Torgdragargränd
Encyclopedia
Torgdragargränd is an alley
in Gamla stan
, the old town in Stockholm
, Sweden
. Stretching from the street Västerlånggatan
to the square Kornhamnstorg
, it forms a parallel street to Tyska Brinken
and Funckens Gränd
The alley was opened in 1981 with the present name commemorating the people working at the market next to the alley. The daily paper Dagens Nyheter
arranged a naming contest in 1981, and the winning proposal, produced by Gunnar Rönn, a man working in the alley, referred to the people working at the market on Kornhamnstorg who used to literally 'draught' their goods and market stalls from the alley to the square every morning (called Torgdragare, literally: "Square draughters"). He also told the paper how these people used to locate dusky corners of the alley whenever they needed something stronger to drink than water, occasionally ending up sharing a diner, including herring
, loaf
, and schnaps, on a shutter placed upon the dustbins standing in the alley.
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 in 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 the street Västerlånggatan
Västerlånggatan
Västerlånggatan is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching southward between the squares Mynttorget and Järntorget, it follows the course of the city's now demolished 13th century defensive wall....
to the square Kornhamnstorg
Kornhamnstorg
Kornhamnstorg is a public square in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden.Old names : Kornhaffn , Jernboen , Åkaretorget , Kornhampns torget...
, it forms a parallel street to Tyska Brinken
Tyska Brinken
Tyska Brinken is a street in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Extending Kindstugatan passed the German Church down to the square Mälartorget, it is crossed by Skomakargatan, Prästgatan, Västerlånggatan, Stora Nygatan, Lilla Nygatan, and Munkbrogatan, while forming a parallel...
and Funckens Gränd
Funckens Gränd
Funckens Gränd is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Leading south from the street Västerlånggatan to the square Kornhamnstorg, it forms a parallel street to Torgdragargränd and Triewaldsgränd....
The alley was opened in 1981 with the present name commemorating the people working at the market next to the alley. The daily paper Dagens Nyheter
Dagens Nyheter
is a daily newspaper in Sweden. It has the largest circulation of Swedish morning newspapers, followed by Göteborgs-Posten and Svenska Dagbladet, and is the only morning newspaper that is distributed to subscribers across the whole country. In 2009 DN had a circulation of 316,000, reaching 881...
arranged a naming contest in 1981, and the winning proposal, produced by Gunnar Rönn, a man working in the alley, referred to the people working at the market on Kornhamnstorg who used to literally 'draught' their goods and market stalls from the alley to the square every morning (called Torgdragare, literally: "Square draughters"). He also told the paper how these people used to locate dusky corners of the alley whenever they needed something stronger to drink than water, occasionally ending up sharing a diner, including herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
, loaf
Loaf
A loaf is a shape, usually rounded or oblong, mass of food. It may refer to a bread, or meatloaf.The term "loaf" sometimes refers to "head" from the rhyming slang "loaf of bread" ....
, and schnaps, on a shutter placed upon the dustbins standing in the alley.