Tag Archives: Royal Palace

Explore Stockholm’s Royal Palace

28 Mar

When you visit Stockholm, an essential stop on your travel itinerary is a visit to the Royal Palace.

The Royal Palace of Stockholm is the King’s official residence and is one of the largest palaces in Europe. Most official receptions of the Swedish monarchy take place here, and it is the daily workplace and residence for King Carl Gustaf, Queen Silvia, and the Royal Court. It combines workplace, royal residence, and cultural monument seamlessly.

The Royal Palace was built predominantly in the 1700s, in an Italian baroque style. The site of the palace is where the four hundred year old Tre Kronor Castle burned down in 1697.

The Royal Palace of Stockholm is open to visitors year round – this makes it unique amongst other European royal residences.

Museums of the Royal Palace

Stockholm’s Royal Palace features a number of museums:

  • Royal Apartments –magnificent state rooms including the banquet hall, guest residence, and the Bernadotte rooms. Visitors can see the Jubilee Room, Gustav III’s state bedchamber, Oskar II’s writing room, and much more. Visitors can marvel at the reception rooms, the Hall of State (Rikssalen) with the silver throne of Queen Kristina, and the Halls of the Orders of Chivalry (Ordenssalarna).
  • Treasury – located in dark cellar vaults of the palace, this is where the monarchy’s regalia are kept. See historical art pieces, Erik XIV’s crown, orb, and sceptre, Gustav Vasa’s sword of state, the royal silver baptismal font, Lovisa Ulrika’s crown, and several crowns belonging to Swedish princes and princesses.
  • Tre Kronor Museum – this museum is dedicated to the original Tre Kronor castle. The site was a wooden Viking blockade in the 900s; a defence fort in the 1100s; and a castle from the 1300s until it was razed by fire in 1697. The museum is situated in the part of the original castle that best survived the fire; the museum is accessed via the original 1200s defence wall.
  • Gustav III Museum of Antiquities – opened in 1794, this is one of the oldest museums in Europe. King Gustav III was dedicated to antiquities, and after his death his collection of sculptures formed the basis of the museum collection.       
  • Armoury – see royal state ceremonial weapons dating from the 1500s; ceremonial costumes; royal carriages; and more. While situated in the palace, this museum is run independently of the palace, by the Ministry of Culture. 

Make sure you include a visit to the Royal Palace in your Stockholm vacation plans for Russia visa free travel.

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