makes it special.
For all what it moves inside its beating heart,there were in the recent past some veiled comparisons with Greenwich
Village, New York or Shrodeditch, London for a very accentuated artistic and cultural life with several live music shows, art galleries, new trendy special fashion l shops and a constant joie de vivre with joviality, in some cases including with exuberance and for that it is sometimes considered by someone a bit trasgressive.
Today thinking in its past it is impressive how that modest and humble neighbourhood changed face and it is a cradle of progress,artistic movements and culture.
Very cosmopolitan, welcoming and eternally open to new challenges in terms of innovation to be compared to those emblematic districts of those two mentioned important metropolis which made and make the history is certainly something of great for Södermalm.
Today thinking in its past it is impressive how that modest and humble neighbourhood changed face and it is a cradle of progress,artistic movements and culture.
Very cosmopolitan, welcoming and eternally open to new challenges in terms of innovation to be compared to those emblematic districts of those two mentioned important metropolis which made and make the history is certainly something of great for Södermalm.
A good place to have an introduction to explore and know better its identity is suggested to start in the area corresponding to Medborgarplatsen, a bustling square in which for different reasons that a point could be considered the beating heart of that district.
Its denomination translated means Citizen Square and its former name until 1940 was
Södra Bartonget meaning Southern Railway Square while the locals colloquially call it Medis.
It was a place in that time with a constant movement of bohemian people who often had meetings in cafes in the vicinity of the metro station living the events of the 2nd World War with interest despite the country was neutral with that historic stage, politics and art as main protagonists in long chats.
Historically that site is pretty famous because since its inauguration became a place of many demonstrations of protest, other to have resonance in decisions of the Government, celebrations and parades.
All that continued in more contemporary times in 2001 it was the site in which the Hammarby IF, the historic Club of the district founded at the end of the 19th century celebrated its first triumph in the Alsvenskan, the Swedish Football League in presence of over 35,000 fans.
That square is also known because on its soil Anna Lindh, former Minister for Foreign Affairs was murdered during a speech on 10th September 2003 and to pay homage to that politician was erected there a memorial monument.
On 1st May every year the square also hosts a parade of the Vänsterpartiet V, the left Socialist and feminist party founded in 1917 by the Youth League led by Zeth Höglund, merged after a a split with the Swedish Social Democratic Party.
On that square lies a Tube Station with the same name inaugurated in 1933 and largely rebuilt in 1950 due to a total reformation of the transport network. In addition you will also see a library and an ice rink which in in summer season is transformed in a terrace with several benches.
You can see in that area street performers, musicians, groups of friends, tourists, architects having a chat or a drink, a pretty varied environment in terms of visitors.Södermalm lives its days in that way and the day after will be another one with usual or new visitors and in that square you will notice that.
On one side lies Lillienhoffska paltset, a splendid palace elevated in Dutch Baroque style between 1668 and 1670 by the merchant Joaquim Pötter. In 1723 it hosted the Embassy of Great Britain in Sweden and for that it was nicknamed the English Building.
In 1786 the roof was re-designed and in 1900 was purchased by the City Council. Its history continued in the 70's becoming a lively a disco-club while nowadays it hosts offices, private residential apartments and on the ground floor a big restaurant.
A short distance from there walking along Ostötagatan in direction Gamla Stan you can admire Södra Teatern which artistically had and has a relevant important value for what it represented and represents.
Established in the 19th century, the construction of that iconic theatre ended in 1852, around that building gravitated a large number of famous artists and it is also the oldest private theatre opened in the Swedish Capital and since its inception it had a great boom with a wide calendar of events highlighted by considerable successful performances.
Originally it started as pure venue protagonist of different kinds of shows with an large variety of representations such as prose,drama, comedy and classical theatre and it represented in its kind the emblem of the eclectic artistic spirit of that area of Stockholm.
That majestic building painted in a light ochre tonality,a very common colour used in many constructions you
will notice in a visit of the city boasts rectangular curved
windows another traditional architectural detail which reflects the typical
Nordic
architecture of that period with strong marked lines as also an imposing
traditional
high facade.
That theatre also provides many facilities as reception halls, two restaurants and today despite its past so rich in different kinds of shows changed a bit its trend and it is mainly devoted to music.
Its denomination translated means Citizen Square and its former name until 1940 was
Södra Bartonget meaning Southern Railway Square while the locals colloquially call it Medis.
It was a place in that time with a constant movement of bohemian people who often had meetings in cafes in the vicinity of the metro station living the events of the 2nd World War with interest despite the country was neutral with that historic stage, politics and art as main protagonists in long chats.
