Gåsgränd

Gåsgränd (Swedish: "Goose Alley") is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Connecting the streets Västerlånggatan, Stora Nygatan, and Lilla Nygatan, it forms a parallel street to Ignatiigränd and Överskärargränd, and leads down to the square Munkbron on the western waterfront of the old town. On the upper stretch of the alley is a small square, Gåstorget.

In the 15th and 16th century, the alley was named "Grågåsens gränd" ("Alley of the Grey-Goose") after a woman, Ragnhild Grågås, who lived in the alley around 1500. It is mentioned in 1492 as "Gragasenne grendh" and referred to a few years later as "nest nordan hwstrv Ragnil Gragossenne gardh" ("next north of wife Ragnil Gragossenne's homestead"). In 1513, a "Gragasene grend" is mentioned as is an old house "Ragnil Gragas geffuit hade j testament" ("...given had in [the] testament"). During the 17th century however the most commonly used name for the alley was "Anders Siggessons gränd" ("Alley of Anders Siggesson", 1594), and a hundred years later "Saltmätargränd" ("Salt Gauger's Alley", 1669), most likely after a Bertil Mattsson who bought a property in the alley in 1652. On a map dated 1733, the western part is marked as Saltmätargränd, while the eastern is called Gåsgränd, the former made a section of the latter in 1885.cite book
title = Stockholms gatunamn
edition = 2nd ed. | year = 1992
publisher = Kommittén för Stockholmsforskning
location = Stockholm | id = ISBN 91-7031-042-4
pages = 54 | chapter = Gamla stan]

References

See also

* List of streets and squares in Gamla stan

External links

* [http://www.hitta.se/ViewDetailsPlace.aspx?SearchType=4&UCSB%3aWflWhite=1a1b&UCSB%3aWflPink=4a&UCSB%3aTextBoxWho=&UCSB%3aTextBoxWhere=G%e5sgr%e4nd&StreetNumberId=100410550 hitta.se - Location map]