jail - The Creative Adventurer https://thecreativeadventurer.com A Travel Guide for Exploring the World Fri, 10 Feb 2023 16:24:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://i0.wp.com/thecreativeadventurer.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/cropped-NewCreativeAdventurerLogo_250x250_v1.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 jail - The Creative Adventurer https://thecreativeadventurer.com 32 32 171399271 An Exciting Alternative Day Tour of Hobart: Mountains, Convicts and More https://thecreativeadventurer.com/an-exciting-alternative-day-tour-of-hobart-mountains-convicts-and-fantastic-hidden-gems/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=an-exciting-alternative-day-tour-of-hobart-mountains-convicts-and-fantastic-hidden-gems https://thecreativeadventurer.com/an-exciting-alternative-day-tour-of-hobart-mountains-convicts-and-fantastic-hidden-gems/#respond Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:09:46 +0000 https://thecreativeadventurer.com/?p=23590 A great start to your second day in Hobart is to wake up early and do...

The post An Exciting Alternative Day Tour of Hobart: Mountains, Convicts and More first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

]]> A great start to your second day in Hobart is to wake up early and do the climb up kunanyi/Mount Wellington. And when I say climb, I really mean drive! But either way, you’re assured of getting a spectacular view across the city of Hobart! This is a wonderful tour to take after you’ve finished the introduction to Hobart’s Harbourfront and Battery tour. Once you’ve finished looking out at the incredible vistas, head down the mountain to explore South Hobart‘s historic Cascade Brewery and convict past at the Cascade Female Factory. Continuing on the convict trail, let’s walk over to Campbell street to see the old city Gaol. Finish the day off with a visit to the Royal Botanical Gardens and dine on some of the best seafood in a little hidden gem of a neighbourhood east of the center city.

Table Of Contents
  1. Map of Alternative Walking Tour of Hobart
  2. History
  3. Access
  4. Lost Freight Cafe
  5. Springs Lookout
  6. Landscape and Wildlife
  7. Rocky Whelans Cave
  8. Wellington Pinnacle
  9. Pinnacle Observation Shelter and Boardwalk
  10. Chalet Walk & Organ Pipes
  11. Cascade Brewery
  12. Cascade Brewery Tours
  13. Cascades Female Factory Historic Site
  14. Children at the Female Factory
  15. Hobart Convict Penitentiary
  16. University Rose Gardens
  17. Cenotaph
  18. Government House
  19. Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens
  20. Tasman Bridge
  21. Bellerive
  22. Hooked on Bellerive

Map of Alternative Walking Tour of Hobart

History

For over 35,000 years, the semi-nomadic Mouheneener tribe, a sub-group of the Nuenonne people, lived in Hobart. These indigenous people made good use of the astonishing natural resources the River Derwent provided. And the protected access to the Tasman sea also meant their fishing boats were kept safe but could be sent out to bring in fresh food. This indigenous group were the descendants of the Tasmanians we now refer to as the ‘Palawa‘ people.

Hobart was founded as a British colony in 1804, making it the second oldest capital city in Australia after Sydney. Hobart was settled as a penal colony, bringing the most hardened criminals from the shores of England and Ireland to the newly built prisons. Back then, Tasmania was dubbed the ominous ‘Van Diemen’s Land.’ The colony settled here was first named “Hobart Town.” It was named after Robert Hobart, 4th Earl of Buckinghamshire. Lord Hobart was the Secretary of the Colonies when Hobart was settled.

Hobart grew over the years as the freed convicts made their permanent home here. Despite their criminal past, people found these free men were hard and honest workers looking to simply restart their life here in Australia. When the penal colonies closed in 1850, whaling and shipbuilding became the prominent industry in Hobart. Due to Hobart’s proximity to the Southern Ocean, the fisherman quickly found and captured whales for the commercial market. Today, after the decline in whaling, Hobart finds itself serving as the port for Australian and French Antarctic operations and, of course, as a tourist destination for many Australians and international visitors alike.

Access

Our first and most important stop of the day is up kunanyi/Mount Wellington. Access to kunanyi/Mount Wellington is free, no park pass is required. The summit and observation shelter are open from 7 am to 10 pm (although it closes earlier in the winter months). You can take your own car up the winding Pinnacle Road.

Driving Advice & Instructions

The drive from downtown Hobart takes about 30 minutes. But take your time as the road bends and weaves around the mountain can be a bit treacherous to newbies. The Tasmanian government has an entire site dedicated to helping international drivers learn the road rules. But in terms of driving up the mountain, the key points are:

  • only pull over to take photos where it is safe to do so
  • always drive on the left side of the road
  • slow down on winding or icy roads
  • lookout for animals
  • wear a seatbelt at all times
  • never use a mobile phone while driving.

For specific driving directions, check here.

The road to the summit was constructed in the early 1930s. The name “Pinnacle Drive” is a more modern naming convention as it was first called ‘Ogilvie’s Scar.’ Albert Ogilvie was the premier of Tasmania during the 1930s. The newly created road up the mountain seemed to carve a scar into the hillside, as the forests were so heavily logged, leaving the woods almost bare.

Explorer Bus

If you didn’t bring your own vehicle, you could take the kunanyi/Mt Wellington Explorer Bus. This tour departs from Hobart and takes you to the summit. Once you arrive, you get to enjoy the panoramic views and observations shelter without doing the drive yourself! There are also a few different hop-on-hop-off options along the route. These are great if you wanted to explore any other walking trails around kunanyi/Mt Wellington. Throughout your journey on the bus, there is a commentary track from your drive. They will tell you all about the history and wildlife of the region. Your bus passes valid all day, but checks to see when the different pick-up/drop-off times and locations are.

Adult (17+ years): $35 | Child (6–16years): $25

What to Wear?

kunanyi/Mount Wellington rises 1,271 metres (4,170 ft) above sea level. The temperature up here is frequently so cold that the summit is covered in a thin blanket of snow, even in the summer! So be sure to bring a bunch of extra layers to ensure you’re not too cold up here. I thought I had dressed warmly enough but was shocked by the strong winds up here. The wind chill drops the temperature even further! So bring more than you think you’ll need. A puffer jacket is an excellent option since it is so light to carry around in your bag after the tour. A scarf, hat and gloves are also a necessity!

Don’t be like Sofia! Bring a warm coat and hat to protect you from the wind 😉

Lost Freight Cafe

If you are driving yourself, you MUST make a stop at the Lost Freight cafe. Even if you are taking the Explorer Bus you can get off at the ‘Springs’ stop. The cafe is located on the road to kunanyi/Mount Wellington. It provides a scenic place to grab a quick coffee and pastry before heading off into the brisk weather of the summit! This is the best way to keep warm while exploring the mountain. Plus, it’s just the cutest place to make a stop with some of the friendly staff!

Springs Lookout

While your stopping for that coffee, you might as well take a short walk over to the Springs Lookout. Thru the trees along the winding road, it’s hard to see the beautiful views. But from this little lookout point, you get a fantastic view across the hillside.

Landscape and Wildlife

As you climb the mountain, look out your window at the incredible landscape. The initial climb is full of lush Eucalypti forests. On either side, you’ll see tiny bursts of water flowing out from the rocks. These ravines, creeks and hidden waterfalls flood the mountain range. The freshwater creates colossal tree ferns that flourish in the moist ground.

The animals that live in these mountains are so diverse! I hadn’t even heard of some of the creatures that live up here. Everything from potoroos, pademelons, quolls, bettongs, and bandicoots! There are also the common possum, bats, echidnas, the elusive platypus, small frogs, reptiles, and of course the alpine lizards. There are also 67 different bird species living in these forests including peregrine falcons, wedge-tailed eagles, swift parrots and grey goshawks.

