LOCATION
A city in southern Sweden, situated on the Skåne peninsula on the picturesque bank of the Oresund strait. After the construction of the bridge-tunnel crossing (Most Öresund) with Copenhagen in 2000, it is considered to be the so-called “the gate to Sweden”. The city can be reached by car, train or yacht.
55°37’15.2″N 13°00’11.1″E
SCENIC CHARACTER
The oldest historic mentions of Malmö date back to the second half of the 12th century and the oldest preserved municipal privileges date from 1353. At that time it was a part of the then Kingdom of Denmark. The King of Scandinavia, Eric of Pomerania, after taking power in Scandinavia, decided to make use of the strategic localisation of the Ӧresund, through which the countless Hanseatic merchant ships sailed. One of the main political goals set by this ambitious ruler of the Griffins line was to control the trade in the Baltic Sea, so he built several fortresses along the strand of the Ӧresund. The castle in Malmö was one of them. You can read more about it on the board located in front of the Castle’s entrance. It is to King Eric that Malmo owes its coat of arms, which has survived to this day almost unchanged. It depicts a head of a red griffin in a jewel, presented on a silver background. The region of Skåne has a head of a griffin in its coat of arms as well.
ATTRACTIONS
Considering the Griffins Route, the place that you must visit is the Castle. It is located in a beautiful green area in the city centre.
From 1937 the castle has been serving as a museum of the history of the region, history of the city as well as natural and technological history. When visiting Malmö Museum it’s possible to try out the free Bring Your Own Device-tour. Using your smartphone you can explore and learn more about the history of the castle, starting from the time of Queen Margaret l and King Eric of Pomerania. Malmö is a city where you can find many places marked with a griffin: bridges, buildings, sewage sumps and monuments. After leaving the castle it is worth visiting the Banérskajen – a small street where in the morning you can buy fresh fish straight from the fishermen. Being in Malmö, you must visit Stortorget, the main square. It has existed since 1538 and has approx. 2500 m2 and a small market adjacent to it. Many medieval parts of the town were demolished during 1530s in order to make room for Stortorget, which was considered to be the biggest market square in the Nordic countries. In the main square you will find the Old Town Hall and Kockska Huset, a building from the early 16th century, and St. Peter´s church, which is a beautiful gothic brick church founded at the beginning of the 14th century. In 1518 Jörgen Kock was appointed master of the mint in Malmö for the kingdom of Denmark. Jörgen Kock’s house was built in 1522-1525 in a splendid late Gothic style. The town hall was built on the initiative of the mayor of the city, Jörgen Kock, and was completed in 1546. Although the appearance of the city hall has changed over the centuries, the familiar silhouette of the griffin has remained on the building and flags.
