Drakens Gränd
Encyclopedia
Alley
An alley or alleyway is a narrow lane found in urban areas, often for pedestrians only, which usually runs between or behind buildings. In older cities and towns in Europe, alleys are often what is left of a medieval street network, or a right of way or ancient footpath in an urban setting...
in Gamla stan
Gamla stan
Gamla stan , until 1980 officially Staden mellan broarna , is the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Gamla stan consists primarily of the island Stadsholmen. The surrounding islets Riddarholmen, Helgeandsholmen, and Strömsborg are officially part of, but not colloquially included in, Gamla stan...
, the old town of Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Stretching from Skeppsbron
Skeppsbron
Skeppsbron is both a street and a quay in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, capital of Sweden, stretching from the bridge Strömbron in front of the Royal Palace southward to Slussen....
to Österlånggatan
Österlånggatan
Österlånggatan is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching southward from Slottsbacken to Järntorget, it forms a parallel street to Baggensgatan and Skeppsbron...
, it forms a parallel street to Stora Hoparegränd
Stora Hoparegränd
Stora Hoparegränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Connecting Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan, it forms a parallel street to Skottgränd and Drakens gränd....
and Ferkens Gränd
Ferkens Gränd
Ferkens Gränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, connecting Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan. It forms a parallel street to Drakens gränd, Lilla Hoparegränd, Pelikansgränd, and Gaffelgränd....
.
It appears in historical records as Bredgränd
Bredgränd
Bredgränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching from Skeppsbron to Österlånggatan, it forms a parallel street to Skeppar Karls Gränd and Kråkgränd.- Origin of the name :...
(?), brede gränden (?), Makelerens gränd (17th century, after a Jacob Mac Leer), Bergsgränd (1686), Drakens gr[änd] (1728), Skultans gränd (?)
The alley is named after the tavern Draken ("The Dragon") once found in the western end of the street. During the 1660s it was owned by a Melchior Schipman; in 1682 bought by Jöran Berg and renamed Förgyllda Draken ("Gilded Dragon"); and finally discontinued after the latter's death in 1722.
The proletarian author Erik Asklund (1908–1980) wrote the novel Drakens gränd in 1965 as part of a trilogy.
Drakens gränd is also the name of a company owned by King Carl XVI Gustav (1946-). The company appeared in Swedish media in early 2006, as a property in the alley owned by the king featured in transactions for which the king was accused of tax avoidance
Tax avoidance
Tax avoidance is the legal utilization of the tax regime to one's own advantage, to reduce the amount of tax that is payable by means that are within the law. The term tax mitigation is a synonym for tax avoidance. Its original use was by tax advisors as an alternative to the pejorative term tax...
.