Nothing in Solna - is there anything there?

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Writer: Helena Bergström

Ingenting in Solna - is there anything there? Ingenting is an office and residential neighbourhood very close to us, in Solna outside Stockholm. The name is imaginative and has some interesting stories to tell...

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Nothing in Solna

When driving on certain roads in Solna, you can see the sign for Nothing at all. It feels a bit strange, is "Nothing" there? But yes, it is. There is a slightly remote area in Solna called Ingenting.

The location is so insignificant that it's hard to find on Google Maps - when I search, I get "STC Nothing", which appears to be a gym located in Nothing. But the fact remains - the place exists and it's clearly signposted!

Why is the area called Nothing?

So why is the area called 'Nothing'? What is certain is that at one time there was a sanctuary here, called Nothing, which was under the control of the neighbouring Karlberg Castle.

The artist Johan Tobias Sergel stayed at the farm for several summers, and apparently Carl Michael Bellman also stayed here. However, the two 18th century buildings no longer exist - they were demolished in the 1980s when Tomteboda postal terminal was built.

In addition, the area was once home to a forest called the Nothing Forest. As we understand it, there is virtually nothing left of this forest, although some wooded areas between the buildings may be remnants of it.

The smaller forest that exists nearby today is called Western forest, which is also the name of the metro station located here. This forest probably bordered the Nothing Forest at one time, or this was simply the western part of it.

But why was the farm called "Nothing"? The name is apparently disputed, and there seems to be no definite answer to the question. According to one legend, it was Bellman and Gustav III who jokingly invented the name, but it seems to be a fanciful made-up story.

Another theory is that the farm had a historical connection to something called Bålstomta, which in turn would be synonymous with Nothing. If you google Bålstomta (or Bolstomta), on the other hand, you end up at Tomteboda, so you don't get much wiser from that ...

The story of Nothing in Solna

People have apparently lived in the Nothing Forest since ancient times. Archaeological finds from both the Migration Period and the Viking Age have been made here.

Between 1911 and 1927, Stockholms Folkpark was located in Ingentingskogen, and at that time there were both theatre stages and dance floors. The place was popularly known as "Tingsan".

Later, both companies and government institutions found their way here. Between 1933 and 1937, the State Bacteriological Laboratory was built here, in buildings designed by the architect Gunnar Asplund. These buildings are now owned by the Valneva company, which manufactures vaccines.

Between 1980 and 1983, the Tomteboda postal terminal was built on the very site where the Ingenting farm once stood.

What is in Nothing today - is there anything?

What is in the Nothing today? It's a bit difficult to know exactly where the boundaries of 'nothingness' lie, but the centre of nothingness is the Tomteboda postal terminal. There's a railway yard for freight traffic and the MSB (Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency) is also located here - you know the ones who send out that brochure "If crisis or war comes".

Post Nord is also located in the area, in a large ship-like building, which seems to float on top of the "nothing".

The area is also home to the SÄPO, i.e. the Security Police. This building is a protected object and therefore may not be photographed, so you will have to take my word for it. The question is: a secret building located in Nothing - does it exist?

Nearby are Huvudsta and Västra Skogen. I don't know if Ingentingsgatan is in Ingenting or just outside (in Någonting?) but it has an appropriate name ...

More to see and do near Nothing

What is there to see and do near Ingenting? Well, you'll find the marina where we live, among other things, Pampas marina, just next door. The name "Pampas" is also interesting and probably originates from the time when the cadets at Karlberg Castle called the training field behind the castle "Pampas". The large open field probably reminded them of the Pampas plains in South America, which Evert Taube sings about ...

Right next door you will of course also find Karlberg Castle, which today serves as a military academy. Although the castle itself cannot normally be visited inside, you are free to walk in the large beautiful park, Karlberg Castle Park, which is behind it. We have also written about more to see and experience in Solna here.

Have you visited Ingenting in Solna?

Had you heard of Ingenting i Solna before? Are you familiar with the area, or have you visited it?

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