Rocky Whelans Cave

One of the most interesting stories of the mountain is of a dangerous bushranger named John ‘Rocky’ Whelan. Whelan is actually my maiden, and my brother is named John Whelan, so it was a shock to read about this Whelan’s gruesome story! John Whelan was an Englishman who had been convicted of a crime and sentenced to seven years in Tasmania’s penal system. But upon arriving, he escaped custody and went on to become a prolific highway robber. Eventually, he was caught once more and, this time, sentenced to eighteen years on Norfolk Island in New Zealand. After that prison closed and he was being moved to Port Arthur, he escaped once more! He made his way into the rugged bushland of kunanyi/Mt Wellington, where he hid in a cave, now named ‘Rocky Whelan’s Cave.’ But it wasn’t just hiding that Rocky was doing in this cave…

One day when visiting a shoemaker in Hobart, the shoemaker noticed a name on the bottom of the shoes. The words “Dunn” were embossed on the bottom of the shoes, the name of a man who had recently gone missing, suspected dead. The shoemaker managed to get a hold of the authorities who arrested Rocky when he came to collect the shoes. When Rocky was arrested, they found he was wearing all the clothes of the murdered Mr. Dunn. He confessed to the killing, and the police found the decomposing body of Dunn inside the cave. Rocky went on to confess to the murders of five people. The cave is located just a short walk from the Springs Lookout.

Wellington Pinnacle

When you finally reach the summit, the landscape changes from lush green ferns into flat sandstone cliffs. The sub-alpine flora and glacial rock formations you find on the summit are so unique. It feels like walking on the moon. You might have noticed that anytime I write Mount Wellington I pair it with the word kunanyi. Kunanyi is the proper Palawa name for the mountain. The indigenous Tasmanian people have called it such for thousands of years before the British colonizers’ arrival. In 2014, the mountain’s name was officially changed to kunanyi/Mt Wellington. This was done as part of the Tasmanian Government’s Aboriginal and Dual Naming Policy.

Standing at the top of the summit, you can see the entirety of Hobart, the River Derwent and even the surrounding hillsides spread out across you like a painting. The most iconic aspect of the summit is the igneous rock spread out over the landscape. These were formed by layers of rocks pushing upwards by upsurges of molten rock as the Australian continental shelf violently tore away from the Antarctic. It’s incredible to think how old these rock formations are. This separation from Antarctica happened over 40 million years ago!

Charles Darwin Visits the Mountain

Charles Darwin visited Hobart Town in 1836. He made an effort to climb the mountains and described his journey to the summit.

“The summit of the mountain is broad and flat, and is composed of huge angular masses of naked greenstone… The day was splendidly clear, and we enjoyed a most extensive view; to the north, the country appeared a mass of wooded mountains, of about the same height with that on which we were standing, and with an equally tame outline: to the south the broken land and water, forming many intricate bays, was mapped with clearness before us. …”

Pinnacle Observation Shelter and Boardwalk

Once you get out of your car or bus at the summit, you can walk along the boardwalk toward the Observation Shelter. The short section of the pathways leading into the Observation Shelter has been made to be wheelchair accessible. Inside the Observation Shelter is a great place to look out at the fantastic views but be protected from the harsh weather as the room is encased in glass.

The boardwalk continues one along the cliff edge. A set of stairs leads you towards a view platform that puts you out on the absolute edge of the mountain to get the best views. Continue walking along the boardwalk as the more you explore, the more of the unique landscape you’ll discover!

Chalet Walk & Organ Pipes

If you are keen to take a short hike, I recommend the Chalet Walk. The Chalet Walk is a 2 km return trip, so it’s easy for almost anyone to do. This walk takes you along the Organ Pipe track, which is usually a 3-hour return journey. But if you start the walk at the Chalet, you can enjoy a small section of the Organ Pipes walk without trekking the entire section. This little exploration takes you to see the spectacular dolerite columns found there. These dolerite columns, called the Organ Pipes cliffs, are some of the most dramatic natural sculptures in all of Tasmania. They were created from molten magma 175 million years ago. Their soaring structure is made of Doleratie, which are crystals formed when the magma cools down quickly rather than slowly over time.

Simply walk as far as you’d like and turn around when you feel like you’re ready to return to the Chalet. The hop-on-hop-off bus makes stops here so you’ll able to make your way over even without your own car. The chalet is also a great place to sit and enjoy the views with a breakfast picnic!

Cascade Brewery

Heading back down the mountain, make your way to the South Hobart neighbourhood. Nestled in these suburbs are a few historical treasures of Hobart’s past. If you are taking the Explorer Bus, you can ask to get off at the Fern Tree Park Stop. From there board the 448 Bus at Fern Tree station towards stop 20, Huon Rd near Hillborough Road. Then it’s a 20-minute walk to the Brewery. Although it sounds like a trek, we loved the winding, scenic walk leading up to the great Brewery!

Walking up Cascade Brewery, the enormous building feels a little ominous. It feels almost out of place, as such tall buildings are scarce to find in Hobart. On the grey, misty morning when we arrived the building looked absolutely haunting! The misty shadow of kunanyi/Mt Wellington silhouetted behind the sandstone facade. But once you get inside, you’ll find a charming brewery serving up some fantastic local beers and ciders. Although you’ll discover that its tumultuous history gives reason for the rather spooky atmosphere here.

History of Cascade Brewery

The history of Cascade Brewery is marred with deception and hints at its convict past. The Cascade Brewery first opened in 1824 and remains the oldest continually operating brewery in Australia. Originally the estates here consisted of large sawmills producing the much-needed timber used in the Hobart shipyards. Shipbuilding was one of Hobart’s largest and most lucrative industries, so the demand for timber was very high. Hobart was an optimal location for shipbuilding as the blue gum trees around the city made for some of the best ship lumber.

Peter Degraves and Hugh Macintosh

The Cascade Brewery was the brainchild of Peter Degraves and Hugh Macintosh. Until 2011 this was not the commonly accepted truth. It was previously thought that the brewery was founded only by Peter Degraves. Degraves was a cheat and a debtor so it’s no surprise he managed to fool everyone for years that he was the sole creator. Peter came to the shores of Hobart with his brother-in-law Hugh Macintosh in 1824. Degraves had decided to come to Hobart only to escape his charges of thievery in England. But you can’t run from your past forever.

When they arrived, Macintosh wasn’t so keen on the idea of a brewery. But Degraves convinced him to fund it anyway. In 1826, Degraves was arrested for the debts he had in England. He was sentenced to prison for five years in Hobart. Once Degraves was in jail, the kindly Macintosh opted to pay off all Degraves’ outstanding debts. Macintosh abandoned the operation of the brewery and focused his attention on the lucrative sawmills he ran with his nephews.

Once Degraves was let out of prison, Macintosh (for whatever reason) agreed to allow him back into the partnership. Degraves immediately went about expanding the brewery. When Macintosh died in 1834, Degraves offered to buy out the other half of the estate. Macintosh’s sons, who inherited the property, lived far away in India and had no interest in the estate. The sons agreed and transferred the deed to Degraves but, as was the pattern with Degraves, he never paid them. In fact, Degraves went onto falsify the brewery’s history after Macintosh’s death and made it appear as if he was the sole owner.

The Gold Rush & Today

Despite his trickery, both the mill and the brewery began to experience a boom of growth, and the money came rolling in. The gold rush in Victoria demanded the import of both timber and beer for the miners. And lucky for Degraves, he could supply both! Eventually, Degraves died and the brewery passed hands a few times. Eventually, the brewery was purchased by Australian subsidiary Carlton & United Breweries, who still own the brewery today. Sadly, a massive bushfire in 1967 destroyed many buildings around South Hobart, the brewery included. Thanks to immense restoration efforts, the entirety of the brewery was rebuilt stone by stone and looks like a replica of the original.

