Myntgatan

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Myntgatan in February 2007.

Myntgatan (Swedish: "Coin Street") 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. Most of the buildings surrounding the street are occupied by either the Parliament or the Supreme Court.

While the square Mynttorget was named for its proximity to the Royal Mint and is present on a map dated 1733, the name of the street Myntgatan is most likely much younger. On a map from the 1630s it is called Skattmestere Gattun ("Treasurer's Street"), probably in reference to Gabriel Bengtsson Oxenstierna (1586-1656) who owned a lot by the street. It have also been referred to as Salviigränd.^[1]

The street was extended east to Mynttorget as the latter was created in 1672 and the old defensive tower, Norre port, was demolished. It was then called Riddargatan ("Knight's Street") or Riddarhusgatan ("Knight's House Street") until the late 19th century in references to Riddarhuset, but apparently different names was used for the eastern and western ends of the street.^[1]

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b (1992) "Innerstaden: Gamla stan", Stockholms gatunamn, 2nd ed. (in Swedish), Stockholm: Kommittén för Stockholmsforskning, 61-62. ISBN 91-7031-042-4.