Do you know what a giant’s kettle is? Probably not. A giant's kettle, also known as giant's cauldron or glacial pothole is a natural geological formation - a cylindrical pothole drilled in solid rock underlying a glacier either by water descending down a deep moulin or by gravel rotating in the bed of subglacial meltwater stream.
Giant’s kettles are common in Sweden, and are called jättegryta in Swedish. The Haga Courthouse giant's kettle is the largest and best-preserved one in Stockholm. It is located in a courtyard behind the Haga Courthouse, and is approximately two meters (6.5 feet) in diameter and three meters (10 feet) deep.
It was formed by glacial erosion, as rocks and debris were carried by the movement of the ice and water, and were ground into the bedrock below. Over time, the swirling action of water and rocks created the circular shape of the pothole. The pothole has been preserved for centuries, as it was covered by soil and vegetation until it was rediscovered during renovations of the courthouse in the 1970s.
The Haga Courthouse giant's kettle is visible to visitors through a window behind a metal gate.
The stones that were responsible for carving the pothole in the bedrock are now utilised as decorative features on the gate to the plot. Specifically, the stones that shaped the giant's kettle were attached to the gateposts of the courthouse, but were subsequently relocated to the back of the building.
Come have a look at this unique natural wonder in the heart of Stockholm, and think of the powerful forces of nature that shaped the landscape of Sweden and the world!
Sources: Wikipedia, Atlas Obscura
Photos: Stockholms läns museum, Statens Fastighetsverk (sfv.se), Holger Ellgaard