Tasmania Tiger

The original icon of the Cascade Brewing Company is the now extinct Tasmania Tiger or thylacine. The thylacine was the largest carnivorous marsupial native to Tasmania. They called it the Tasmania Tiger as a nickname was the stripes on its lower back resembled that of a tiger. Like the kangaroo, the thylacine also carried its young inside its abdominal pouch. The animal was timid and only about the size of a large dog. Sadly, intensive hunting, shockingly encouraged by state bounties on the animal, contributed to its eventual extinction. New diseases were brought to the country by the English settlers. Their encroachment on the land also led to the thylacine’s disappearance. The last Tasmania tiger died in captivity in 1930. The Tasmanian devil is its closest living relative.

Cascade Brewery Tours

Cascade Brewery is famous for its beers inspired by the incredible fruits from Tasmania. The best place to learn more about the brewery and sample some of their beers is to take one of their tours. They have two options, the historical tour and the brewery tour. The historical tour is 45 minutes long and allows visitors who want to hear stories about their humble beginnings through to their current history. If you choose to add a tasting to the tour, you will be able to head into the bar to sample various Cascade’s beers and ciders. The tour without the tasting costs $22 AUD, and the Tour + Tasting costs $32 AUD. This tour runs Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

The brewery tour is an hour and 15 minutes long and studies the art of creating the nation’s oldest beer recipes. You’ll get to explore previously unseen areas of the brewery and finish off with a tasting paddle of four of Cascade’s beers or ciders. The brewery tour costs $30 AUD and only runs on Saturdays and Sundays. Be sure to book in advance as these spots book up fast. If you can’t attend one of the tours, you can always grab the sampler platter inside the bar and read this post to your group so they can learn all about the history.

Cascade Brewery Bar

The Cascade Brewery Bar is also a great place to grab a bite to eat while sampling their brews. Their menu is full of incredible Tasmanian delights. Their taste of ‘Tassie platter’ is a fantastic way to try a bunch of different local items at once. It consists of smoked wallaby, pale ale glazed ham, salmon rillettes, apple relish, pickled vegetables and lavosh bread.

Cascades Female Factory Historic Site

Down the aptly named “Cascade Road,” make your way over to the Cascades Female Factory Historic Site. The walk from the brewery to the site is only 10 minutes and a 5-minute drive. Although most of the prisons in Australia were meant for male offenders, a large percentage of female convicts were also sent to Van Diemen’s Land. Throughout the penal colonies’ history in Australia, 25,000 convict women were sent to Australia to serve their time. It is said that anywhere between 1 in 5 and 1 in 7 Australians are related to the women who came thru these prisons! They were the true mothers of modern Australia.

Female Factories in Australia

The women sent to so-called “Female Factories” were seen as corrupt. They needed to be removed from society. Only after they reformed could they return to become functional members of the community. They were therefore sent to these workhouses masquerading as prisons. Here, it was thought the women would become reform criminals if they were put to work. The hope was also that the work they produced would make the institutions profitable, although this was rarely the case. The Cascade Female Factory was open from 1828 to 1856. Unlike many of the male prisons that remain today, many of these females factories were destroyed. The Cascade Female factory is the only remaining one, making it a spot of colossal significance.

History of the Cascade Female Factory

Inside the cold, stone walls of the Cascade Female Factory, the women would be forced to take part in a multitude of tasks. Everything from spinning wool, sewing clothing, cleaning dirty laundry, cooking and working in the nearby hospital. The different tasks were assigned to each prisoner based on their “class.” Classes were determined by the severity of their crimes. The well-behaved, low-level “1st Class” criminals were given the preferable tasks. These first-class women even got to act as overseers to the other prisoners. Those in the second and third classes were given the tough, physically demanding jobs. Women were made to labour 12 hours a day, even in the winter. During these freezing cold months, the women had to work in the dark of the night, under the imposing shadow of kunanyi/Mount Wellington.

Conditions inside this prison were dire. More than 1000 people lived inside these walls at one time. The location of the prison was built upon damp swampland. The icy winds from the mountain would batter the women working in the open-air yards. The grounds where the women were working were muddy, cold and filthy. All of this resulted in the perfect conditions for bacteria to grow and spread. Add to this overcrowding and inadequate sanitization, and you are left with a cesspool of disease and suffering. Once diseases got out, many women and children died from the outbreaks.

Tour of the Female Factory

Three of the five original work yards still remain and you can walk through them on your tour of the factory. Their crumbling walls have been replaced with piles of old bricks, shaped with wiring into the original layout of the factory. One of the remaining historic buildings on the grounds is the Matron’s Quarters in Yard 4. Inside this building that still stands, you can see what life was like for the factory administrators. Inside, you can see the matron’s 19th-century parlour, bedroom and kitchen. It is the only remaining building from the convict era that stands in the Female Factory today. There would have also been a similarly designed building on the opposite side of the property but it has since been lost to bushfires.

Children at the Female Factory

Many of the women who were imprisoned here fell pregnant and even gave birth to their children while in prison. Others were transported to the jail from England with their small children in tow. Their fathers had either given them up or passed away themselves. Life in the prison was challenging for the women but almost unsurvivable for small children. The high infant mortality rate for children was drawing public attention, and so Yard 4 was converted into a nursery. The building could house 88 women and over 150 children. Walking around this space is haunting and its almost impossible to imagine how so many people could have been forced into this small space.

The nursey allowed convict mothers to wean their babies on site. But once they were three years of age the children were removed from their mothers and sent to Queen’s Orphan School. Visitors to the prison in the 19th-century described life in the nursery as a genuinely horrible place. Babies were crammed 4 to a crib, and baskets of straw were laid on the ground to be used as beds for the other children. Inside the historic site, you can still see bronze sculptures of the cribs lying outside in the yard. These stand as a haunting memory and commemorate the lives of all those lost children.

Hours: Open seven days a week from 9:30am – 4:00pm
Admission: $8 AUD for entry | $18 for the Heritage Guided Tour and Entry

Hobart Convict Penitentiary

Continuing on the convict route in Hobart, let’s head over to the old Hobart Convict Penitentiary. If you’re travelling without a car, take bus #446 from Stop 13 on Cascade Rd to Macquarie St outside St David’s Cathedral. From there it’s a 13-minute walk from Macquarie Street to Campbell Street.

The Old Barracks

The place where you find the historic Hobart Convict Penitentiary was originally the Hobart Prisoners’ Barracks, or as they called it ‘The Tench.’ This place was the first stop for prisoners coming from Britain who had yet to be assigned to a specific prison; such as Port Arthur. From here, men and women would be sent off to a variety of different convict sites across Tasmania. The barrack was initially built to house 640 convicts, but almost immediately, this was found to be too small. Therefore, the barracks were expanded to eventually hold up to 1,200 convicts.

The barracks were constructed over a two-acres long block and enclosed in high, sandstone walls. The tops of the walls were encrusted with broken glass to ensure prisoners couldn’t easily climb out. Over 50,000 prisoners would come to stay in the barracks over the years during its operations. Today, not much remains of the first barracks. Only a few sandstone walls that once enclosed the barracks on the Campbell Street side are still visible.

Penitentiary Chapel

In 1831 a chapel was built for the prisoners. Part of a convict’s reformation was that they had to go to church. Therefore, architect John Lee Arthur was hired to build a church. What Lee ended up creating was thought to be one of his best works. He designed the building in the Georgian Renaissance style. John Lee Archer drew the layout of the building into a cruciform design, in the shape of the Christian cross. The church’s crowning glory was the glorious clock tower, which remains one of the most iconic sights along Campbell Street.

