Stortorget - the Great Square

This is Stortorget – the Great Square. It’s the oldest square in the Old Town and there are lots to say about it. A lovely mix of culture, blood and violence. Let’s start with the juiciest bits: the bloodbath of Stockholm. Back in the 16th century Sweden had just gotten a new king, Kristian II from Denmark. The first thing he did was throw a party for the richest, most powerful people in Sweden. It was a huge party and it lasted for three days. Then something happened. Kristian locked the doors to the palace. And brought out a list of crimes he thought that his guests had committed against him. He had become king by winning a war between the Swedes and the Danes and a lot of the guest at his party had fought against him. Well, he found most of them guilty – almost 100 people! He sentenced them to death – right away. Everyone who lived in the Old Town was ordered to go to this very place, where you’re standing. Even the children had to come. Here they stood, huddled together, waiting. Trumpets thundered and black banners flew in the wind.
The executions began at dusk. The condemned were murdered in order of rank and dignity. The aristocrats were decapitated, others were killed by axe or hanged. So many people were killed it took three days. The bodies were left here in the square and a horrible stench spread through the streets of the Old Town. The church bells rang non stop. A rain began to fall and the blood from all the people who had been murdered ran down the alleys. Finally, the corpses were carried off in barrels to a different part of Stockholm, thrown on a huge pile and burnt. Then king Kristian II went back to Denmark - the most powerful man in the North. But here in Sweden he was given a nickname: Kristian the Tyrant.

Photo Stortorget-Stockholm by Yair Haklai is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0