Munkbron

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Façade at Munkbron in February 2007.

Northern part of Munkbron as viewed from Riddarholmen in February 2007. The motorway Centralbron in the foreground.

Munkbron (Swedish: "Monk's Bridge") is a public square on the western waterfront of Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Connected to the square are Stora Gråmunkegränd, Gåsgränd, Lilla Nygatan, Yxsmedsgränd, and Munkbrogatan; while the traffic route Munkbroleden separates it from the canal Riddarholmskanalen. The square is divided into a northern and a southern part by the block Aurora in which the so called Petersen House is found.

In the 15th century, the name 'Munkbron' referred to the bridge passing over to Riddarholmen were the Greyfriars abbey was located. As the latter islet, until the 1630s called Gråmunkeholmen ("Greyfriar's islet"), received its present name, 'Munkbron' was being used for the quay passing along the western waterfront of the city (See also Riddarholmsbron). The present square, together with the quay passing along the shore and various present or historical spaces nearby, were known under several different names, including Muncke brons Hampnen ("Monk's Bridge Harbour", 1646), Våghusplatsen ("Scales Space", ?), Munkbrotorget ("Monk's Bridge Square", 1654), Munkbrohamnsplatsen ("Monk's Bridge Harbour Space"). In 1921, when the squares Munkbron and Mälartorget were called Övre/Nedre Munkbrotorget ("Upper/Lower Monk's Bridge Square"), it was suggested the two should be renamed Munkbrotorget and Flugmötet ("Fly's Meeting", in reference to the latrine heap located on the southern square) respectively, a proposal however rejected in favour of the present name colloquially used. ^[1]

[edit] References

^ (1992) "Innerstaden: Gamla stan", Stockholms gatunamn, 2nd ed. (in Swedish), Stockholm: Kommittén för Stockholmsforskning, 60-61. ISBN 91-7031-042-4.