Page 92 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Stockholm

90  ST OCKHOLM AREA B Y AREA

Swedish children’s authors.
When she heard about Staffan
Götestam’s project for a
children’s cultural centre she
was adamant it should not be
just an Astrid Lindgren museum.
Nevertheless Junibacken is
still something of a tribute to
the much-loved author. It was
officially opened by the Royal
A colourful scene from one of Astrid Lindgren’s stories, seen from the mini-train Family in the summer of 1996
and has become one of the
1 Djurgårdsbron and Freja, the goddess of love city’s most popular tourist
and fertility. attractions. A mini-train takes
Map 3 F4. @ 44, 69, 76. v 7.
4 Djurgårdsfärja. The gate of Blå Porten, just to visitors from a mock-up of
the left on the Djurgården side, the station at Vimmerby (the
The Djurgården bridge came recalls the time during the 17th author’s home town) to meet
into use a few days before century when the island was a some of her characters, finishing
the major Art and Industrial royal hunting ground, and the with a visit to Pippi’s home in
Exhibition opened in Stockholm surrounding fence was Villekulla Cottage, where
in May 1897. Made at the punctuated by blue-painted children can play in the different
Bergsund plant in Södermalm, wooden gate ways. This gate, rooms. There is also a well-
the bridge is richly ornamented decorated with Oscar I’s stocked children’s bookshop
with cast-iron railings in the monogram, was made from and a restaurant.
form of stylized water plants. cast iron in 1849.
At that time Sweden was in
union with Norway, and King 3 Nordiska museet
Oscar II’s monogram and motto 2 Junibacken See pp92–3.
“The sister nations’ wellbeing” Galärvarvsvägen. Map 5 F1.
can be seen on the central Tel 08-587 230 00. @ 44, 69. v 7.
span. The capital’s patron saint, 4 Djurgårdsfärja. Open Jan–Apr: 4 Estonia­
Erik, is depicted on the pillar 10am–5pm Tue–Sun; May–Aug: minnesvården
supports among sea gods and 10am–5pm daily; Sep–Dec:
water lilies. 10am–5pm Tue–Sun. & 7 0 Galärkyrkogården. Map 5 F2. @ 44.
Wrought-iron lamps and - = ∑ junibacken.se 4 Djurgårdsfärja.
sculptures portraying mytho-
logical gods, created by Rolf You can find them all here – On the night of 27–28
Adlersparre, adorn the four Pippi Longstocking, Mardie, September 1994 the ferry
granite pillars at either end. Karlsson on the Roof, Emil, MS Estonia sank in the Baltic
On the Strandvägen side, Nils Karlsson Pyssling, Ronja on its journey from Tallinn to
the pillars show Heimdal, the the robber’s daughter, the Stockholm with the loss of 852
watchman, and Frigga, the Lionheart Brothers and many lives. The deceased came from
wife of Oden. On the opposite more characters from Astrid many countries including
side are Thor, with his hammer, Lindgren’s children’s books. In Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Russia,
accordance with the popular Finland, Norway, Denmark,
novelist’s wishes, visitors can Germany, Lithuania, Morocco,
also meet the creations of other the Netherlands, France, the

Astrid Lindgren and Pippi Longstocking
Astrid Lindgren wrote around 100 children’s books, which have been
translated into 74 languages, making her one of the world’s most-
read children’s authors. Publishers
turned down her first book about Pippi
Longstocking, but she went on to win a
children’s book competition with it two
years later, in 1945. Her headstrong and
tough character Pippi soon won the
hearts of children worldwide.
Following Lindgren’s death in 2002,
the Swedish government created the
world’s largest prize for children’s
One of the beautifully decorated pillars literature in her name. Astrid Lindgren
supporting Djurgårdsbron

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