ust as much as the much-vaunted Hanseatic Period, the Swedish Period also plays its part in the formative episodes of the history 1 The Commander’s House 2 Alter Schwede (The Old Swede) 3 The Old Water Tower in the “Lindengarten” 5 The Swedish Heads in front of the “Baumhaus” 6 The Arsenal Hot on the Trail of the Swedes J of Wismar. It was during the Thirty Years War that the city was occupied by the Swedes on the 7th January 1632. In the Peace Treaty The building at no.15 Am Markt, which stems from the late 16th or early One of the oldest of the burghers’ houses in Wismar is situated on the The supply of water to the City of Wismar has a long history and demands The Swedish Heads are two busts of Hercules painted in the baroque The building is generally regarded to be one of the most important baroque of Osnabrück the “City and Dominion of Wismar” finally came into the 17th century, was acquired by the City of Wismar during the 30 Years east side of the Marktplatz. It is regarded as being one of the most our respect for the masterly engineering techniques of centuries gone manner and are to be found in front of the “Baumhaus” in the “Alter manifestations of Swedish military architecture in Germany. In the year possession of the Swedish crown and of the Empire of Sweden. In the War and was fitted out as the Swedish Commandant’s House. In 1658 beautiful and most valuable late gothic secular buildings with Hanseatic by. The “Old Water Tower” in the Lindengarten dating from the second Hafen”. The originals formerly stood on mooring posts in the entrance to 1700 the old building was replaced by a new one after, in 1699, a thunder- 5 Alter Hafen Fürstenhof (“Prince’s Court”) in May 1653 the Royal Swedish Tribunal was it was severely damaged by a fire but was then restored. It is supposed characteristics in our State. The brick construction with its stepped half of the 15th century is the last remaining peel tower that was part the harbour at a point in Wendorf. After a Finnish barge damaged the storm caused a violent explosion in a gunpowder tower, thereby destroying (Old Harbour) Insel Poel established as the highest court of law for all of the German provinces that the house was plastered in the 18th century and had two volute buttress gable was built around 1380. The popular name “Alter Schwede” of the mediaeval city fortifications. From the year 1682 it was incorp- heads in 1902 they were cast as exact replicas of the originals and one complete parts of the city and also the old arsenal building. During the forming part of the Kingdom of Sweden. The Swedish kings confirmed gables. In 1801 the double-fronted house was completely re-constructed can be traced back to a restaurant which carved a place for itself in his- orated into the city’s water supply network. Until 1897 the tower in the year later were re-installed in the same position. One of the originals Swedish period Wismar was considered to be “one of the strongest military all of the privileges which were due to the City. It was thereby that – a new facade with a rustic structure was intended to give the impres- tory and which was fitted out in the neo-gothic style in the second half Lindengarten fed water into the City’s water network. The architectural has been preserved and is to be found in the City History Museum in locations in Europe”. This goes some way to explaining the tremendous Wismar gained unlimited freedom to make rulings on all local matters sion of there being a second floor. Until 1879 the house belonged to the of the last century. It was supposed to serve as a reminder of Wismar’s monument was restored during the years 1994/96. the “Schabbellhaus”. There is no conclusive unanimous opinion as to dimensions of the arsenal – one of the few testimonies to the Swedish 12 itself. Alongside Swedish soldiers, shipbuilders, craftsmen and merchants wholesale merchant David Thormann. His brother, the master-builder affiliations to Sweden between 1648 and 1803. The Lindengarten in which the Old Water Tower is situated, was originally the origin and significance of the Swedish Heads. It has been possible architectural style still remaining in Wismar. In fact, the “Zeughaus” ful- 8 put down roots in the City. By the same token many a citizen of Wismar Heinrich Thormann, was responsible for giving the building its present part of the Swedish fortification. to establish that in 1672 a post, in fact that which marked the furthest filled its original purpose of weapons arsenal for less than two decades. 