May 23: Södermalm

After James left, I still had about three hours before my train departed, so I had time to check out a previously unvisited area: Södermalm, the southern part of the center city.

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This involved another pass through the waterside plaza area at the edge of Norrmalm.

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I took a side detour to the one-building islet of Strömborg and walked around it, coming up on this diagonal, fragmented view of bridges and Gamla Stan once almost back to the start.

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A bridge. Branching out from another bridge. Specifically, Strömsborgsbron and Vasabron. The best thing.

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Traipsing by Riddarholm and its Kyrka once again.

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A Metro train zooms/trundles by in front of the Södermalm shore.

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A clearer view of Katarinahissen.

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Once into the interior of Södermalm's streets: straight and flat, then straight but steep.

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The crazy steep street is Brännkyrkagatan, the other is Bastugatan.

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Don't slip! (This is looking back east down Brännkyrkagatan).

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Maria Magdalena kyrka heaving into view from Maria Trappgränd.

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Looking west on Brännkyrkagatan from Bellmansgatan: I wonder why they cut the rock away for the left side (note the corresponding rock face in the building to the left) and not the right side.

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Bellmansgatan from an elevated walkway that I was delighted to discover. Check out those sweet rounded-brick arches too.

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At the end of the Bellmansgatan walkway is this other old elevator, Maria Hissen, that goes down to the shore. Is that another side bridge?

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Bingo! Stockholm, city of compound bridges. So cool.

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A somewhat fearsome gap on the west side of the walkway.

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Pryssgränd curving out of sight just below, with a bit of a view back to Gamla Stan and beyond.

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The view of the walkway and side bridge from ground level.

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Structchas.

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The bridge straight up from below.

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Going down Pryssgränd, a last look back up to Maria Hissen.

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A great cascade of steps (and some sweet cobbleramps) tucked away, going up to Bastugatan from Pustegränd.

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Departing Södermalm to get to back to the train station, I ventured to the underside of Centralbron as it arrives on Södermalm.

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Hiking back along the Centralbron with both RHK and Stadshuset conveniently in view, rain continuing to march through.

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A look back to the bit of Södermalm I'd just been exploring, the black Maria Hissen spire in front, just to the left of the verdant cliff.

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Hey look it's Riddarholmskyrkan! What a surprise.

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But lo, an actual surprise! I walked around to the front of RHK and the door was open! I didn't explore inside, because time was getting short, but it was neat to get a glimpse.

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One last view of Stadshuset.