The monument to Per Brahe the Younger

Subject: Per Brahe the Younger
Location: Gränna Torg square
Inaugurated: Midsummer’s Eve 1916
Material (bust): Bronze
Artist: Börje Börjesson
Base: Sandstone
Architect (base): Theodor Wåhlin

In 1903, a group of women from the town’s middle class founded the Brahe Educational Foundation. The society’s aim was to preserve the memory of Gränna’s founder, Count Per Brahe the Younger. After many years of dedicated work, the people of Gränna were able to gather on Midsummer’s Eve 1916 for a grand ceremony to unveil the bust of Brahe in the town square.

The bronze bust was made by the sculptor Börje Börjesson. The sandstone base was designed by Theodor Wåhlin, the architect behind Lund Cathedral. The monument sometimes receives a little extra attention thanks to the care of the people of Gränna. At Christmas, the bust is adorned with a Santa hat, and when Grenna School still existed, Per Brahe was given a graduation cap to wear during students’ celebrations.

The Gränna Torg square was constructed in 1652 by the town’s founder, Per Brahe the Younger. He also had a town hall built here, which was completed in 1675. By the early 1800s, the building was in such a state of disrepair that it was demolished.

For a long time, the square was an important gathering place and market site. From 1834 onwards, a market was held there every Wednesday. Much of the square’s current character dates back to 1863, when the cobblestones were laid. At the same time, the retaining wall that faces Brahegatan street was built to level out the height difference between the street and the square – a feature that still characterises the slope of the site.

The square, once an open meeting place and bustling market, has changed over time. Today, Gränna Torg is used primarily as a car park – but the bust of Per Brahe the Younger still stands in the centre of the square, serving as a reminder of the town’s origins.