The church was designed to hold both prisoners and regular citizens of Hobart. The regular citizens would enter through a separate entrance, to ensure they were kept away from the prisoners. Also to ensure separations, the seating was designed on an incline. This allowed everyday citizens to attend church without the convicts’ eyes staring across at them as they attempted to pray. The prisoners were made to sit on hard, wood benches, whereas the citizens had large, spacious pews.

Solitary Confinement Cells

But some of the prisoners in the barracks were deemed too dangerous to be kept with the rest of the convict population. A need for solitary confinement cells arose, but there was no more space to construct a new building on the grounds. So John Lee Archer went about renovating the area underneath the chapel to accommodate 36 solitary confinement cells. The brick cells were designed to decrease in height to support the inclined floors of the chapel above. Because the chapel was both a place of worship and a place of punishment, this meant that the church would never be consecrated.

As soundproofing wasn’t a consideration at the time, people in the church often complained they could hear the sounds of screaming convicts during their church services. A horrific thing to imagine hearing while trying to pray in peace. In 1847 some of the smallest cells called the “dust holes”, were sealed up as they were deemed to be inhumane. These cells were so small the convicts had to crawl inside. There was no light, and the poor ventilation would have made it almost impossible to breathe.

Hobart Old Gaol

In 1860, when no more convicts were being brought to the shores of Tasmania, the building was converted into the Hobart Old Gaol (Jail) and Supreme court. Two of the old chapel wings were converted into courtrooms used for criminal trials. The remaining two wings were kept as a working chapel. Tunnels underground connected the courtroom to the docks so prisoners could be kept out of view of the public when being brought to trial. During its conversion into a Gaol, an execution yard was installed. Here, 32 people would lose their lives. In fact, the last person to be hanged here in Tasmania was killed in 1946!

Tours of the Old Penitentiary

The building is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday from 10am – 3pm through the Pandemonium Experience. This guided tour and multi-sensory film experience immerses you in the chaos of convict life in Van Diemen’s Land. You will hear the stories, feel the emotions, and walk the footsteps of the wretched souls who passed through this penitentiary.

Admission: $10 adults and $5 children aged 7 -16 (although the stories are rather gruesome, you might want to think about bringing any children who are too young). The guided tour lasts 40 minutes.

You can also take a Hobart Convict Penitentiary Ghost Tour after dark! These night tours take you through the historic site and detail haunting stories from the prisoners and citizens who remember life in the Hobart Penetiantary. And if you’re fortunate (or unfortunate depending on how you look at it), you might even spot one of the spirits that are said to haunt this building. If you don’t have the opportunity to go on a guided ghost tour, then please check out our self-guided ghost tour of Hobart, where you can learn all about the various haunting tales that make up the spiritual history of Hobart.

Admission: $30 for a 90-minute tour. The tours generally run Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Be sure to reserve a spot in advance as they book up quickly!

University Rose Gardens

Let’s switch gears for a moment and enter into the beauty of the University Rose Gardens. These fantastical formal floral gardens contain hundreds of different rose bushes, stone sculptures and peaceful places to reset. When they are in bloom, the smell is almost overwhelming.

Cenotaph

Continue east, towards the great Tasmanian Cenotaph. There is a pedestrian walking path that runs parallel to Liverpool street that you can use to access the Cenotaph. The Cenotaph is a 75-foot tall granite obelisk. It was made to pay tribute to the Tasmanian soldiers who died during World War One. With spectacular views of the Derwent River, the gorgeous open-air park was chosen as it was once the site of the Queen’s Battery from 1838 until 1923. The image of kunanyi/Mount Wellington aptly looks down over the landscape in a splendid dramatic fashion.

Soldier’s Memorial Avenue

On either side of the pathway towards the Cenotaph, named Soldier’s Memorial Avenue, are rows of great cedar trees. Three varieties of cedars were planted here; the Himalayan cedar, the Atlas cedar and the Blue Atlas. Cedar trees are symbolic of strength as they can endure any type of weather conditions. They are also known for their longevity—a perfect symbolic choice for memorizing these great soldiers.

Along the avenue are 480 bronze plaques placed near the trees. The plaques carry details about the soldiers from their name, unit, place and date of death, occupation and a range of other information about their family, military career and civilian life. It really gives you a peek into the kind of people these lost soldiers were.

The Cenotaph Obelisk

The design of the huge Cenotaph obelisk was meant to reinterpret the look of a traditional Egyptian obelisk. But as it was made in the 20th-century they wanted to add an art deco spin, as was the syle of the times. The obelisk stands 75 feet (23 meters) high and is made of stoic grey granite. The pyramidal cap of the cenotaphs is decorated with red opaque glass which is illuminated during the evening to glow red. The effect is a beautiful, yet haunting image in the sky. The inscription at the bottom of the structure reads “Lest We Forget 1914–1919″. On each side of the obelisk are four crests representing the; Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Australian Navy, Australian Commonwealth Military Forces and the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps.

Government House

Five minutes up the road by car, or a 20-minute walk, head over to the Government House Tasmania. To access this area on foot, be sure to use the pedestrian crossings along the Tasman Highway whose entrance can be found near the highway underpass at the Cenotaph. Sitting here, looking out at the water, is what appears to be a giant castle! But in actual fact, this 19th-century building, called the Government House, was the residence of Governor Sir Henry Fox Young.

The house was built by architect William Porden Kay in Neo-Gothic style. Kay aimed to make the building resemble the design of a castle but in minature. Although minimal in size, the bas relief sculptures on the facade are wonderfully playful, featuring window mullions, gargoyles, carved chimney pots and lovely window traceries.

The beautiful sandstone facade was made from stone quarried from this very site. The holes where they dug are now used as ornamental ponds. Because the structure has almost entirely been saved from destruction or modern renovations, it remains one of the best Vice-Regla residences in the commonwealth.

Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens

Just opposite the Governor’s House, pay a visit to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. This natural wonderland is a great place to learn more about the incredible flora and fauna unique to Tasmania. The garden was opened in 1818, making it the second oldest Botanical Gardens in Australia!

Tasmanian Ferns and Flora

Once inside, your first stop should be at the Tasmanian Section and Fern House to the north of the entrance. Some of the most important Tasmanian plants include the Huon Pine, Deciduous Beech and the Eucalyptus Regnans. The fern house is absolutely spectacular, with aromatic towering ferns swaying overhead.

Further north, you will find your way to the Subantarctic Plant House. Due to the cooler climate that Tasmania receives, this garden contains Australia’s only Subantarctic Plant House. This plant house aim is to ensure the conservation of all the precious Tasmanian plants, including the unusual King’s Lomatia shrub.

Herb & Community Garden

For some aromatherapy treatment, walk over to the luscious herb garden, filled with everything a chef would need to infuse their food with fresh bursts of flavour. Near the herb garden, you’ll find the historical “Arthur’s Wall.” In 1829, newly installed Governor George Arthur wanted to install a heated wall to protect his imported plants from frosty winter weather.

These heated walls were all the rage in English Gardens. There were made with bricks and had an internal hollow channel built inside. The heat and hot air from coal-fired furnaces would travel along the stone surfaces, protecting the plants and keeping them warm. But unknown to Arthur until his first winter in Tasmania, the weather never dropped cold enough to implement the use of the walls. England saw much colder temperatures than here in Tasmnia, a fact Arthur would only discover after he had had the walls built at great expense. The walls were only used once or twice before being put out of use. Still, the technology is fascinating to study as it still stands today!

One of the best things the Botanical Gardens does for the community was to open their spare beds to be used as a community garden. This is where those in need can grow their own food with the help of knowledgeable staff.

International Gardens

I adore the fantastic French Memorial Fountain. This fountain was built in 1972 to commemorate the bicentenary of French exploration in Tasmania. The sculpture is made out of Tasmanian Huon Pine, and its abstract shape is meant to represent the shape of the bow and sails of a French ship.