Historically that site is pretty famous because since its inauguration became a place of many demonstrations of protest, other to have resonance in decisions of the Government, celebrations and parades.
All that continued in more contemporary times in 2001 it was the site in which the Hammarby IF, the historic Club of the district founded at the end of the 19th century celebrated its first triumph in the Alsvenskan, the Swedish Football League in presence of over 35,000 fans.
That square is also known because on its soil Anna Lindh, former Minister for Foreign Affairs was murdered during a speech on 10th September 2003 and to pay homage to that politician was erected there a memorial monument.
On 1st May every year the square also hosts a parade of the Vänsterpartiet V, the left Socialist and feminist party founded in 1917 by the Youth League led by Zeth Höglund, merged after a a split with the Swedish Social Democratic Party.
On that square lies a Tube Station with the same name inaugurated in 1933 and largely rebuilt in 1950 due to a total reformation of the transport network. In addition you will also see a library and an ice rink which in in summer season is transformed in a terrace with several benches.
You can see in that area street performers, musicians, groups of friends, tourists, architects having a chat or a drink, a pretty varied environment in terms of visitors.Södermalm lives its days in that way and the day after will be another one with usual or new visitors and in that square you will notice that.
On one side lies Lillienhoffska paltset, a splendid palace elevated in Dutch Baroque style between 1668 and 1670 by the merchant Joaquim Pötter. In 1723 it hosted the Embassy of Great Britain in Sweden and for that it was nicknamed the English Building.
In 1786 the roof was re-designed and in 1900 was purchased by the City Council. Its history continued in the 70's becoming a lively a disco-club while nowadays it hosts offices, private residential apartments and on the ground floor a big restaurant.
A short distance from there walking along Ostötagatan in direction Gamla Stan you can admire Södra Teatern which artistically had and has a relevant important value for what it represented and represents.
Established in the 19th century, the construction of that iconic theatre ended in 1852, around that building gravitated a large number of famous artists and it is also the oldest private theatre opened in the Swedish Capital and since its inception it had a great boom with a wide calendar of events highlighted by considerable successful performances.
Originally it started as pure venue protagonist of different kinds of shows with an large variety of representations such as prose,drama, comedy and classical theatre and it represented in its kind the emblem of the eclectic artistic spirit of that area of Stockholm.
That theatre also provides many facilities as reception halls, two restaurants and today despite its past so rich in different kinds of shows changed a bit its trend and it is mainly devoted to music.
Just next to the limits of Gamla Stan in the southern side of the district you can see Katerinahissen, an iconic elevator view point established at 38,0 metres of altitude from which it
is possible to contemplate some of the islands of the beautiful and
charming Stockholm archipelago apart
a splendid view over the entire district and it is since a long time ago a special destination for romantic couples.
In proximity of Katarinavagen, a long avenue situated in the eastern boundaries just behind Mosebacke and next to Högbergsgatan you can admire the beautiful Kataryna Kyrka.
That Lutheran Religious Temple was erected between 1656 and 1695 in Baroque style by a prominent French architect called Jean De la Vallée, a talented character with solid experiences in Italy where he learnt the concepts of the Italian Baroque movement in Rome and also with stays in Holland before to move to Sweden.
That Church was rebuilt twice due to fires ,the last is pretty recent corresponding to 1990 and its name is to pay homage to the Princess Katarina mother of King Karl Gustav X who was the Swedish Monarch in that concrete period.
That construction is considered in its kind one of the jewels o the finest Nordic Baroque architecture,it presents a wide facade with a huge pediment surmounting the doorway and above a rose window.
The portal is flanked by ample curved windows and impressive is the polygonal drum tower with a scenic dome while a further highlight is a typical Swedish clock with golden numbers on a dark background.
The last large restoration was extremely loyal to the original style also confirmed by the traditional colours as a dark yellow with also an use of white lines intersected in different key positions among all the architectural elements inserted in the exterior layout.
In proximity of Katarinavagen, a long avenue situated in the eastern boundaries just behind Mosebacke and next to Högbergsgatan you can admire the beautiful Kataryna Kyrka.
That Lutheran Religious Temple was erected between 1656 and 1695 in Baroque style by a prominent French architect called Jean De la Vallée, a talented character with solid experiences in Italy where he learnt the concepts of the Italian Baroque movement in Rome and also with stays in Holland before to move to Sweden.
