Birger Jarls torn 1.92

Birger Jarls torn is a defensive tower on the northwest corner of Riddarholmen, an islet in Gamla Stan, the old town of Stockholm.The building has been named for Birger Jarl who traditionally is attributed as the founder of Stockholm, but it was built several hundred years later and the name is mostly the product of a 17th century myth. Stockholm literally translates to "Log-Islet", and according to that myth the city was founded where a log drifting ashore from Lake Mälar.HistoryOften mentioned as the oldest building in town, the tower in fact was built by King Gustav I of Sweden in his efforts to reinforce and modernize the fortifications of the capital. It replaced timbered redoubts destroyed by fire in 1525 and along with the southern tower of the Wrangel Palace, is the only remaining structure from a 16th century defensive system. Originally, a wall connected the two towers.For its construction, bricks were taken from St. Clare's Priory (Sankta Klara kloster near today's Sergels torg) when it was destroyed in 1527, and from churches on the ridges surrounding the city. The building was originally two stories high with a crenellated top. Toward the waterfront, the base of the cavity wall was made very thick, almost 2,5 metres at the base and about 0,75 centimetres at the top, while the other side was considerably thinner with much larger openings. In 1589-1590, the original crenellation was rebuilt into a third floor topped by a cone shaped roof, and the present white grouting was added to the façade.