Located on the northeastern side of the garden is the beautiful Japanese Garden with its iconic red wooden bridge sprawling across the peaceful waterfalls. This area of the park was designed by Kanjiro Harada, a landscape architect from Yaizu, Japan, Hobart’s sister city. Just as in Japan, depending on the season, the colours shapeshift and seems to change the entire atmosphere of the garden. There is never a wrong time to come here. In Spring, you can see the cherry blossoms; in summer, you’ll watch the water lilies bloom. Fall brings dazzling red maples and even in the winter, the waterfall never stops flowing.

Admission: Access to the gardens is free, but you can leave a donation of your choice if you want to continue to support the gardens.

Tasman Bridge

Opposite the gardens is the imposing Tasman Bridge. The bridge is home to two pedestrian walkways. While the bridge itself is made of a simple concrete structure, the views of the Derwent River and the city of Hobart sprawled out in front of you are what is worth the journey up here!

Bellerive

To end the night off, head over to the historic suburb of Bellerive. Bellerive is just on the other side of the Hobart waterfront. If you’ve already dined along Fisherman’s Wharf, this little jaunt over to the east side of the peninsula is totally worth exploring. Bellerive was settled in the 1820s, and it is one of the most historic areas of Hobart. The area was initially called Kangaroo Point, but the name was changed to Bellerive, meaning beautiful riverbank, in the 1830s. Don’t worry if you don’t have a car; Uber services this area and is a great way to get around.

Hooked on Bellerive

Hooked on Bellerive is a total hidden gem. Although it’s small in size, located on a literal floating pontoon, the interior is a gorgeous blend of nautical design and modern aesthetics. The glass windows along the water’s edge make you feel like you’re dining right on the water, and the windows even open right up on hot days. The food is as traditional as can be with a small menu consisting of fried fish, scallops, oysters and calamari served with a side of chips and salad. The wonderfully friendly staff here makes you feel like family, and it’s honestly worth the journey to see a neighbourhood outside the centre of Hobart.

Heading back to the main downtown area, you’ll get a beautiful view of Hobart at night as you cross back over the Tasman Bridge. The lights of the city dancing off the dark water is a sight to see and another reason to come on over to Bellerive. Hopefully, you enjoyed this tour and discovered some of the unique natural features of Hobart and learned a bit more about the dark convict history that haunts these shores.

Happy Travels, Adventurer!

The post An Exciting Alternative Day Tour of Hobart: Mountains, Convicts and More first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

]]> https://thecreativeadventurer.com/an-exciting-alternative-day-tour-of-hobart-mountains-convicts-and-fantastic-hidden-gems/feed/ 0 23590 The Most Haunted and Spooky Places to Visit in Stockholm https://thecreativeadventurer.com/the-most-haunted-and-spooky-places-in-stockholm/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-most-haunted-and-spooky-places-in-stockholm https://thecreativeadventurer.com/the-most-haunted-and-spooky-places-in-stockholm/#respond Mon, 17 Aug 2020 18:11:57 +0000 https://thecreativeadventurer.com/?p=17133 Stockholm, especially in the middle of their dark winters, is genuinely one of the most hauntingly...

The post The Most Haunted and Spooky Places to Visit in Stockholm first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

]]> Stockholm, especially in the middle of their dark winters, is genuinely one of the most hauntingly beautiful places to explore. The lamplit alleys cast an ominous golden glow down on the cobblestone below. The echos of your footsteps causing you for a moment to suspect you might be followed. But when you turn around, there is nothing but darkness behind you. This kind of atmosphere is ideal for ghost hunting and exploring the darker side of Stockholm’s history.

Table Of Contents
  1. Mårten Trotzigs Gränd
  2. Black Friar Tombstone
  3. #23 Baggensgatan
  4. #14 Kindstugatan
  5. Stockholm Bloodbath
  6. #20 Stortorget
  7. Tjuvakällaren
  8. Siskeburen 
  9. #24 Västerlånggatan
  10. Stockholm Royal Palace
  11. Storkyrkobrinken
  12. Bonde Palace
  13. Riddarholmen
  14. Stockholm Cityterminalen
  15. Nya smedjegården
  16. Rosenkammaren
  17. Stora Barnhuset 
  18. Schefflerska Palace
  19. The Käpplinge Murders
  20. Brunkebergstorg
  21. van der Nootska Palace
  22. Stockholm's Bysättningshäkte
  23. Kolerakyrkogården
  24. Galgbacken
  25. Skogskyrkogården
  26. Happy Travels Adventures!

This guide is laid in geographic order. You can easily explore each location in one long walking tour or split the visit up into the various neighbourhoods and/or districts around Stockholm.

Mårten Trotzigs Gränd

Stockholm’s old town, or Gamla Stan, is a great place to start your tour. This part of the city dates back to the 13th century and still contains many 17th and 18th century buildings. The streets are dense with history and ancient spirits. Make your way along Västerlånggatan to the iron gated entrance to Mårten Trotzigs Gränd. This narrow alley, thick with graffiti, looks from afar like nothing special. But entering the lane at night, you’ll notice how dangerous and eerie this cramped walkway really is. The path has 36 steep steps, which spread only 35 inches wall to wall, making it the narrowest alley in Stockholm.

The stairs were named after merchant Mårten Trotzig. Trotzig owned several properties around the area and he commisionned the staircase in order to be able to better access them. He was a copper and iron merchant and one of the richest men in Stockholm. But with such a large purse of gold, came those who would try to steal it. And in 1617, he was beaten to death in nearby Kopparberg. His untoward death perhaps cursed the staircase, and these stairs would become the scene of many deaths to come.

Famously people would be robbed at the top of the stairs after exiting nearby brothels. The stairs were a prime location for thieves as the drunkards would be struck on the head and then pushed down the stairs. This allowed the thieves to get away with murder as the fall looked like what killed the men and would disguise the killing blow. Therefore there would be no one to suspect foul play. After pushing the victim down the stairs, the thieves would run away into the darkness of the night.

Often the women at the brothels were accomplices to these murders, identifying particularly rich patrons to the criminals outside. After a rash of these deaths, the authorities finally started to catch on and patrolled the area around the stairs. Eventually, the jig was up. Although the stairs are no longer the location of robbery and muder, there is still a spooky atmosphere here, which seems to boil up with the spirits once killed on these stairs.

Black Friar Tombstone

At the top of the Mårten Trotzigs Gränd, head east along Prästgatan and turn north up Södra Benickebrinken until you reach Svartmangatan. Stockholm’s old Black Friars’ Monastery was once located on the west side of Svartmangatan. Look out for the black iron door along Benickebrinken street. This rather unassuming entrance leads to the ancient vaults of the old Black Friar Brotherhood Monastery. Visitors can still visit the catacombs by private guided tour with the Medieval Museum in Stockholm. 

Svartbrödraklostret

The Black Friars’ Monastery or Svartbrödraklostret was built in 1336. They were named the “black friars” due to their attire, which featured black, hooded robes. Despite the order being funded by the previous King Magnus IV in 1337, the new Swedish King Gustav Vasa, who reigned in 1528, wanted them out. By order of the King, the monastery was demolished in 1547. 

Hundreds of years later, in 1930, when the St. Nikolai school was being erected, construction workers unknowingly dug up the bones of the monks who had been buried here for over 500 years. The construction workers were so shocked when they uncovered this gruesome discovery that they hurriedly moved all the bones into one mass graves, without another thought. But shortly after doing so, the construction workers reported having terrible visions and hearing voices down in the vaults. When they would follow the cries, they found them to be echoing from the mass grave. Most workers were scared right off and didn’t return. Clearly, they wanted to be returned to their original resting place.

The one tombstone which marks the spot is engraved with the text, “Here are the remains of Swedish Dominican monks in the Old Town. They were found at the foundation excavation of the St. Nikolai school’s new building in 1932. Rest in peace.” But it doesn’t sound like they are at peace at all. Still to this day, people have been known to hear their sorrowful cries, echoing through the vaults.