That Church was rebuilt twice due to fires ,the last is pretty recent corresponding to 1990 and its name is to pay homage to the Princess Katarina mother of King Karl Gustav X who was the Swedish Monarch in that concrete period.
That construction is considered in its kind one of the jewels o the finest Nordic Baroque architecture,it presents a wide facade with a huge pediment surmounting the doorway and above a rose window.
The portal is flanked by ample curved windows and impressive is the polygonal drum tower with a scenic dome while a further highlight is a typical Swedish clock with golden numbers on a dark background.
The last large restoration was extremely loyal to the original style also confirmed by the traditional colours as a dark yellow with also an use of white lines intersected in different key positions among all the architectural elements inserted in the exterior layout.
If New York has its
SoHo, as well as London,Stockholm has in Södermalm District its SoFo as the
locals call the area south of Folkungagatan which includes almost the entire space
just to south and east of Folkungagatan Götagatan.
SoFo for that play on words is the SoHo of the Swedish city compared to those distinctive places present in those other metropolitan realities and it is a place with a very vibrant nightlife packed by cosy bars, design studios, inviting shops and renowned boutiques.
It is an acclaimed site which is highly captivating for many people who can enjoy pleasant times and ideal to find always something to do every day.
It is a destination for the last generation o Swedish hippies, group of young people sitting in bars chatting about the most trendy topics as music and fashion,businessmen frequenting taverns talking about marketing strategies and financial plans but you can also see bohemian figures with a glass of liquor reading a book sitting next to the window of a cosy bistro.
That corner of the city is also for that very special, a multitude of diverse realities are present there and you can classify it as little world in its kind apart of the rest of the city.
The park is highlighted by beautiful
flower beds, trees, lovely pathways ideal to enjoy pleasant walks and
there you will also see some sculptures.The most emblematic is that one dedicated to the Viking God Thor, one of the most
venerated Nordic divinities in ancient times.
That epic warrior God is depicted killing Jôrmungardr, a sea monster which was protagonist in many Scandinavian legends also painted by several artists,narrated in historic books, son of the God Loki and another mythological figure,the giantess Angrbooa. That sculpture is a work by Hans Henrik Wissler and the name is pretty peculiar,Tors Fiske which means the fishing of Thor.
In that square you will notice on a stone block a bust depicting Emanuel
Swedenborg considered one of the most eclectic artists born in the
city, scientist,writer, philosopher and inventor.
That character according to historic information despite his immense talent was a very controversial figure with a very high ego, highly charismatic, able to transmit his concepts in a very simple way and to capture the attention of a myriad of people in a while.
The man in several occasions said that his works and studies were fruit and result of divine inspirations and despite all those peculiarities he was elevated a one of the most genial Swedish figures who influenced with his skills and knowledge a multitude of young artists but also bewitching a lot of ordinary people.
Apart all that he was also very admired for his high cultural level deeply linked to studies regarding theology, Christian reforms, Religious discoveries and always searching something of new and challenging.
SoFo for that play on words is the SoHo of the Swedish city compared to those distinctive places present in those other metropolitan realities and it is a place with a very vibrant nightlife packed by cosy bars, design studios, inviting shops and renowned boutiques.
It is an acclaimed site which is highly captivating for many people who can enjoy pleasant times and ideal to find always something to do every day.
It is a destination for the last generation o Swedish hippies, group of young people sitting in bars chatting about the most trendy topics as music and fashion,businessmen frequenting taverns talking about marketing strategies and financial plans but you can also see bohemian figures with a glass of liquor reading a book sitting next to the window of a cosy bistro.
That corner of the city is also for that very special, a multitude of diverse realities are present there and you can classify it as little world in its kind apart of the rest of the city.
Maria Torgetis is another highlight consisting in an ample park also corresponding to a square developed in the 18th century ended in 1760. Since a long time ago it is important meeting point pretty loved by
locals and originally its name was Adolf
Fredriks Torg in honour of the Swedish
Monarch Adolf Fredrik.
That denomination changed in 1959 because in the nearest
district of Norrmalm was elevated a Church named Adolf Fredrikskirkan dedicated to that Sovereign and the municipality for that decided
to replace the former name in the current which is Maria
Magdalena Kyrka.
That epic warrior God is depicted killing Jôrmungardr, a sea monster which was protagonist in many Scandinavian legends also painted by several artists,narrated in historic books, son of the God Loki and another mythological figure,the giantess Angrbooa. That sculpture is a work by Hans Henrik Wissler and the name is pretty peculiar,Tors Fiske which means the fishing of Thor.
