Stortorget Cannonball

Many will overlook the cannonball stuck in the wall above the Stortorgskällaren street sign of apartment #7. Many more will overlook the other three cannonballs stuck in the adjacent building. Why are they there and what’s their story?

The most pervasive story told about the first cannonball is that it was shot during the 16th century at King Cristian II of Denmark, also known as Tyrann in Sweden. As the legend goes, the cannon was fired at Cristian during the Stockholm Bloodbath just missing him. It’s believed that it was shot by Gustav Vasa as he laid siege to the city. The projectile lodged into the wall and has remained there ever since.