Oxhålet

Across the shimmering waters, lies Oxhålet. This strait separates Stora Essingen and Bromma. It’s a vital part of Lake Mälaren. Oxhålet stretches approximately 1,100 meters. At its narrowest point, it measures about 150 meters across. The depth of Oxhålet varies between 19 and 21 meters. The origin of the name “Oxhålet,” which also refers to Oxhålssundet, remains a mystery. According to “Stockholms gatunamn,” it might be “an old burlesque ship name.” The name first appeared on a land survey map in 1743. The area around Oxhålet on Stora Essingen includes Oxhålshamnen (Oxhålet Harbor) and Oxhålsberget (Oxhålet Mountain). And of course, there’s Oxhålsbadet, the beloved swimming area. Alviksbron, a combined bridge for Tvärbanan’s tram traffic, pedestrians, and cyclists, spans Oxhålet. This bridge is 400 meters long with a main span of 140 meters. It offers a generous clearance height of 24 meters for sailing vessels. In the 1960s, Brommagrenen, a planned city highway, was intended to cross Oxhålet as part of Stockholm’s 1960s and 1967 city plans. The project was halted in the early 1970s. A roughly 200-meter-long, grass-covered section of road on Stora Essingen remains as a visible remnant of this abandoned project. Oxhålsbadet isn’t Essinge residents’ first outdoor bathing spot. That was located at what is now Broparken, marked by Badstrandsvägen. The current Oxhålsbadet sits at the end of Gammelgårdsvägen, south of Oxhålshamnen and at the base of Oxhålsberget. It was initially known as Stora Essingebadet. Established in the 1930s as Stora Essingens friluftsbad, it even featured a small sandy beach. In the 1940s, a floating dock, diving tower, and summer café were added. The sandy beach disappeared with the construction of the waterfront promenade. A typhoid epidemic in 1955, linked to a nearby city sewage outlet, forced Oxhålsbadet to close. With improved water quality, it reopened in 1999. It was renovated in 2014 and again before the 2020 swimming season. Oxhålsbadet is a “pier bath” with three large piers, ladders, and seating. These piers are permanent fixtures. Grassy areas and wooden decks provide space for sunbathing and picnics, and there’s even a barbecue area. During the swimming season, the municipality provides portable toilets. The bath itself doesn’t have showers or changing rooms. Oxhålsbadet remains under the management of the Stockholm municipality.