That character according to historic information despite his immense talent was a very controversial figure with a very high ego, highly charismatic, able to transmit his concepts in a very simple way and to capture the attention of a myriad of people in a while.
The man in several occasions said that his works and studies were fruit and result of divine inspirations and despite all those peculiarities he was elevated a one of the most genial Swedish figures who influenced with his skills and knowledge a multitude of young artists but also bewitching a lot of ordinary people.
Apart all that he was also very admired for his high cultural level deeply linked to studies regarding theology, Christian reforms, Religious discoveries and always searching something of new and challenging.
In that square is also situated a most modern symbol of the neighbourhood, the luxury five stars Hotel Rival property of one of
the former members of the famous Swedish pop music group ABBA, Benny Andersson.
That comfortable accommodation is also famed for its past when it was used for different purposes such as a famous Cinema, a notorious theatre and for all that it is considered in its kind an important attraction.
In its proximity you can find a
varied number of shops with a large variety of articles and extravagant
items but also chic accessories and high fashion design items,a space
in which that marked eclectic and creative spirit of Stockholm is alive than ever.
That place attracts locals, tourists, couples visiting a fine shop of stylish furniture or others concentrated to see stylish design articles, curious people looking for some antique or vintage items and others looking the windows of real estate offices reading prices of apartments or studios of that district.
You will notice a presence of extravagance next to classical and stylish shops one different to another, nothing is cloned or a vulgar imitation, each of them has its image and identity because that site is also that, no copies, the creative spirit is the success while the standard is the end.
Equally interesting is Gotgasbakken in which it is possible to see all the most trendy and latest fashion creations by Swedish designers and it is a very frequented place by locals who wanted to know day by day the new fashionable trends exhibited in those stylish windows.
Also there as a secret code of a tacit agreement stipulated in the quarter very rooted in the eclecticism of the owners or managers of the establishments who bring constant changes with their talent, there is always something of new added to an arrangement or change of a layout of a determined window or latest proposals immediately exhibited in a while.
That philosophy lives there,all is very evident and that is the key why that place captures the attention at first sight and it is so loved by many people who return there in more occasions.
That Stockholm neighbourhood is very famous to be also the birthplace of Greta Lovisa Gustafsson well known as Greta Garbo one of the most venerated actresses all time.
That iconic star born and bred there, left her birthplace when she entered in the triumphant scenery of the Film Industry becoming one of the myths of the international scene,awarded by the American Film Institute as the fifth most important female actress in the history.
That comfortable accommodation is also famed for its past when it was used for different purposes such as a famous Cinema, a notorious theatre and for all that it is considered in its kind an important attraction.
That area is also a
mecca for shopping, many interesting shops are located in the proximity of the
tube station Zinkesdamm. That corner
of the city also has an important history because it was the site of
the manor of Södermalm which was demolished long time ago.
In addition it was also one of the first places which had as residents people of a high social class and today it is an important area for shopping and also sport events thanks to the presence of the huge Sports Ground Zinkensdamms IP.
In addition it was also one of the first places which had as residents people of a high social class and today it is an important area for shopping and also sport events thanks to the presence of the huge Sports Ground Zinkensdamms IP.
That place attracts locals, tourists, couples visiting a fine shop of stylish furniture or others concentrated to see stylish design articles, curious people looking for some antique or vintage items and others looking the windows of real estate offices reading prices of apartments or studios of that district.
You will notice a presence of extravagance next to classical and stylish shops one different to another, nothing is cloned or a vulgar imitation, each of them has its image and identity because that site is also that, no copies, the creative spirit is the success while the standard is the end.
Equally interesting is Gotgasbakken in which it is possible to see all the most trendy and latest fashion creations by Swedish designers and it is a very frequented place by locals who wanted to know day by day the new fashionable trends exhibited in those stylish windows.
Also there as a secret code of a tacit agreement stipulated in the quarter very rooted in the eclecticism of the owners or managers of the establishments who bring constant changes with their talent, there is always something of new added to an arrangement or change of a layout of a determined window or latest proposals immediately exhibited in a while.
That philosophy lives there,all is very evident and that is the key why that place captures the attention at first sight and it is so loved by many people who return there in more occasions.
That Stockholm neighbourhood is very famous to be also the birthplace of Greta Lovisa Gustafsson well known as Greta Garbo one of the most venerated actresses all time.
That iconic star born and bred there, left her birthplace when she entered in the triumphant scenery of the Film Industry becoming one of the myths of the international scene,awarded by the American Film Institute as the fifth most important female actress in the history.