#23 Baggensgatan

Following in the footsteps of the Black Friars, make your way to Baggensgatan. The lower part of Baggensgatan leads to the Black Friars’ Monastery entrance, and many of the friars lived along this narrow street. Walk along Baggensgatan until you come to number 23. This house looks pretty unassuming, but the history behind these walls is rich with ghoulish tales. Building number 23 was located right about the vaults of the old Black Friars’ Monastery. After Gustav destroyed the monastery, legend had it that the friars had hidden all their earthly treasures inside the vaults. Before the destruction, they had hidden the entrance to these catacombs so no one except those in the brotherhood could find them. After hundreds of years, this was in the hopes that they could return to power and recover their riches.

Magnus Ahlström

In 1762 the building was bought by captain Magnus Ahlström. The house went by the name Ahlströms jungfrubur or “the Maiden Cage of Ahlström.” If the name didn’t give it away, it was indeed a brothel. He described the house as a “virtual temple of Venus with space for the priestesses on all three floors.” The brothel was such a popular spot on the street that the stone stairs leading into the house are more worn down from foot traffic than any others along the road.

But Ahlström’s penchant for the darker side of the law didn’t stop here. He was obsessed with the rumours around the hidden treasure and brought this building for that very reason. Ahlström hired a group of miners to dig down and down into the foundations of his house to access the hidden friar tunnels. He placed armed guards at the entrances to tunnels to prevent the miners from escaping with the treasure for themselves.

Underground Excavations

After weeks of unsuccessful excavations, he came down to find the miners had disappeared even though the guards had never seen anyone leave the tunnels. They searched the tunnels for weeks, but no sign of the miner was found. Still, to this day, residences Baggensgatan say they can hear the sound of pick axes digging long into the night. Perhaps the Friars cursed the treasure. Any of those who weren’t worthy of retrieving it would be sentenced to forever searching for it, even in death.

#14 Kindstugatan

In the medieval period in Stockholm, swordfights were among the most popular ways to resolve disagreements amongst the menfolk. Usually, these duels ended without too much bloodshed, but on the night of August 12th, 1674 poet Lasse Lucidor wasn’t that lucky. In fact, his nickname was “the unlucky one.” Lucidor had gotten into a fight with the bartender of the basement pub, which once resided here.

Lieutenant Storm

The bartender refused to serve the poet until he paid the rest of his tab, knowing all too well that he didn’t have the coin to afford even what he had already drunk. Hoping to break up the fighting, Lieutenant Storm approached the drunk poet in the hopes of simply asking him to leave without a skirmish. But thinking the Lieutenant meant to harm him, Lucidor drew his sword, not a smart move since he was a lover, not a fighter. Lucidor swung widely at the Lieutenant, but only managed to give him a scratch on the arm.

Now filled with rage at this seemingly mad writer, Storm stabbed him through the heart, a fitting end for a poet. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Maria Magdalena graveyard, a common practice for those too unfortunate to have a tombstone of their own. But those buried in unmarked graves are often unsatisfied with their existence being so poorly remembered. These unnamed spirits haunt the spots where they met their untimely end and walking along Kindstugatan see if you can hear the sorrowful poet’s death wails as he morns for his soul into eternity.

Stockholm Bloodbath

Walk west until you reach the main square in Gamla Stan, Stortorget. Stortorget in Swedish means “the Grand Square.” Surrounding the square are some of the most regal and colourful 17th and 18th-century buildings. In the middle ages, this intersection was the Times Square of the period. While the cobblestoned square is as charming as can be, this ancient part of town is also home to one of the most notorious bloody crimes of Stockholm’s history; the Stockholm Bloodbath of 1520. 

The Stockholm Bloodbath was the real-life inspiration for Game of Thrones “Red Wedding.” When Danish King Kristian II invaded Sweden and took the throne, he needed to cleanse the court of anyone who opposed him. 92 members of the nobility were brought to the main square in Gamla Stan. There, they were accused of treason and were beheaded and hanged one by one. Onlookers said there was so much blood it soaked the ground for months and flooded the entirety of Stortorget. The executions were such a long process, they occurred over three days from November 7th to November 9th, 1520. Now, in November, residences have reported seeing the blood still flowing in the square, lit by the moonlight, it disappears the second someone tries to touch it. 

Sourced from wikimedia.org

#20 Stortorget

One of the buildings nearby, which is painted red, contains 92 white stones, surrounding the window panes. Each stone represents the soul of one of the Swedish nobles who perished during the Bloodbath. Legend says that if these stones are removed, that soul of that person will rise from the dead and haunts the streets of Stockholm.

Tjuvakällaren

Where the Nobel Musem now stands was once the spot where you’d find the old Rådstugan or Stockholm Town Hall. The town hall stood here from 1471 to 1772. Inside is where you would find the Siskeburen or detention centre and the Tjuvakällaren or thief’s cellar. The Tjuvakällaren was located in the depths of the medieval basement. The basement was a disgusting place, where the sewage from the rest of the city would collect and was never cleaned. Prisoners were chained to massive logs, beaten and tortured. Some would be pressed up against the walls, which were known to get so cold that the prisoners would freeze onto them.

Siskeburen 

The Siskeburen was located on the first floor of the town hall and was a much less brutal place for prisoners who awaited their fate. The name comes from the Swedish word for “cage,” as the chambers used to keep the prisons looked like tiny cages. Often one of the more common people you’d find here were women waiting to receive their punishments for infidelity. The church at the time controlled who married who as a means for regulating their power, ensuring families were marrying “their own kind.” This resulted in many unhappy marriages, and therefore adultery was pretty common, but can you blame them? Women accused of cheating would be stripped naked and forced to walk with stones strapped to their backs to the gates of the city. There, they would be banished and could never return. 

In front of the Siskeburen, you could find the Copper Matte or “pole of shame.” The pole was topped with a copper sculpture of a man wielding a large crop of rice. This statue was meant to warn citizens to follow the rules as disobeying would result in harsh punishments. It stood here from 1603 to 1776. The word “matte” comes from the name of the mayor at the time, Mathias Trost, who was a strict ruler and who the statue was also modelled after. You can now find the Copper Matte statue on display inside the Stockholm City Museum. 

#24 Västerlånggatan

Västerlånggatan, in the middle of the busy tourist neighbourhood of Gamla Stan, is home to the chic little shop Iris Hantverk located at #23 Västerlånggatan. But above the doorway into the store is an old stone frieze with a rather fascinating story behind it. The legend goes that one day a ship’s captain was lost at sea. The captain was tossed overboard when he was saved by a beautiful water sorceress. She brought the captain down to her castle under the waves where she nursed him back to health. In exchange for returning the captain to his ship and his safe return home, she gave the captain a letter to deliver immediately upon his return to Stockholm. The letter was addressed to Mr. Måns at #23 Västerlånggatan. 

Ghost Cat

But when the captain returned to Stockholm, he forgot all about the message. He spent the majority of his day focused selfishly on unloading his ship’s cargo. When he finally got around to posting the letter, the homeowners told him that the only person named Mr. Måns at that address was a cat. Puzzled but thinking he should still deliver the letter, he went to find the cat.

Once he placed the letter in front of Mr. Måns, the cat began to cry and then proceeded to scratch the captain to death. After attacking the man, the cat sorrowfully jumped out the window where onlookers saw him turn to stone. You can still see Mr. Måns on the frieze above the doorway at #23 Västerlånggatan. No one will ever know what was written in that letter since it was written in a language no one could understand, so we are only left to wonder what kind of sorcery cursed the poor cat.

