Strömsborg 2.38

Strömsborg is a small islet in central Stockholm, Sweden, located north of Stadsholmen, and west of Helgeandsholmen, between the bridges Centralbron, a motorway passing through central Stockholm, and Vasabron. Strömsborg is part of Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm and is connected to the rest of the world by the bridge Strömsborgsbron leading over to Vasabron.HistoryKnown for centuries as a set of insignificant cliffs surrounded by a number of treacherous sunken rocks, Strömsborg is represented on Petrus Tillæus' 1733 map as uninhabited and named Stenskär ("Stone Skerry"). This name has survived as the original name of the present island. However, it is far from certain that this ever was a proper name in common use. For example, in 1747 Tillæus mentions it as det stenskär eller klippa som är beläget uti Norra Ström och Melaren ("the stone skerry or cliff that is located in Northern Stream and Mälaren") and says it occupied an area of 2.944 square ells (kv.alnar) in size. In a letter in 1647 Queen Christina donates the island to her half-brother referring to it as den lille holmen eller skäret ("the small islet or skerry"). Most likely the cliffs didn't have an official name at the time and as they certainly didn't appear in city planning records, the queen's donation of these insignificant cliffs to her half-brother arguably was a carefully studied insult. They did, nevertheless, remain unexplored during her era, and it is possible the skerry shared the fate of many other structures at this time, and had a popular name "not suitable for print". Of the approximately 35 maps of Stockholm produced during the 17th century only one includes Strömsborg but provides very little information.