Göran Hälsinges Gränd

Göran Hälsinges Gränd (Swedish: "Alley of Göran Hälsinge") is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Connecting Västerlånggatan to Stora Nygatan, it forms a parallel street to Helga Lekamens Gränd and Ignatiigränd.

The alley is named after a man without renown, Göran Hälsinge, son to Nils Hälsinge and Appolonia Larsdotter. When King Eric XIV's (1533-1577) was still two years old, his mother, the first consort of King Gustav Vasa Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg (1513-1535), died unexpectedly, and as Appolonia assisted the royal family as wet nurse she was rewarded a house in the alley, later named after her son. The alley is mentioned as "Niels Helsingz grend" in 1584, and as "Jörenn Helssingz grendh" in 1588, but was probably commonly referred to as simply "Helsingz grenden" (1553).

In his 31st epistle, the troubadour Carl Michael Bellman (1740-1795) gives a hint the alley was associated with prostitution:

References

# 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
# cite web
author = Martin Stugart
title = Finns Göran Helsinges gränd kvar?
publisher = Dagens Nyheter
date = 2006-05-12
url = http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1467&a=541933
accessdate = 2007-02-17
# cite web
author = Martin Stugart
title = Vilken gränd fick Göran uppkallad efter sig?
publisher = Dagens Nyheter
date = 2005-12-24
url = http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1467&a=502722
accessdate = 2007-02-17

See also

* List of streets and squares in Gamla stan

External links

* [http://www.hitta.se/SearchCombi.aspx?__VIEWSTATE=%2FwEPDwUKMTg4NDI3NTMzNWRk&UCSB%3AWflWhite=1a1b&UCSB%3AWflPink=4a&SearchType=4&UCSB%3ABBX1=&UCSB%3ABBY1=&UCSB%3ABBX2=&UCSB%3ABBY2=&UCSB%3ATextBoxWho=&UCSB%3ATextBoxWhere=G%F6ran+H%E4lsinges+Gr%E4nd&UCSB%3AButtonSearch=%A0%A0hitta%21%A0%A0&CombiDetails%3AMapControl%3Acx=1629208&CombiDetails%3AMapControl%3Acy=6580374&CombiDetails%3AMapControl%3ApointsHidden=&CombiDetails%3AMapControl%3Az=3 hitta.se - Location map and virtual walk]