Stockholm Royal Palace

Stockholm’s Royal Palace is home to more than one of the city’s famed ghosts. The first is the White Lady or Vita Frun. But unless you have some Swedish royal blood flowing through your veins, you probably won’t spot her. The White Lady is known to only appear to members of the royal family, warning them of a royal’s imminent death. She is said to wear a long white dress, a veil covering her face, wit dark gloves covering her ghoulish hands. In those hands, she clutches a large key ring which she uses to get into all 1,403 rooms inside the castle. She has appeared to both King Oscar II, Princess Eugenie, Princess Margaret and Queen Silvia. Even those not in the royal family have been known to hear that unforgettable ghostly clinking of keys as she glides throughout the hallways of the darkened castle.

The other of the palace’s ghosts in the old Gray Man or Grå manner. The Grey man is reportedly the ghost of Stockholm’s founding father Birger Jarl. Birger Jarl is said to appear in front of the new rulers every time they take the throne. Birger Jarl originally built his fortress on the very same spot where the Palace is located today. One can only wonder if he haunts the castle, ensuring that the rulers of his kingdom are truly worthy.

Storkyrkobrinken

Storkyrkobrinken was once better known as Helvetesgränd or “Alley of Hell.” This area was located north of the main church and, therefore, “the northern side of the damned.” It was a street that frequently saw criminal activity and was rampant with suicides. The city’s executioners were known to live on this very street, ensuring it’s dark history for the ages. Swedish executioners were given their own apartments, but this luxury came at a high price. All executioners were men who were themselves condemned to death. In exchange for a period of freedom, they served as executioner, a job otherwise too gruesome to find willing applicants. The men were marked to guarantee everyone knew who they were. Both their ears were cut off, and they were branded with the city’s crest. 

Their employment would only end when another prisoner took their place. This new prisoner, also sentenced to death, would come to the executioner’s apartments and murder the previous executioner. But what a life to lead, knowing that your days were numbered and that death lurked in the very room you lived in. The apartment was destroyed in the 18th century, but the dark mark of their residence still resides in the area.

Bonde Palace

Just outside Bonde Palace is where Hans Axel von Fersen was beaten to death, in 1810. Hans Axel von Fersen had served both King Gustav III and his son King Gustav IV. But when Gustav III died, his son was exiled, and Christian August of Augustenburg was put on the throne. Fersen was frequently heard opposing this election as his support directly lay with Gustav IV. When Christian August died shortly after his coronation, Fersen was suspected of foul play. The 1800s weren’t a time for philosophical investigation, and Fersen was attacked by an angry mob and lynched outside Bond palace. Fersen was always loyal to the realm, and his ghost is still thought to haunt these streets in search of revenge.

Riddarholmen

Riddarholmen Church is located on its own island just west of Gamla Stan. It was once a former medieval abbey built in the late-13th century for the Greyfriars. Since the church was always one the grandest in the city, it has long been the site for royal burials. One of these royal families was the Torstensson family, whose vault is known to be one of the most haunted spots in the city. 

At night, employees have been known to hear banging and knocking coming from inside the tombs. There also have been rumours of footsteps and heavy breathing coming from the other graves. Almost as if they are clamouring to get out.

Stockholm Cityterminalen

Head over to the Stockholm Cityterminalen, where you have access to a myriad of different train lines. Standing on these platforms, unusually late at night when there aren’t too many people on the platform, you might get the chance to spot the elusive “ghost train.” This silver-coloured train is known to stop at various stations along the track. But be warned, do not get on. This train isn’t headed anywhere the living wants to visit.

The train goes by the name the ‘Silver Arrow‘ or ‘Silverpilen’ due to the aluminum exterior. This ghost train is thought to carry the souls of the dead to an abandoned station in the middle of the forest. This station, known as Kymlinge, does, in fact, exist. It was built in the 70s to service rural parts of Stockholm, but construction was abandoned after it was deemed unnecessary. Today, residents warn visitors to be wary of getting on any train that looks like the silver arrow as the living will get stuck in an infinite loop as the train is meant only for those already dead.

Nya smedjegården

The Nya smedjegården, also known as the New Blacksmiths’ Yard, was one of Stockholms’ most notorious prisons. It operated between 1636 and 1896. The building once stood on the corner of Drottninggatan and Barnhusgatan, which is now a seemingly perfect residential area. But gaze into the past, behind every corner store and apartment building, and you’ll find a dark history.

The Nya smedjegården prison was built to contain the overflow from the dungeons of the old royal castle, Tre Kronor. Prisoners brought here were made to work in the smithy as part of their punishment. Back then, there was no distinction made between crimes, which meant that men, women, big thieves and first-time criminals were mixed. Making it an extraordinarily dangerous place to be for all those incarcerated.

Rosenkammaren

But the most shocking part of the Nya smedjegården was the Rosenkammaren or Rose Chamber. Despite the flowery name, this room was better known as the torture chamber. It was often filled knee-deep with freezing cold water. Prisoners were chained from the ceiling and suspended into the icy pools. It wasn’t until 1772 that torture was abolished by Gustav III, and the torture chamber was destroyed.

Famous theif, Jacob Guntlack who was held inside the Rosenkammaren.

Stora Barnhuset 

But the dark nature of the building had been imprinted on the earth, and even after the prison changed hands, the wicked spirits which haunted location stayed on. In 1624 the prison also served as a children’s workhouse and orphanage called the Stora Barnhuset or “Great Children’s Home.” But it was anything but great for those poor souls trapped there. The workhouse was poorly run, and abuse was rampant. In 1770 there was a great scandal that revealed that staff kept the children half-starved and sold the food donated by the state. The mortality rate was extremely high, and hundreds of little children met their mournful end here. 

Sourced from wikimedia.org

Gustav III was extremely sympathetic to the horrible conditions these children were living in. He decreed that children placed in the orphanage would only be there temporarily until a foster home could be found. From 1785 onward, children didn’t spend their entire lives within these haunted walls. Instead, they stayed there only for a couple of months before a permanent home could be found. The orphanage itself was finally closed in 1922, but the tormented spirits of both the prison and the orphanage remain.

Sourced from wikimedia.org

Schefflerska Palace

Walking along Drottninggatan, you’ll reach Schefflerska Palace locked away from the public behind a set of tall, teal gates. Since the Palace is closed to visitors, this is the best way to get a look at this spooky manor. The palace has been so notorious haunted that it even goes by the name “Spökslottet,” which in Swedish means “haunted house.”

The Schefflerska Palace was built by a wealthy merchant in 1690. Almost as soon as it was made, it was proclaimed as being haunted. Guests who visited the house would report hearing strange music coming from unoccupied rooms. Windows and mirrors were also known to break no reason. People thought one of the reasons the house was so haunted was that owner Jacob von Balthasar Knigge, was reportedly a devil worshipper. Beneath the palace, they said he kept skeletons, buried treasure, and the victims of his devilish rituals. 

The Death of Knigge

Although officially Knigge died in bed in 1796, legend has it that on that night neighbours saw him getting into a black carriage with flames which spurted forth when they took off. The carriage was being driven by a massive black creature with horns and a tail. It carried him into the night, never to be seen again. His body is said to be buried at the Adolf Fredrik cemetery, but until someone can dig it up to see if he’s really there, the legend lives on.

Gustaf Sandström

Long after his death, strange things continued to happen inside the palace. In 1879 Gustaf Sandström, a famous opera singer, was a guest in the home. That night, for reasons no one could comprehend, he committed suicide. Later a young couple was murdered in the same room and their bodies hidden behind a bricked-up wall. They were only discovered years later, too late to look for a suspect.

A priest was finally brought to the palace to investigate the strange occurrences. While trying to exorcist the demons, he felt an ominous, invisible presence enter the room. He was thrown out a glass window by the unseen entity. Although he survived, he never returned as the darkness which possessed the house was too strong. The area around the palace is known as Spökparken or ‘the Ghost Park.’ With the city seemingly getting on board with officially labelling the area as being “ghostly,” it’s hard to see this as just a legend.

