Sven Vintappares Gränd (Swedish : Sven Wine-Tapper's Alley) is a small alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching from Västerlånggatan to Stora Nygatan, it forms a parallel street to Överskärargränd and Didrik Ficks Gränd, while passing on the north side of the small square Sven Vintappares Torg.
Swedish is a North Germanic language spoken natively by 9.6 million people, predominantly in Sweden, and in parts of Finland, where it has equal legal standing with Finnish. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and to some extent with Danish, although the degree of mutual intelligibility is largely dependent on the dialect and accent of the speaker. Both Norwegian and Danish are generally easier for Swedish speakers to read than to listen to because of difference in accent and tone when speaking. Swedish is a descendant of Old Norse, the common language of the Germanic peoples living in Scandinavia during the Viking Era. It has the most speakers of the North Germanic languages.
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.
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First mentioned as Swen wintapperes grendh in 1588, the alley is most likely named after Sven Staffansson, a man said to be Kung:e M:ttz tro tienere och wintappere (e.g. "His Majesty's true servant and wine-tapper") and mentioned as having bought a property in the alley. [1] His widow is known to have been given a house on Helgeandsholmen in 1620. [2]
Helgeandsholmen is a small island in central Stockholm, Sweden. It is located north of Stadsholmen, and east of Strömsborg, with which, together with Riddarholmen, it forms Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm. Helgeandsholmen contains the Riksdag Building and the Museum of Medieval Stockholm, and is connected to neighbouring islands through three bridges: Riksbron, Stallbron, and Norrbro.
The writer and poet Anna Maria Lenngren (1754–1817) mentions the alley in a poem describing Mårten Holk, an anonymous man living in the alley who drank only water, however upon joining the army he is taught to drink everything but water while obtaining 'a smart coat and a grand desk': [3] [4]
Anna Maria Lenngren, née Malmstedt, was one of the most famous poets in Swedish history. Her father and brother were also poets.
| Mårten Holk, af ingen känd | Mårten Holk, known by none |
| Knappt af hund och katten. | Barely by dog or cat |
| Bodde i Vintappargränd | Lived in Wine-tapper Alley |
| Och drack bara vatten. | And drank only water |
| [...] | [...] |
| Skrattar du min vän? Åh, tig, | Are you laughing my friend? Ah, be silent, |
| Drick och rök din pipa | Drink and smoke your pipe |
| Och lär dig en gång af krig | And learn for once to understand |
| Nyttan begripa! | The benefit of war! |
The author and actress Vera Siöcrona (1914–2003), settled in the alley in the mid 1940s, after her old address at Kolmätargränd had been demolished. She bravely battled the plans to demolish substantial parts of the old town and published the book Mitt Gamla stan ("My Old Town") in 1966. The troubadour Evert Taube (1890–1976), who flirted with her, mentions their encounter in his song Vera i Vintappargränd. [5]
Kolmätargränd is a small alley in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Passing under a low vault it connects the street Västerlånggatan to the square and courtyard Brantingtorget forming a parallel street to Klockgjutargränd and Stenbastugränd.
Axel Evert Taube was a Swedish author, artist, composer and singer. He is widely regarded as one of Sweden's most respected musicians and the foremost troubadour of the Swedish ballad tradition in the 20th century.
