Stora torget

**The main square

Since the 13th century, Stora torget has been the center of the city. In the northern part of the square was Helgeandsgården, a combination of poorhouse, health center and retirement home. At the western end was the town hall, which burned down in the late 1470s. Helgeandskyrkan, now the town hall, was built to the east in the 1470s. When royalty visited Arboga to address the people, Stora torget became the natural place. This was also the case for Duke Karl, the future Charles IX, who convened a parliament in Arboga on the second Sunday of Lent in 1597, when there was a market and the town was teeming with commoners and merchants. The parliamentary documents describe that the Duke spoke several times to the "gray crowd" in the square from a built-up platform where the current town hall is located. The shouts of approval from the people of Arboga confirmed that Duke Karl had support for his harsh policy against the king, his nephew Sigismund. This was the last time Arboga was the venue for a parliament.

The town had its own place of execution up towards Brattberget, but the occasional execution also took place on Stora torget. At Persmäss 1667, a person convicted of manslaughter was executed here. Persmäss on June 29 was the highlight of Arbogas when the town was full of people. The time of the execution was well chosen: the people would see what happened to the lawbreaker. The main square was also the site of fire brigade spraying and sharpshooter military exercises, as well as workers' demonstrations. And, of course, for the market trade on Saturdays, when maids and ladies of the bourgeoisie came to see what the farmers around Arboga had to offer.