4 tried his luck in Sweden. During the “Nordic Wars” Wismar, as a Swedish appearance in the second half of the 19th century, when he freed it of boundary of the harbour, was referred to as the “Swede” and that at The Swedish master-builder Erik Dahlberg errected the Arsenal building Historic Centre 3 possession, constantly became involved in military conflicts. After the all the details which cluttered it and restored the facade to the style the beginning of the 19th century the two heads were installed as a directly on what was then the waterfront. The upper floor has a self- Swedish defeat there began in 1717 the demolition, the so-called razing of the Dutch Renaissance. In 1930 the double-fronted house became reminder of the Swedish period. In all probability the two originals were supporting construction which does not use any supporting pillars. The 6 Lübeck of the fortifications. The moats were filled in, the citadels, the bastions as the property of the Sparkasse Wismar (Wismar Savings Bank) which likely to have been rudder heads and at one time formed part of the immense roof truss is only supported by the perimeter walls. In this way 2 well as the fortification on Walfisch Island were blown up. continues to use it to the present day. The rooms´ interiors remained to three-dimensional decorative elements on the stern of a ship. there was created an ideal warehousing space of just on 900 m for what 10 Wismar’s retention by Sweden was conditional upon the City never some extent unaltered from what it was in the second half of the 19th were in those times the largest instruments of war around. These were 9 Markt 2 11 Rostock again being allowed to become fortified. By the end of the 18th century century, and on the first floor there is a spiral staircase made of wood conveyed to the upper floor by means of horses pulling them up a sloping ca. 3 km 7 1 the balance of power in Europe had been transformed, so that negotia- dating from the 17th century. The historic hall on the first floor has been ramp. Once the Nordic Wars were over Wismar’s military installa tions tions could begin for Wismar to return to the Duchy of Mecklenburg. restored several times – the last time by the Sparkasse itself. weere razed to the ground. The “Zeughaus” was spared this fate, since On the 26th June 1803 the Malmö Pledge Contract was signed by the it was bought by some of the citizens of Wismar. plenipoten tiaries of Sweden and Mecklenburg. As a consequence of In 1993 the complex redevelopment of the building began. King Carl this contract the City of Wismar together with districts of Poel and XVI Gustav of Sweden made available 80,000 kroners for the true to the Neu kloster were ceded to the Duke of Mecklenburg with the right for original reproduction and reinstatement of the Royal Swedish coat of redemption by Sweden after 100 or, as the case may be, 200 years. arms on the main portal. Schwerin After the first 100 years of being “pledged”, in the Treaty of Stockholm of 20th June 1903 the seal was set on the final return of Wismar into the fold of Mecklenburg. There is a great deal which still reminds one Key of this historic epoch. 1: The Commander’s House In front of the Baumhaus (The Tree House) in the Alter Hafen (the 2: Alter Schwede (the Old Swede) old harbour) there lie in repose the “Schwedenköpfe” (the Swedish 4 The Provision House 3: Old Water Tower in the “Lindengarten” Heads). At one time they were to be found at the harbour entrance, and 4: The Provision House now they are a sight of the city. A still extant original is amongst the Opposite the Old Water Tower there stands the Royal Swedish Provision 5: The Swedish Heads in front of the “Baumhaus” in the “Alter Hafen” pr ecious possessions in the City Museum of History (Stadtgeschichtliches 6: The Arsenal Museum), in the “Schabbellhaus”. House, built in 1690 and which over the following centuries has under- gone many a change of use and of construction. From 1750 it served as 7: The Princes’ Court A visit is well worthwhile to the “Alter Schwede” (The Old Swede) in 8: The Mevius Epitaph in the church of St. Nicholas the market place, one of the oldest burgher’s houses (around 1380). A a packing house for goods on which excise was to be levied, and they could here be weighed, sorted and divided into price categories. The 9: The Wrangel clock in the church tower of St. Mary’s restaurant which was installed there in 1878 reminds one of the former 10: The Wrangel tomb affiliation to Sweden.