1-Gamla Stan
The high island rising between the waters of the Baltic Sea and Lake Mälaren is known as Gamla Stan – the Old Town. However, in the 13th century it was called Stadsholmen and its naturally defensive position (between two narrow channels of water connecting the sea and lake) made it an ideal place for Birger Jarl to construct a fortress and begin the foundations of the city. Thus Stockholm’s history is concentrated in Gamla Stan and its cobbled lanes, winding alleys, mansions, palaces and soaring spires. Exploring Gamla Stan is a must for every visitor to Stockholm. Starting from Gustav Adolfs Torg, cross over the gracefully arched bridge of Norrbro. The massive façade of the Royal Palace beckons, but before going there spend a few moments on the first island – one of the four comprising Gamla Stan. On your right will be the Riksdagshuset, the House of Parliament To the left, steps lead down to a small park, Stromparterren, home to the Museum of Medieval Stockholm and a café along the banks of the Norrström channel. This is where the waters of the Baltic and Lake Mälaren meet. You may see fishermen on the bankside or standing in the water. The Stockholm authorities actually encourage this and no permit is required. There is even a set of weighing scales in the park to check if a trophy fish has been caught.
2-Kungliga Slottet
Now cross the next bridge over the narrow Stallkanalen waterway, and head up the hill to the Kungliga Slottet Built on the site of the original Tre Kronor (Three Crowns) castle, it was commissioned by King Karl XI, and the architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger began work on it in 1692. However, a combination of a fire in 1697 and a subsequent poor economy delayed continuation until 1728. It wasn’t until 1754 that King Adolf Fredrik was able to move in, ending the royal family’s 57 years of residence in the Wrangelska palace on the island of Riddarholmen. It is still the official residence of His Majesty the King, and until the present monarch, Carl XVI Gustaf, decided to reside at Drottningholm, it was known as one of the biggest palaces in the world (over 600 rooms) still to be inhabited by royalty. Kungliga Slottet is remarkably accessible to the public, although parts, or all, may be closed for affairs of state. Anyone can walk through the inner courtyard, and the main parts of the building are open to visitors. Be sure not to miss the beautifully preserved rococo interior of the Royal Chapel and Queen Kristina’s silver throne in the Hall of State. Among other palace highlights are the Royal Apartments and Galleries with magnificent baroque interiors, containing priceless 17th-century Gobelin tapestries, paintings, china, jewellery and furniture collected over the centuries by kings and queens. The royal jewels are displayed in the Treasury (Skattkammaren) and include the king’s crown, first used for Erik XIV’s coronation in 1561, and the queen’s crown, designed in 1751 for Queen Lovisa Ulrika, which is spectacularly studded with almost 700 diamonds. In addition to housing the Treasury, the Palace Museum in the cellar has artefacts from the Middle Ages, and the Museum of Antiquities exhibits classical sculpture brought from Italy by King Gustav III during the 1780s.Also located in the complex is Livrustkammaren a fascinating collection of the weapons and costumes of Swedish kings and queens.
3-Storkyrkan and Stortorget
Just south of the palace on Slottsbacken, and diagonally across from the south façade, is Storkyrkan (Great Church). It is the city’s oldest church, dating from the 13th century, and it has been the coronation site of most of Sweden’s kings. Storkyrkan’s dull baroque exterior gives no hint of the beauty of its late-Gothic interior. Of note is the sculptural depiction of St George and the Dragon, which symbolises Sweden’s struggles to break free of Denmark. The sculpture was executed by Bernt Notke, a woodcarver from the German city of Lübeck, in the 15th century. Just a few steps from the church, in Stortorget (Great Square), a murderous event known as the ‘Stockholm Blood Bath’ took place in 1520. King Christian II of Denmark ordered the beheading of some 80 Swedish noblemen here, and their heads were piled pyramid-style in the middle of the square. Among the fine old houses on Stortorget is the Börsen (Stock Exchange), a handsome building dating from 1776. The Swedish Academy meets here to elect the Nobel Prize winners in literature. The building is also home to the Nobelmuseet which uses cutting-edge design and technology, including 40 fascinating short films, to document the history and the world of the Nobel Prize – specifically Alfred Nobel himself and the more than 700 laureates.