The Käpplinge Murders

In 1389 the tensions between the Germans (who supported Albert, King of Sweden) and the Swedes (who helped Margaret I of Denmark) were brought to a boiling point. On June 14th, 1389, German soldiers and merchants gathered in Gamla Stan and read a list of who they deemed traitors aloud in the square. Once the traitors were gathered up, they were put on a boat and sent over to Käpplingeholmen (now Blasieholmen). There, inside a large barn, they were burned alive. Walking along this street at night in the winter, you’ll often find fire barrels lit to keep the populace warm. However, the Käpplinge ghosts don’t take too kindly to this, and people have been known to still hear their angry screams on cold winter nights.

Brunkebergstorg

Brunkebergstorg is a square in the Norrmalm district in Stockholm’s inner city. The square was once lined with fashionable shops in the 19th century, but early in the 20th century, it became Norrmalm’s commercial center. That being said, 500 years ago, this square served a much darker purpose. This was one of the central locations for public executions in Stockholm. One of the most gruesome ones was the murderer of King Eric XIV‘s secretary Martin Olai Helsingius. Martin Olai Helsingius had pleaded with the king to pardon his predecessor, Jöran Persson, who had been accused of the looting of Svartsjö Palace in 1597. Eric was appalled that his new secretary was trying to protect the acts of a known criminal and Martin was sentenced to death for treason.

But Martins’s punishment was more severe than even Persson’s (who had actually committed a crime). Martin’s ears were nailed to the gallows, and after he was hanged, he was taken down just in time to keep him alive. His body was then set upon the breaking wheel, where he was tortured. Finally, after hours of terrible suffering, he was beheaded. His body nailed to a stake in the square where the public could observe him as a horrendous warning for others who would oppose the king.

van der Nootska Palace

In the middle of the hipster neighbourhood of Södermalm, you’ll find one of the most impressive event venues in the city, van der Nootska Palace. The palace was built in 1674 and is named after its builder, Dutchman Thomas van der Noot. The manor house served as a private residence for several wealthy families over the years and, throughout that time, gathered its fair share of ghosts. 

Mermaid Melusina

The ghost of mermaid Melusina is known to take a bath here every single Sunday night. As the legend goes, Melusina was once the king’s daughter. When she was born, she was cursed by a wicked witch. The curse turned the beautiful princess into a mermaid once a week until she gave birth to eleven children. The princess married a noble duke and hid her transformation by hiding inside the bathroom every Sunday night. She gave birth to ten children before her husband discovered her terrible secret. 

Ashamed of her appearance and her husband’s disgust, she fled, threw the pipes under the bathtub, where she would remain a mermaid forever. Still, to this day, she emerges to the surface to bathe in the van der Nootska Palace. Evidence of this ghost can be found in the architecture of the house. On the exterior, you can see a series of carvings of mermaid’s faces. 

Jean Jahnsson

The other ghost who lives in the palace goes by the name “the jeweller’s wife.” Jean Jahnsson was a wealthy jeweller who owned the manor in the 20th century. But Jean Jahnsson was a torrid adulterer and kept several lovers on the side. It was only a matter of time until his wife discovered his immoral behaviour. When she died, she still carried that grief and anger with her into death, and her raging ghost latched itself to the palace. Her spirit is often spotted furiously, stomping around the castle in search of Jahnssonand with one of his dalliances.

Stockholm’s Bysättningshäkte

One of the city’s most popular modern restaurants, Häktet, hides behind its slick bar and contemporary cuisine, a sinister secret. This building was once Stockholm’s Debtor’s Cottage, known as Stockholm’s Bysättningshäkte. The Bysättningshäkte operated from 1782-1872. Back in the 1700s, it was literally illegal to be unemployed. If you didn’t contribute to society, the authorities were allowed to throw you in jail. Orphans, anyone who was sick or disabled, were also thrown in these debtors cottages. Since they didn’t pay taxes, they were “in debt” to the city. 

These captives were forced into labour to repay their debt. Women were forced to spin thread from the moment they got up in the morning to the time they went to bed. Men were required to extract paint from the sap of trees, which was used to dye fabrics. There was little food to go around, and there was often violent misconduct, resulting in many inmates’ deaths. Still, since these people were seen as unfavourable by the city, their deaths were often overlooked. While you can dine on horse tartare and steamed cod here at Häktet, listen carefully to see if you can hear the shrieks of starving ghosts who are still heard rattling the bars of their cages.

Kolerakyrkogården

We are now heading out of the city to explore remoter locations on the tour. If you’d prefer to end your walk inside the city center, you can do so now. But from Bysättningshäkte, its only a 21-minute train ride (on line 13,14,17 or 18) to the Kolerakyrkogården. The Kolerakyrkogården or the Cholera Cemetery is located in the southern part of Stockholm. This cemetery was the main burial ground for victims of the 19th-century cholera epidemic. Many residences of nearby Södermalm died of the easily transmittable disease. Horse-drawn carts piled high with corpses carried the dead from the inner city, up to the cemetery. Up to 16 coffins were then placed in each grave. In total 3,665 people died in the first outbreak from August 27th to October 17th, 1834. 

The city was hit again in 1853, which resulted in about 3,000 more deaths in just a few weeks. The Kolerakyrkogården was filled to bursting with these bodies, some of which weren’t even identified when placed into mass graves. Such a place of mass sorrow is bound to have its fair share of forlorn spirits. People who visit the graveyard today have been known to hear disembodied voices echoing across the otherwise quiet green fields.

Galgbacken

Located just a 10-minute walk away from the Kolerakyrkogården, you can find the Galgbacken or Gallows hill. This spot, now marked by a historical sign, indicates the last public execution site in Stockholm was located. The gallows hill was used as early as 1689, and the last public hanging took place in 1818. After its destruction, the memories of the dark history were lost to the sands of time. It wasn’t until 1930 when new a block of houses was being built that construction workers uncovered a series of skeletal remains.

When it was in use, inmates from the nearby inner-city prisons would be brought here. What made this gallows different, was that the prisoners were brought here and allowed to enter the Källaren Hamburg cellar, for one last drink before they were hanged or beheaded. 

Skogskyrkogården

The Skogskyrkogården or Woodland Cemetery is one of a few dozen cemeteries marked as UNESCO world heritage sites. Unlike some cemeteries created out of the need for mass burials, this cemetery was well planned, and some of the world’s best architects were employed to build an impressive design. An international competition was held in 1915 for the plan of the new cemetery in Enskede. The winning architects modelled the cemetery’s layout on German forest cemeteries. These ancient graveyards provided an extraordinary tranquil environment surrounded by the beauty of the natural world.

Sculptures in the Park

Throughout the park, you’ll discover stunning sculptures by Carl Milles. These were created to be integrated into the rest cemetery’s layout of peaceful paths and gentle rolling hills. 

At one point, this old cemetery was a popular spot for those suffering from homelessness. They would come here to camp at night, but after some time, people noticed they had stopped camping here altogether. Many of them mentioned hearing voices at night, and seeing pale beings appear and then disappear as quickly as they could blink. See if you can spot one for yourself.

Hopefully, you enjoyed the tour and aren’t took scared to go to bed tonight! Let me know the spookiest place you’ve ever been to while travelling or what you’re most looking forward to exploring in Stockholm!

Happy Travels Adventures!

References

Wikipedia | City of Stockholm Archives | Stockholm Gamla Stan

The post The Most Haunted and Spooky Places to Visit in Stockholm first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

]]> https://thecreativeadventurer.com/the-most-haunted-and-spooky-places-in-stockholm/feed/ 0 17133