Riddarhuskajen
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Riddarhuskajen (Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
: "Quay of the House of Knights") is a quay 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 in central 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....
. Located north of both the square Riddarhustorget
Riddarhustorget
Riddarhustorget is, arguably, a public square in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden, named after its location in front of House of Knights ....
and the House of Knights
Swedish House of Knights
The Swedish House of Nobility maintains records and acts as an interest group on behalf of the Swedish nobility.-Name:The name means either the corporation of the Swedish nobility or the palace of the nobility....
, it stretches east from the north-western corner of the island Stadsholmen
Stadsholmen
Stadsholmen is the historical name of an island in the centre of Stockholm, Sweden. Together with the small islands Riddarholmen and Helgeandsholmen it forms the Old town of Stockholm....
to the bridge Vasabron
Vasabron
Vasabron is a bridge over Norrström in central Stockholm, Sweden connecting Norrmalm to Gamla stan, the old city....
and the alley Riddarhusgränd
Riddarhusgränd
Riddarhusgränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching north from the square Riddarhustorget to the bridge Vasabron, it passes between the Swedish House of Knights and the Bonde Palace forming a parallel street to Rådhusgränd...
. Just west of the quay passes the motorway Centralbron
Centralbron
Centralbron is one of the major traffic routes in central Stockholm, Sweden, connecting the northern district Norrmalm to the southern Södermalm....
, while the quay Kanslikajen
Kanslikajen
Kanslikajen is a quay in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, leading west along the southern shore of the canal Stallkanalen from Stallbron and Mynttorget to Vasabron....
forms an eastward extension leading past Kanslihuset to Stallbron
Stallbron
Stallbron is an arch bridge located in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching some 20 meters over Stallkanalen it connects Riksgatan passing through the Parliament Building on Helgeandsholmen to the square Mynttorget on Stadsholmen from where Västerlånggatan extends it...
and Mynttorget
Mynttorget
Mynttorget is a public square in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden.- Setting :From the square the bridge Stallbron leads over to the Parliament island Helgeandsholmen; to the west the street Myntgatan leads to Riddarhustorget, while the quay Kanslikajen stretches along the...
.
The two wings of the House of Knights were completed in 1870 to the design of A W Edelsvärd (1824–1919), otherwise mostly remembered for his standard design of Swedish railway stations.
The gardens of the building as completed are but a pale reminiscence of the original intentions which reflects the decline of power of the Swedish nobility, and still, the present state of things hardly give any indications of the character of the place in the early 19th century — a row of hovels in stone and wood lined up along the present quay hid the heap of rubbish where the statue of Axel Oxenstierna
Axel Oxenstierna
Axel Gustafsson Oxenstierna af Södermöre , Count of Södermöre, was a Swedish statesman. He became a member of the Swedish Privy Council in 1609 and served as Lord High Chancellor of Sweden from 1612 until his death. He was a confidant of first Gustavus Adolphus and then Queen Christina.Oxenstierna...
is found today, while a harbour surrounded by a wooden paling extended the premises into the water.
The current name of the quay was proposed in 1921 and made official in 1925.