Stenbastugränd is a small alley in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Connecting Västerlånggatan to the square Brantingtorget, it forms a parallel street to Kolmätargränd and Storkyrkobrinken.
An alley or alleyway is a narrow lane, path, or passageway, often reserved for pedestrians, which usually runs between, behind, or within buildings in the older parts of towns and cities. It is also a rear access or service road, or a path, walk, or avenue in a park or garden.
Gamla stan, until 1980 officially Staden mellan broarna, is the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Gamla stan consists primarily of the island Stadsholmen. Officially, but not colloquially, Gamla stan includes the surrounding islets Riddarholmen, Helgeandsholmen, and Strömsborg.
Stockholm is the capital of Sweden and the most populous urban area in the Nordic countries; 960,031 people live in the municipality, approximately 1.5 million in the urban area, and 2.3 million in the metropolitan area. The city stretches across fourteen islands where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea. Just outside the city and along the coast is the island chain of the Stockholm archipelago. The area has been settled since the Stone Age, in the 6th millennium BC, and was founded as a city in 1252 by Swedish statesman Birger Jarl. It is also the capital of Stockholm County.
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The present name of the alley first appears in historical records in 1440 as stenbadzstufwo grændinne, thus referring to the city's stone sauna located in the alley. As early as 1515, however, the alley was called Wruaders gränd in references to Nils Månsson Urväder who bought a brewery there in 1485. The latter name was used until 1925, when the alley was given back its old name in order to avoid confusion with the street on Södermalm also called Urvädergränd. The alley used to stretch through the present block all the way to Myntgatan on the opposite side. As a consequence of the enlargement of Kanslihuset ("The Chancellery House") during World War II, which resulted in Kanslihusannexet ("The Chancellery Annex") and its circular courtyard (Brantingtorget), the alley was transformed into the short tunnel it is today. [1] [2]
A sauna, or sudatory, is a small room or building designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these facilities. The steam and high heat make the bathers perspire. Infrared therapy is often referred to as a type of sauna, but according to the Finnish sauna organizations, infrared is not a sauna.
Södermalm, often shortened to “Söder”, is a district and island in central Stockholm.
Myntgatan is a street in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching west from Mynttorget over to Riddarhustorget, it is crossed by the streets Salviigränd, Rådhusgränd, Riddarhusgränd, and Storkyrkobrinken.
