Photo: Abhijeet Vardhan
The Royal Palace (sometimes Stockholm Palace) is the official residence of the Swedish Royal Family located at the heart of Stockholm City and is one of Europe’s largest palaces. The palace was rebuilt in to its current form in 1830 and has over 600 rooms.
History and Construction
Orginally the site housed the castle Tre Kronor (Three Crowns), a fortress which intended use was to defend the Stockholm Harbour area. The fortress burned to the ground in 1697, more than 400 years after its construction, and left only a foundation. It was rebuilt by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger with construction starting to be finished in 1734 but only considered fully complete in 1830, when Lejonbacken (The Lion’s Slope) had finished construction. The results of these reconstructions in to the Baroque style is what we can see today.
The Royal Guards
The Royal Palace is guarded by Högvakten (Swedish Royal Guards), part of the Swedish Armed Forces. The guard has a rich history dating back to the 16th century and it is considered an honor to have the guard duty. There are often ceremonial marches during the summer around the Palace by both mounted guards and guards on foot. The marches are usually accompanied by elite military bands, allowing you to listen to their inspiring marching music.
Museums in the Palace
The Royal Palace is more than just the home of the Swedish Royal Family, it is the host of The Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren), which among other things display the crown jewels, and Gustav III Museum of Antiques. The Museum of Antiques contains ancient sculptures from Italy among other things. The Tre Kronor Museum is also located in the Palace, and is able to offer a unique insight in to the original Castle. The entrance to the museum is located through a five-meter thick wall from the 1200s.
Thanks to its central location in Stockholm City, the Royal Palace is easily accessible by public transportation and is close to hotels, such as the Grand Hotel Stockholm which has a variety of rooms overlooking the Palace, various shops and plenty of interesting, worth-visiting restaurants. For more information, see the official website.
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