Medborgarplatsen
Medborgarplatsen (literally Citizen Square) is one of the largest squares in Stockholm. It is located on Södermalm and is often colloquially referred to as "Medis". The square was once called Södra Bantorget (Southern Railway Square), but was changed to Medborgarplatsen in 1940.
The square is a common place for demonstrations. On May Day, the Left Party usually start their parade from there, and are accompanied by other smaller leftist and communist parties as they walk to Kungsträdgården. In 2001, Hammarby celebrated its first victory in the Allsvenskan in front of about 35,000 supporters in the square. Medborgarplatsen is also where Anna Lindh, the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, held her last public speech before she was murdered on September 10, 2003. Today, there is a memorial monument to Anna Lindh at the square.
Near the square is a metro station of the same name. The station was opened as an underground tram station in 1933, and was converted for the new metro system in 1950 as one of the first stations on the network. The original exits did not open onto the square, but to the nearby street Folkungagatan. In 1995, another exit was built in Björns Trädgård park, which is across Götgatan from Medborgarplatsen.
Medborgarplatsen has a small ice-skating rink which is turned into a terrace with benches in the summer. On one corner of the square there is a substantial public library, and diagonally across on another corner the 17th cemtury Lillienhoff Palace.