Mariefred

Mariefred
Mariefred in August 2005, view from Gripsholm Castle
Mariefred
Coordinates:
Country	Sweden
Province	Södermanland
County	Södermanland County
Municipality	Strängnäs Municipality
Area
• Total	2.51 km2 (0.97 sq mi)
Population (31 December 2010)
• Total	3,726
• Density	1,487/km2 (3,850/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)

Mariefred is a locality situated in Strängnäs Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 3,726 inhabitants in 2010.

The name is derived from that of the former Carthusian monastery here, Mariefred Charterhouse, and means "Peace of Mary" (the former name was Gripsholm). It lies roughly 50 kilometres west of Stockholm.

Mariefred, despite its small population, is for historical reasons often still referred to as a city. Statistics Sweden, however, only counts localities with more than 10,000 inhabitants as cities.

The Royal Gripsholm Castle is located in the town.

The old barn of Gripsholm Castle is now a centre for fine arts printmaking, Grafikens Hus ("House of Graphics").

The East Södermanland Railway has a railway museum here with one of the finest collections of 600 mm narrow-gauge passenger railcars anywhere.

Kurt Tucholsky is buried in the town cemetery.

Notable natives

Pop and jazz singer Lisa Ekdahl was raised in Mariefred.

Famous Swedish actor Dolph Lundgren has a summer home in Mariefred, Kalkudden.

Mikael Samuelsson, a professional ice hockey player for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL) was born in Mariefred. Samuelsson is a member of the exclusive Triple Gold Club, having won the Stanley Cup, Olympics, and World Championship.

Other notable residents

The Pirate Bay Founder, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg is currently a prisoner of the Mariefred Prison, sentenced for facilitating the Distribution of Copyrighted Media.