Tungviktare Gåstorget, Stockholm, Guia do visitante e o que fazer por perto

Gåstorget, or Goose Square, is a small square in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, set between the narrow lanes of Överskärargränd and Gåsgränd. It is easy to walk past, yet it is tied to one of the old town's best-known ghost stories, the tale of Mrs. Grågås.

The story behind it

The square sits in the medieval street network of Gamla stan, where lanes are tight and open spaces are rare. Its name, Gåstorget, means Goose Square, and it shares its root with Gåsgränd, the lane beside it. The square is small, and that is part of its charm: it feels more like a pause in the lanes than a grand public plaza.

The legend most often told here concerns a woman known as Mrs. Grågås. As the story goes, her husband was killed, and because she could not inherit his property, she kept quiet about it and carried on running the house, claiming a brother would come to take over. Years later, a cunning local is said to have murdered her, buried her in the cellar of Gåsgränd 4 and then posed as that long-lost brother. Storytellers say a basement room there stays cold, that a waitress once felt her leg tugged as she walked, and that on dark nights Mrs. Grågås can be glimpsed at a window watching over the square. It is folklore, not documented history, and it is best enjoyed as such.

What to look for

• Notice how Överskärargränd and Gåsgränd close in around the square, a good example of the cramped medieval layout of Gamla stan.
• Look at the buildings on Gåsgränd, especially number 4, which the Grågås legend places at the centre of its story.
• Glance up at the windows overlooking the square and imagine the figure the storytellers say watches from them on dark nights.
• Compare the quiet of this corner with the busier streets close by to see how quickly the old town changes character from one lane to the next.

Tips for your visit

• Gåstorget is an open public square in the street, so it costs nothing to visit. Allow 10 to 15 minutes, longer if you read the legend on the spot.
• Early morning or evening is usually calmer, and the lanes feel most atmospheric when there are fewer people around.
• It is a short walk from the main streets of Gamla stan, so it fits easily into a wider stroll around the old town.
• Wear comfortable shoes, as the lanes are narrow and the old town is best explored slowly. Check current opening hours for any cafe or restaurant nearby if you want to stop.

See it on a quest

Ghosts of Stockholm: Secrets of the Haunted Streets is a natural fit for a square with a ghost story of its own. You reach Gåstorget on foot as one stop of a longer route through the old town, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

From Stockholm with Love is another way to take in this part of the city. You walk from place to place at your own pace, hear about each stop as you get there and solve a puzzle on the spot, with no guide and no group to join. One ticket covers the whole group.