Little Square, Malmö

Lilla torg is a square in the Old Town in central Malmö. It is located next to Stortorget. Around the square are several restaurants and in the summertime the outdoor seating is crowded. Previously, the municipality built an ice skating rink on the square, but this has now been moved to Stortorget.

In the latter half of the 16th century, "a large wasteland" is mentioned southwest of Stortorget. At this time, the area does not seem to have been attractive for building due to its low-lying land surface. Only after filling in the area was Lilla torg, an extension of Stortorget, created in the 1590s. It was here that the bourgeois wives and maids went to buy their daily household goods. Here, on the western side of the square, people crowded around the meat counters, while on the southern side, bakers offered freshly baked bread. Along the eastern side of the square were the fishmongers and to the north the hawkers, the grocers. The small stalls of the hawks and fishmongers disappeared in the 18th century and were replaced by proper houses. Lilla torg was being swallowed up by permanent buildings. The older small houses on the square itself just before, during and just after the turn of the century 1899-1900 were replaced by a market hall built in 1902-1903 according to plans by Salomon Sörensen. The market hall was built in a medieval romantic style in red brick and covered the entire square. In the 1960s, a so-called cultural environment project was carried out and the saloon was demolished in 1968 and Lilla torg was freed to its original extent.

South of the square is the Hedmanska farm, an old half-timbered farm dating back to the 1590s. Inside the courtyard is the Form/Design Center, with a gallery and exhibitions. Next to Hedmanska gård, on the other side of Hjulhamnsgatan, is the Faxeska House from the 1760s.

On the western side of the square there are today two half-timbered houses. The corner house, the Ekströmska House, was built in the 1720s, while the neighbouring house, the Aspegrenska House, despite its old appearance, is newly built. Sculpted parts, however, date from the 17th century. The brick building at the north-western corner of the square was built in the 19th century as a factory building and served for a while as a saloon, but is now a 5-star hotel. The street that used to run along the western side of the square was called Torggatan - these street names disappeared in 1969. At the same time, Landbygatan and Larochegatan, which used to run along the north and south sides of the square respectively, were shortened and the whole area has since been called Lilla torg.

The fountain was added in 1973. The reliefs on the fountain's frame show symbols of the four old tradesmen's professions of the square. Lilla Torg's football team is called Lilla Torg FF and plays at Mariedals IP.