The statue of a man drawing a bow on the square, often misinterpreted as depicting William Tell, was inaugurated in 1916 as an homage to Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson, leader of the Engelbrekt rebellion (1434–1436) against the German-dominated government of Eric of Pomerania.
[2] An archaeological investigation in 2002 exposed sections of unmoved cultural deposits at +2.4–1.9 metres asl (square pavement slightly below +3) of layers of sand containing fragments of red pottery, faïence, and Chinese porcelain, probably dating from the 18th century.
[3] The square is named after the harbour Kornhamn where corn delivered to the city by ships from the Lake Mälaren area was embarked in the Middle Ages, the corn then stored on an open space called Korntorget ("Grain Square").
Both historically and in modern times, the names Kornhamn and Kornhamnstorg have been used for the square, the harbour, and the present quay.
[1] In the early 1740s, the harbour and its quays were restored together with to canal separating Riddarholmen from the rest of the old town.