That popular star conquered
the world with her unforgettable performances and beauty in many successful movies but
she was also a very controversial and peculiar figure and probably that divine and
acclaimed emblem always kept inside the unmistakable DNA of Södermalm to be different than
others.
Of course you know the history of that prominent artist with a life full of glamour,often at the centre of gossip, visiting luxury resorts but also a character surrounded by a of mysterious aura when she often escaped from place to place during the times she was not working.
Very famous were the times when she reached the top of her popularity in a notorious period characterised by her continuous and constant trips, seen two days in a glamorous place, one in another, one week spending holidays in a top resort and after a couple of days reaching a further destination.
Capri,Tangier, Cannes, Saint Tropez, Portofino, Venice, Rome,Paris,Montecarlo, Taormina were among her favourite sites deeply living a total glamour but sometimes looking for a total anonymity.
As you know she retired from the big screen despite she was in her highest peak of fame and success with the opportunity to continue to be an acclaimed star but she left all when she was only 36 years old.
Greta Garbo was famous because she did not like to sign autographs but as controversial figure she loved very much to be at the centre of the attention.
In a moment of her life she started to collect antiques and to be fond about art including she bought some Renoir and Kandinsky paintings of an immense value and nobody before knows she was fond of art.
In another period she lived alone, far from all without a social life or contacts with other stars or people connected to the world of cinema and entertainment industry including for someone who knew her was often impossible to know where she was.
Nobody exactly knows what she was doing including the most experienced journalists and paparazzi of that period who had several contacts and an ample agenda but someone saw her walking for her district in some occasions.
It was probably nostalgia and her roots called and the praised and idolised Greta Garbo returned from time to time in incognito in her beloved and never forgotten Södermalm.
Of course you know the history of that prominent artist with a life full of glamour,often at the centre of gossip, visiting luxury resorts but also a character surrounded by a of mysterious aura when she often escaped from place to place during the times she was not working.
Very famous were the times when she reached the top of her popularity in a notorious period characterised by her continuous and constant trips, seen two days in a glamorous place, one in another, one week spending holidays in a top resort and after a couple of days reaching a further destination.
Capri,Tangier, Cannes, Saint Tropez, Portofino, Venice, Rome,Paris,Montecarlo, Taormina were among her favourite sites deeply living a total glamour but sometimes looking for a total anonymity.
As you know she retired from the big screen despite she was in her highest peak of fame and success with the opportunity to continue to be an acclaimed star but she left all when she was only 36 years old.
Greta Garbo was famous because she did not like to sign autographs but as controversial figure she loved very much to be at the centre of the attention.
In a moment of her life she started to collect antiques and to be fond about art including she bought some Renoir and Kandinsky paintings of an immense value and nobody before knows she was fond of art.
In another period she lived alone, far from all without a social life or contacts with other stars or people connected to the world of cinema and entertainment industry including for someone who knew her was often impossible to know where she was.
Nobody exactly knows what she was doing including the most experienced journalists and paparazzi of that period who had several contacts and an ample agenda but someone saw her walking for her district in some occasions.
It was probably nostalgia and her roots called and the praised and idolised Greta Garbo returned from time to time in incognito in her beloved and never forgotten Södermalm.
The district apart that
emblematic actress also produced many other famed characters and one of them was the famous
poet Carl Michael Bellman born
and raised in that quarter.
That man took his deep inspirations for his superb works every time walking in the local boundaries and many of his masterpieces and it is enough to mention Fredman's Epistles and Fredman's Songs are a hymn to the district life with its streets, squares, gardens and atmosphere as main protagonists.
The neighbourhood was also
selected as favourite scene for the books by Stieg Larsson in the notorious Millennium,
home of Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander in the
streets in which he had his
two apartments and in addition depicted other interesting details of
Stockholm, works highly appreciated by a multitude of readers from all around the
world.
Famous is also the movie Men Who Hate Women, the first implementation of the famed Millennium trilogy novels released in the second episode entitled The Girl Who Played with Fire.Furthermore that place is also in which some scenes were shot in the film adapted by another Stieg Larsson's book titled The queen of the house of cards.
The success o those books and movies also have created a itinerary through the streets of Södermalm to discover the real places narrated and depicted by Larsson protagonists as main setting of his characters such as the house of Lisbeth, Mellqvist Kaffebar Blomkvist's home, the residence of Milton and the Security of the magazine Millennium.
