Attractions
Kungliga Slottet
The 'new' Royal Palace is one of Stockholm's highlights, and
it was constructed on the site of the 'old' royal castle,
Tre Kronor, which burned down in 1697. The north wing of the
castle survived the fire and was incorporated in the palace,
but the medieval designs are now concealed by a baroque exterior.
The palace, with 608 rooms, is the largest royal castle in
the world still used for its original purpose. The excellent
state apartments, including the Hall of State and the Apartments
of the Royal Orders of Chivalry, are open to the public (except
during state functions), with two floors of royal pomp, 18th-
and 19th-century furnishings and portraits of pale princes
and princesses. Swedish regalia, crowns, scepters, orbs and
keys are displayed at the Royal Treasury, by the southern
entrance to the palace and near the Royal Chapel. Gustav III's
Museum of Antiquities displays the Mediterranean treasures
(particularly sculpture) acquired by that eccentric monarch.
The new basement Museum Tre Kronor, opened in December 1999,
features the foundations of 13th-century defensive walls and
exhibits rescued from the medieval castle during the fire
of 1697. The Changing of the Guard usually takes place in
the outer courtyard at 12:10pm daily June to August. The rest
of the year it's on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday only.
Stadshuset
Stadshuset (the Town Hall) looks more like a large church,
but its size is deceptive since it has two internal courtyards.
The dominant brown-brick square tower of Stadshuset is topped
with a golden spire and the symbol of Swedish power, the
three royal crowns. Inside the building, you'll find the
beautiful mosaic-lined Gylene salen (Golden Hall), Prins
Eugen's own fresco re-creation of the lake view from the
gallery, and the hall where the annual Nobel Prize banquet
is held
Skansen
Skansen, the world's first open-air museum, was founded
in 1891 by Artur Hazelius to let visitors see how Swedes
lived in previous times. Today, around 150 traditional houses
and other exhibits from all over Sweden occupy this attractive
hilltop in Djurgarden. It's a spectacular 'Sweden in miniature',
and you could spend all day here, wandering between the
zoo, the handicraft precinct, and the open-air museum of
the daily activities that take place on Skansen's stages,
including folk-dancing in summer. The Town Quarters, mostly
consisting of buildings from Sodermalm, are inhabited by
staff in period costume. The buildings include a pharmacy,
bakery, bank, cafe, many types of workshop, summer houses
and Hazelius' mansion. There are also 46 buildings from
rural areas around the country, including a Sami camp, farmsteads
representing several regions, a manor house and a school.
You can trace the unhealthy history of smoking on four floors
at the Tobacco Museum or visit the more ecologically oriented
Forestry Information Centre. The Skansen Aquarium is also
a must - en route to the fish (including piranhas) you'll
walk among the lemurs and see pygmy marmosets, the smallest
monkeys in the world.
Haga Park
Haga Park is pleasant for walks, bicycle tours and its museum
attractions. Gustav III's Paviljong is a superb example
of late neoclassical style. The furnishings and decor reflect
Gustav III's interest of things Roman after his Italian
tour in 1782. In Fjarils & Fagelhuset (Butterfly House),
there's an artificial tropical environment with free-flying
birds and butterflies. There's also a shop and cafe. Haga
Parkmuseum has displays about the park, its pavilions and
the royal palace, Haga slot.
Orientation
Stockholm is built on islands,
except for the modern centre (Norrmalm), focused on the
ugly Sergels Torg. This business and shopping hub is linked
by a network of subways to Centralstationen (central train
station); the popular gardens of Kungstradgarden lie just
to the east. The subways link with the metro (tunnelbana
or T) stations. The triangular island Stadsholmen and its
neighbours accommodate Gamla Stan, separated from Norrmalm
by the narrow channels of Norrstrom near the royal palace,
but connected by several bridges. To the west of this is
Lake Malaren.
On the south side of Stadsholmen, the main bridge Centralbron
and the Slussen interchange connect with the southern part
of the city, Sodermalm, and its spine Gotgatan. From its
top end the giant golf ball of the stadium Globen is the
southern landmark, although you'll cross water again at
Skanstull before reaching it. To the east of Gamla Stan
is the small island of Skeppsholmen, and farther down Strandvagen
and past the berths you cross to Djurgarden, topped by Skansen.
The medieval town of Stockholm expanded along the Baltic
Sea, where an archipelago of 24,000 islands, skerries and
lumps of rock have protected it from the open seas, making
it ideally situated for trade and maritime activities. Most
of the land masses are uninhabited, although the popularity
of the area for boating means it can be hard finding anchorage
in high summer. The Stockholm archipelago endures up to
20cm (8in) of ice through most of the winter. The city is
best seen from the water, but you'll enjoy seeing the parklands
of Djurgarden or the alleys of Gamla Stan on foot.
Gamla Stan, situated on the island of Stadsholmen, is Stockholm's
old town, which emerged in the 13th century. Its medieval
streets are linked by a fantasy of lanes, arches and stairways.
The present Royal Palace was completed in 1760, replacing
the original, which was burned down in the 17th century.
Today its apartments and armoury offer an excellent insight
into the past. East of the city, the larger island of Djurgarden
offers wonderful parklands and a concentration of fine museums.
One not to miss is Skansen, the world's first open-air museum,
where exhibits from all over Sweden give it a rural feel.
Skansen also includes a zoo, aquarium, forestry pavilion
and a tobacco museum. On the western shore of Djurgarden
is the famous Vasamuseet, which grants you a look into the
lives of 17th-century sailors. It's also a brilliant achievement
in marine archaeology.
There are a number of hostels in central Stockholm, but
the boat hostels moored at Skeppsholmen and south of Gamla
Stan are increasingly popular. The city centre has a number
of inexpensive to mid-priced restaurants offering a good
variety of meals. Kungsgatan, east of the city centre, is
the place to point your dancing shoes.
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