Stora Kvinns

Envision Stora Kvinns in its heyday. It’s the early 1900s. Two identical structures dominate the Långbro Hospital landscape. Stora Kvinns, the women’s ward, stands proudly in the south. Its twin, the men’s ward, echoes its form 250 meters north. Stora Kvinns wasn’t just a building. It was designed for efficient and safe patient oversight. The ground floor housed the admissions area and wards for patients requiring intensive care. Tucked away in the building’s wings were basic operating rooms and a small apartment for the doctor on duty. Ascending to the first and second floors, you’d find general wards for less critical patients. These bright rooms, with large southeast-facing windows, accommodated up to eight people each. For those who could afford privacy, sixteen single rooms were available. High atop Stora Kvinns, a spacious weaving room offered therapeutic activity for patients. The top floor also housed living quarters for the female staff. In 1922, a clock was installed in the tower, its face visible across the entire hospital grounds. Five elevators served the building, and each floor boasted wide, bright corridors that doubled as day rooms and dining areas for patients. Tragedy struck on the night of August 29, 1931. A fire ignited in the weaving room at the top of Stora Kvinns. Hundreds of patients were evacuated as multiple fire stations battled the blaze throughout the night. Though the fire was contained, the damage was extensive. A portion of the building’s central section collapsed. Remarkably, no lives were lost, though several firefighters were deeply shaken by their near-death experiences. The decision to rebuild the damaged midsection was swift. However, the new design was simpler, perhaps for cost-saving reasons. An investigation later determined that a short circuit in one of the weaving room’s ceiling lamps was the culprit. The clock, once perched atop the midsection, did not return to its original position. The large clock faces and hands remain in the building’s basement. Years later, in the 1990s, Stora Kvinns’ unique exterior and interior served as a backdrop for film productions, including episodes of the popular Swedish detective series “Beck,” “OP-7,” and the feature film “1939.” From hospital ward to film set, Stora Kvinns underwent another transformation. In 2001-2002, the building was renovated and converted into 73 residential apartments, ranging from 45 to 140 square meters. Today, Stora Kvinns stands as a testament to its multifaceted past, its white plaster walls and mansard copper roof a familiar landmark.