The Commandantenhus was built as the administrative seat of the Swedish garrison commander in the years 1748-1751. Together with other historical buildings, it adorns the Alte Markt (Old Market Square) of Stralsund. A striking allusion to its former function is the large coat of arms in its gable field. [German]
Artist Heinrich Zenichowski from the city of Greifswald created this colourful piece in 2003. The representation shows the coat of arms of Stralsund in the blue field with the Swedish lion and the Pomeranian gryphon as supporters.
Sure, many fabulous buildings like the Historical Town Hall frame the old market square. Nevertheless, I’m completely captivated by the big coat of arms on the Commandantenhus. It is a magnificent find in my search for symbols of that historical period when Stralsund was a part of Sweden.
The building is only one of many objects which are part of the project Schwedenstraße. This German theme route tells about the Swedish era of Pomerania.
Sources / More info
- Swedish Pomerania (Wikipedia)