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Gustavus III. and his contemporaries, and many others. A
collection of mediaeval furniture, tapestry, and plate also deserves
inspection. — About 4^/2 Engl.^M. to the V. of Mariefred is the
extensive cannon-foundry of Aker, near which are the
gunpowder-mills of Räcksta. — To the N.W. of Mariefred (12 Engl. M.) lies
Strengnäs (see below).
The next interesting place on the S. bank of Lake Mälaren is
Strengnäs, which is called at by a large proportion of the steamers
plying on the Mälaren, so that travellers have at least two
opportunities daily of making this excursion. Most of the
steamers start from the Munkbrohamn (Pl. D, 5), and some from the
Riddarholm. The passage takes hrs. ; fares 2!/o or 11/o hr.
The steamers to Strengnäs, after passing the entrance to the
Gripsholnisvik (p. 350), steer between the mainland and the Selao,
which formerly belonged to several families of historical note. To
the right, on the island, is the conspicuous farm of Melsåker,
once a richly furnished chateau , and near it is the church of
Ytter-Selö. On the mainland lies Sundby, beyond which we
observe to the right the small Tynnelsö. with a building once
occupied by the bishops of Strengnäs. We now enter a narrow
strait between the Totter % and the mainland, and soon stop at
Strengnäs (Hotel), a town with 1700 inhab., prettily situated.
The history of the place reaches back to the pagan era. A
monastery was afterwards erected here, and in 1291 a bishopric
established. Gustavus Vasa was elected king at Strengnäs in 1523,
and the throne was secured to his heirs by a decree passed here
in 1547. Half the town was burned down in 1871, but has since
been rebuilt. The handsome Gothic * Cathedral was consecrated in
1291, but took Are on the occasion. It was afterwards restored,
but again repeatedly injured by Are, and has undergone frequent
alterations. It now ranks fourth in importance among the
cathedrals of Sweden. The disproportionate thickness of the pillars is
accounted for by the fact that after a Are in 1551 the walls of the
church were lowered 30 feet. The choir is now the most
interesting part. Charles IX. (d. 1609), with his two wives and several of
his children, Sten Sture the Elder (d. 1504), Karlsson Gyllenhjelm
(d. 1650), a natural son of Charles IX., a distinguished general,
and a pious theologian and author (on whose monument are placed
the fetters worn by him when a captive in Poland), Adm. Stenbock,
and other eminent persons lie buried here. The church also contains
some reminiscences of the famous bishop Conrad Kogge (d. 1501).
The old episcopal mansion built by Kogge, with picturesque gables
and turrets, now used as a school-house, contains the room on the
upper Aoor where the election of Gustavus Yasa took place. A
building to the \V. of the church contains the Episcopal Library, a
valuable collection, and a small museum and cabinet of coins.
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