4-Exploring the Old Town
Once you’ve seen the principal attractions, the best way to get the feel of the Old Town is to wander its maze of medieval stone streets at will. There’s something to experience at every turn – antiques shops housed in fine 15th- and 16th-century buildings, former merchant palaces, gabled houses decorated with ornate portals and delightful alleyways with names like Gåsgränd (Goose Lane) and Skeppar Karls Gränd (Skipper Karl’s Lane). You’ll also come across art shops, galleries and smart boutiques selling clothes, handcrafted jewellery and ceramics and plenty of cosy cafés serving decent coffee and kanelbulle (cinnamon rolls). Two streets emanate southwards from either side of the Kungliga Slottet, Västerlanggatan to the west and Österlänggatan to the east, finally curving together at the small square of Järntorget (the Iron Market Square). These two streets adjoined the original city walls, and the area inside them plus the palace actually constitute the original Old Town. Västerlånggatan (pedestrian-only) and Österlånggatan are interesting and contrasting streets in their own right. The former, lined along its entirety with tourist shops of every description, bars and restaurants, is much more popular and is usually extremely crowded. At Tyska Brinken make a short detour to the left and go to Tyska Kyrkan (German Church). It boasts a fine baroque exterior and an opulent interior dating from the mid-17th century. Near the end, also on the left, is Mårten Trotzigs Gränd, the narrowest street in Stockholm. This steep, lamp-lit, stone stairway is scarcely more than a yard wide and takes you on to Prästgatan. Past Järntorget, swing left into Österlånggatan, another long, winding street. Despite being dotted with art galleries, craftsmen’s shops and some fine restaurants, it is noticeably more tranquil. At number 51 is Den Gyldene Freden, the most famous restaurant in the Old Town. Its name comes from the Peace of Nystad of 1721, which marked the end of Charles XII’s wars. The historic brick cellar rooms are associated with the 18th-century troubadour Carl Michaël Bellman, who dropped by here from time to time. Walking north, you will pass by another statue of St George and the Dragon and a number of small boutiques to tempt your wallet.
5-Riddarholmen
Cross the nearby bridge, Riddarholmsbron, to arrive on the island of Riddarholmen (Isle of the Nobility). Here, you’ll find a former Riksdag (Parliament) building, several palaces, and the copper-topped Birger Jarl’s tower, erected by Gustav Vasa in the 16th century. At Riddarholmen quay you get a marvellous view of Lake Mälaren, the heights of Söder (southern Stockholm) and Stadshuset on Kungsholmen which appears as though it is rising straight out of Lake Mälaren. It is the elegantly intricate façade, with its distinctive cast-iron latticework spire, of the Riddarholmskyrkan that dominates this small island. Built in connection with a Franciscan monastery founded by King Magnus Ladulås in 1270, it was completed very early in the 14th century and has been the burial place of Swedish kings for some 500 years. The interior is a pleasing mix of simplicity and regality. The walls are covered in the coats of arms of the Knights of the Seraphim Order. The floor contains about 200 graves from different eras. The last regular service was held here in 1807. These days it is only used for memorial and burial services.
6-Norrmalm and Kungsholmen
You will, undoubtedly, be spending some time in the New Stockholm, or Norrmalm, the city’s northern sector. This is where the business, banking, shopping and entertainment facilities are concentrated, as well as the majority of larger hotels and the railway and bus stations. In the post-war renewal between the 1950s and the early 1970s, central Stockholm was almost entirely rebuilt and old streets were replaced by office blocks and modern shopping malls with restaurants, cinemas and boutiques.
