Långholmen - from spinning house and Långholmen prison to verdant promenade island

Långholmen has a cellular history – a place where the fates of prisoners have shaped the island for centuries. In 1724, a spinning house was established here, a women's prison where inmates were forced to work with textile production. Until 1825, women were imprisoned here for everything from begging to "immoral living". As the prison grew, more space was needed, and a former manor house was expanded to accommodate another 200 prisoners.

When the women moved out, Långholmen became a male central prison with 127 cells, where generations of prisoners served their sentences. During this city walk, you will gain insight into their daily lives and living conditions, from the days of the spinning house inmates to the later years of the prison.

We visit Stora vakten (the Main Guardhouse), see the massive prison walls and pass the director's residence, where the power and control of the time were exercised. On the western side of the island, we explore another part of Långholmen's history – the idyllic allotment gardens, Karlhälls gård (farm) and the old summer residences at Sofieberg. Through historical images and stories, you get a vivid sense of how the island has changed over time.

The city walk ends at Långholmen, near toilets and a café.

💡 Tips! After the walk, you can visit Långholmen's museum on your own, where you can step into an old prison cell and experience how cramped the prisoners lived. Entrance fee 50 SEK, paid directly to the museum.

Book now and experience Långholmen's unique history!

What is included?

• Explore Långholmen's unique history, from the spinning house (women's prison) from 1724 to the male prison with 127 cells.

• Hear stories about the daily lives of the prisoners and the lives of the spinning house inmates during the 18th and 19th centuries.

• See historical sites such as Stora vakten (the Main Guardhouse), the walls of the Central Prison and the director's residence.

• Visit the western part of the island and discover allotment gardens, Karlhälls gård (farm) and summer residences at Sofieberg.

• Get a rich picture of Långholmen's history with the help of many old photographs.

• Opportunity to visit Långholmen's museum after the walk, where you can experience an old prison cell (additional cost: 50 SEK).

Practical information

• Meeting point/end of the walk: Meeting at Brofiket, Alstavikvägen, Långholmen. Bus/Subway to Hornstull, 10 minutes walk down to Långholmen. The walk ends near Kronohäktet, Långholmen. 10 minutes walk back to Hornstull. Feel free to use SL's travel planner: sl.se

• Length of the walk: 90 minutes or 2.8 kilometers.

• Accessibility: Asphalt, gravel, grass and some stairs, partly uneven surface. If you are in a wheelchair, use a mobility scooter or have a stroller/bicycle with you - please let me know when booking so I can adapt the routes to avoid stairs and differences in altitude as much as possible.

• Comfortable shoes and clothes for all weather.

• Children under 15 accompanied by a paying adult are welcome to join for free.

• Well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome. Would you like to help more people find this walk?

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