Helgeandsholmen

Story

Helgeandsholmen is a small island in central Stockholm, Sweden. It is located north of Stadsholmen, and east of Strömsborg, with which, together with Riddarholmen, it forms Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm. Helgeandsholmen contains the Riksdag Building and the Museum of Medieval Stockholm, and is connected to neighbouring islands through three bridges: Riksbron, Stallbron, and Norrbro.The terrace in the eastern end, called Strömparterren ("The Stream Parterr"), is a public park with a restaurant dating from 1832, while the flight of stairs leading down to the water is from 1807-1810. The quay west of the Riksdag Building once surrounded the Bank of Sweden and was thus named Bankkajen ("The Bank Quay"), while the streets on southern and northern side are called Norra/Södra Helgeandstrappan ("The Northern/Southern Helgeand Stairs"), all of them named in 1925.Origin of the nameFirst mentioned in a letter written in Latin July 28, 1320 the name 'Helgeandsholmen', a corruption of Helige andens holme, appears as in insula dicta helghaanzsholm . At the time, helgeandshus was a name used for charitable institutions spiritual in nature, in Stockholm first mentioned in a testament from April 24, 1301 .