7-Sergels Torg
Stockholm’s equivalent of Trafalgar Square, or Times Square, is found at the bi-level Sergels Torg (Sergel Square), which has become the focal point of the modern city. Named after Johan Tobias Sergel, an 18th-century court sculptor, it is the centre of the city’s shopping district with traffic circling around a huge glass obelisk that sits in the centre of a fountain, and an open-air pedestrian precinct on the lower level. The market stalls, protesters and street entertainers here attract many shoppers and curious onlookers. The dominant building is the huge, glass-fronted Kulturhuset where hundreds of people come daily to see art and handicraft exhibitions, watch films, listen to music, poetry and dramatic readings, or enjoy a fine view of the city while drinking coffee at the Café Panorama. The Stockholm Stadsteater (Municipal Theatre), which stages modern and classical plays in Swedish, is also located here.
8-North of Sergels Torg
A short walk through the city’s shopping centre, a mix of malls and shopping streets usually animated by the music of street performers, will take you to Hötorget (Haymarket Square), the northern end of the row of glass skyscrapers that starts at Sergels Torg. Hötorget’s open-air market – selling fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers six days a week and operating as a flea market on Sunday – adds a touch of colour to the square. Also, on Hötorget, you will find Konserthuset a neoclassical building distinguished by an unusual façade of Corinthian pillars and bronze portals. The Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra performs here, but you can hear other kinds of music, from chamber music to pop melodies. In front of the building you will see Carl Milles’ Orpheus Fountain, one of the late Swedish sculptor’s finest works At the northern end of the shopping street of Drottninggatan you will find the interesting Strindbergsmuseet Here, the apartment in which Sweden’s greatest playwright, August Strindberg, lived during the last years of his life has been reconstructed with authentic furnishings, including his original writing desk. Three adjoining rooms are devoted to his manuscripts, letters and the photos of actors and actresses who performed roles in his plays. Strindberg died in 1912.
9-Kungsträdgården and Environs
Leading east from Sergels Torg is Hamngatan, one of the main shopping streets. Its tenants include NK (short for Nordiska Kompaniet), Sweden’s biggest department store, alongside Gallerian, a mall with many shops and restaurants. The previously public spaces of Sverigehuset (Sweden House) are now home to Illums Bolighus, a well-known Danish interior design shop. The building was designed by one of the most important modernist Swedish architects, Sven Markelius (1889–1972). Next door is Stockholm’s liveliest park, Kungsträdgården (Royal Gardens), stretching from Hamngatan down to the waters of Strömmen. Established as a royal pleasure garden in the 16th century for the exclusive use of the Swedish aristocracy and the court, Kungsträdgården has now become a favourite gathering place for locals and visitors especially during the summer months. Encircled by cafés and restaurants you will find a long, rectangular pond with fountains; an outdoor stage for rock, chamber music and choral concerts; botanical exhibits, statues and an ice-skating rink during winter. At the foot of the Kungsträdgården is a small, attractive park, Karl XII’s Torg. It is dominated by a statue of the king himself, Sweden’s most celebrated historical figure. The 17th-century church Jakobs Kyrka is adjacent to the park. It is worth a moment here to look at the marvellous portals, particularly the one on the southern side, which dates from 1644. Just west of here is Gustav Adolfs Torg, a large square with an equestrian statue of King Gustavus Adolphus, the Swedish hero of the Thirty Years’ War. On the east side of the square you will see Kungliga Operan housed in a sombre baroque-style building from 1898. King Gustav III, a great patron of the arts, founded the opera in 1773. It was here (in the original opera house) that he was shot and killed some 20 years later at a masked ball. Incidentally, Verdi used this drama as the basis for his opera The Masked Ball. Swedes are proud of the Royal Opera’s long and distinguished history. Some of the world’s greatest singers got their start here, from Jenny Lind, the 19th-century ‘Swedish Nightingale’ who made a fabulously successful tour around the United States, to Jussi Björling and Birgit Nilsson. This remarkable institution has a breathtaking output of nearly 400 performances of opera and ballet each season. On the southwest side of Gustav Adolfs Torg is Arvfurstens Palats (Prince’s Palace), which in 1906 was taken over by the Swedish Foreign Office.