That man took his deep inspirations for his superb works every time walking in the local boundaries and many of his masterpieces and it is enough to mention Fredman's Epistles and Fredman's Songs are a hymn to the district life with its streets, squares, gardens and atmosphere as main protagonists.
Another prominent
figure linked to that site is the writer August Strinsberg who in
his famous novel The Red Room describes Stockholm seen
from that borough.
That place was also an inspiring point of course for the Nobel Prize Thomas Tranströmer who described his life in that neighbourhood in I remember looking at me,the only work of fiction Hyperborea of that great Swedish writer to discover the historic centre around the arteries of that urban area.
That place was also an inspiring point of course for the Nobel Prize Thomas Tranströmer who described his life in that neighbourhood in I remember looking at me,the only work of fiction Hyperborea of that great Swedish writer to discover the historic centre around the arteries of that urban area.
Famous is also the movie Men Who Hate Women, the first implementation of the famed Millennium trilogy novels released in the second episode entitled The Girl Who Played with Fire.Furthermore that place is also in which some scenes were shot in the film adapted by another Stieg Larsson's book titled The queen of the house of cards.
The success o those books and movies also have created a itinerary through the streets of Södermalm to discover the real places narrated and depicted by Larsson protagonists as main setting of his characters such as the house of Lisbeth, Mellqvist Kaffebar Blomkvist's home, the residence of Milton and the Security of the magazine Millennium.
Today there are many
fans of that artist coming to Stockholm to visit those sites linked to Millenium trilogy and of course exists a special Millennium Tour organised by the Museum, in a visit which endures approximately 1,50 hours.
The artistic movements which in the course of the history born there with its characters certainly has influenced that eclectic and creativite spirit of several generations including in the most recent times and you will note all that.
The artistic movements which in the course of the history born there with its characters certainly has influenced that eclectic and creativite spirit of several generations including in the most recent times and you will note all that.
In Södermalm what is also very
attractive is the wide variety of places a visitor can find with recreational sites for every taste,from traditional
pubs to stylish bars-galleries' art and cosy taverns.
Bara Vi is a kind of local furnished with plush red sofas attended by several people with a long list of trendy cocktails. Fåfängan is another place pretty loved by several locals or by who knows that area. It is an outdoor Cafe which offers one of the most enchanting views of Stockholm and it is a meeting point for lovers since 1700.
As very trendy area there are many others to enjoy a good drink,a cocktail or having a pleasant lunch or dinner. Some among the most suggested restaurants and clubs are Urban Nytorget Deli, Hjordis,Bauer and Pet Sounds Bar. The latter is one of the most popular in the city managed by the famous record store Pet Sounds Records.
The charm of that Stockholm corner is in all its essence a constant desire to be always innovative,the avant farde concepts to study always something different and alternative is still and always present. What is very attractive and captivating linked to all that is if you will return at distance you will find something of new,improved or different but what is unchanged is its atmoshere.
Bara Vi is a kind of local furnished with plush red sofas attended by several people with a long list of trendy cocktails. Fåfängan is another place pretty loved by several locals or by who knows that area. It is an outdoor Cafe which offers one of the most enchanting views of Stockholm and it is a meeting point for lovers since 1700.
As very trendy area there are many others to enjoy a good drink,a cocktail or having a pleasant lunch or dinner. Some among the most suggested restaurants and clubs are Urban Nytorget Deli, Hjordis,Bauer and Pet Sounds Bar. The latter is one of the most popular in the city managed by the famous record store Pet Sounds Records.
The charm of that Stockholm corner is in all its essence a constant desire to be always innovative,the avant farde concepts to study always something different and alternative is still and always present. What is very attractive and captivating linked to all that is if you will return at distance you will find something of new,improved or different but what is unchanged is its atmoshere.
Definitely
it is difficult
to find another place as that one in all Sweden and it is not easy to
compare it to
other Bohemian,artsy or stylish quarters in the world.Of course you can
find there something in common with one or another link with another but what you
will see in a visit is a very inviting and captivating site which conquers
all.
A great feature of that unique Swedish reality is always to offer the visitor something new and probably the surprise found there its perfect habitat showing every time its true face making Södermalm a constant attraction which will never lose its unmistakable appeal.
A great feature of that unique Swedish reality is always to offer the visitor something new and probably the surprise found there its perfect habitat showing every time its true face making Södermalm a constant attraction which will never lose its unmistakable appeal.
If you are planning to
visit that fantastic city do not miss to visit that district which offers an incomparable magnetic charm with the chance to enjoy a great experience unique and unforgettable in its kind.
Francesco Mari