10-Kungsholmen
Just west of Norrmalm, Kungsholmen (King’s Island) is a well-to-do area, but it retains a quiet, neighbourhood feel and, at just under 4 sq km (1.5 sq miles), is very manageable to stroll around. The opening of the boutique shopping centre, Vastermalmsgallerian, in 2000, was the catalyst for a blossoming café, bistro and bar scene and its numerous and attractive little restaurants offer an easy diversion from the bustle of the city. The view from its city hall tower is a must for visitors. Cross Stadshusbron (City Hall Bridge) from Tegelbacken, just a short walk from Central Station, and on your left is Stockholm’s majestic Stadshuset ) When W.B. Yeats came to Stockholm in 1923 to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature, he took a look at the new City Hall and exclaimed that ‘no work comparable in method and achievement has been accomplished since the Italian cities felt the excitement of the Renaissance...’Yeats was not alone in lavishing praise on Stockholm’s City Hall. Designed by Ragnar Östberg, the building rises gracefully and dramatically from the shore of Lake Mälaren. Artists and craftsmen from all over Sweden contributed to its creation, and it has become a fitting symbol – almost an architectural hymn to the city. Stadshuset is worth several hours of your time, and even then you’ll only get an inkling of what went into the construction of this remarkable building. The special hand-cut brick façades – made of over 8 million bricks; the imposing square tower capped by three golden crowns; the black granite reliefs, pillars and arches. All miraculously work together to form a unified and coherent whole, a monumental attempt to fuse the many different elements that make up Stockholm. It was inaugurated on Midsummer Day in 1923, the 400th anniversary of Gustav Vasa’s coronation on the day he marched into town.
11-The Museum Islands
Situated to the east of Gamla Stan, the ‘museum islands’ of
Blasieholmen and Skeppsholmen are where you can steep yourself in Scandinavian
art, architecture and design, as well as take in some pretty walks.
Skeppsholmen was once a centre of naval architecture and a pleasant amble
around it will reveal some key naval sights, such as the fully rigged Af Chapman schooner. Now a peninsula between
Norrmalm and Skeppsholmen, Blasieholmen is home to the Nationalmuseet (National
Museum). The pretty Berzelli Park is situated to the northeast.
Blasieholmen
The island of Blasieholmen is home to a number of elegant palaces built during the 17th and 18th centuries. Two of the city’s oldest palaces are situated at Blasieholmstorg. The palace at number 8 was built in the mid-17th century and later rebuilt in the style of an 18th-century French palace. It used to host foreign ambassadors and is now known as Utrikesministerhotellet (Foreign Ministry Hotel), home to the Musical Academy and Swedish Institute. Bååtska Palatset stands nearby at number 6. Dating from 1699, it was partly rebuilt in 1876 for the freemasons, who still have their lodge here. Southwest along Stallgatan is one of Scandinavia’s most famous hotels, the impressive Grand Hôtel, which overlooks Strömkajen, the departure point for Stockholm’s numerous sightseeing boats.At the tip of Blasieholmen, along Sodra Blasieholmen, is the imposing façade of the Nationalmuseum ! One of the world’s oldest museums, it was founded in 1792, when it occupied a wing of the Royal Palace and was known as the Royal Museum. It moved to its current home, a massively impressive Italian Renaissance-style building, in 1866. The collection is impressive, and not only because of the size and scope of the paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, drawings and prints. Among the old masters collection you’ll find Rembrandts, plus important works by El Greco, Rubens, Goya and Brueghel, and a choice selection of Chardin oils. Courbet, Cézanne, Gauguin, Renoir and Manet are represented here, as are important Swedish artists, including Carl Larsson, Anders Zorn and Bruno Liljefors (known for his vivid nature studies). Zorn’s Midsummer Dance is a wonderful evocation of Midsummer’s Eve in the province of Dalarna. Other paintings to look for include François Boucher’s The Triumph of Venus, considered his greatest work, and The Lady and the Veil by the Swedish painter Alexander Roslin (1718–93). In addition to these gems, there are thousands of prints, engravings and miniatures, more than 200 Russian icons, and a selection of handicrafts to appreciate.
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