If your destination is Stockholm, you should definitely learn a little about the beautiful city of Scandinavia and look through the pages of its rich history. Arriving in the city, it is simply impossible to remain indifferent to its fabulous beauty: picturesque landscapes, colorful houses, full-flowing canals, unique historical and cultural attractions of the capital of Sweden delight and amaze tourists. In order not to wander aimlessly through the streets in search of something interesting, we will consider several noteworthy sights of Stockholm, which will not be difficult to see in one day.
Royal Palace
The main representative office of the Swedish monarch and one of Stockholm's significant tourist attractions with an honor guard changing daily at noon is the Royal Palace. Located on the island of Stadsholmen, in the historical part of the city.
Each of the palace facades is made with a certain meaning: the western side is the personification of the king, the eastern side is Her Majesty, the northern side is the statehood of Sweden, and the southern one covers the celebration hall and the chapel. In addition to the royal apartments, in a massive building there are:
- Armory with an arsenal, armor, uniform, formal and casual clothes.
- Treasure chest with royal regalia and jewels.
- Treasury Department.
- A big library.
- The Three Crowns Museum and the Gustav III Museum of Antiquity.
In total there are about 600 palace chambers that amaze with the richness of their decoration. An interesting feature: every year the ruling monarch opens new peace for excursions.
The doors of the palace are open for tourists almost all the time, with the exception of the days when the royal family holds official events or meets important representatives of other states.
The history of the castle originates in the Middle Ages: first, a defensive fortress was erected on the site of the present palace, to which a residential building in the Renaissance style was later attached, where the royal couple moved. In the 17th century, after a devastating fire, a baroque-style castle appeared on the site of the ashes. The construction lasted almost 60 years, until the palace took on the form that we have the opportunity to admire today.
Stockholm Town Hall
City Hall (Stadshuset) - the embodiment of beauty and romance, a landmark symbol of Stockholm. It was built in the period 1911-1923. Three crowns symbolizing the countries of Scandinavia: Sweden, Norway and Denmark adorn the sparkling gold tower of the town hall. The building houses the city hall, ceremonial halls and a museum. Only two halls are open for tourists: the magnificent Golden Hall, the walls of which are decorated with mosaics of multi-millionth pieces of smalt, and the Blue Hall, where Nobel laureates are annually celebrated, having a ball and a banquet.
As part of the excursion group, you can climb to the top of the 106-meter attraction of Stockholm and from its observation deck admire the amazing, enchanting view of the Old Town.
Old city
The sights of old Stockholm can be seen, of course, in its historical center, Gamla Stan, located on the main island of Stadsholmen. The Old Town is Stockholm's main open-air museum, the heart of which is the large, picturesque Stortorget Square. Its medieval architecture, houses in the Gothic style, cobblestone streets and amazing monuments seem to attract tourists.
The most famous sights of Gamla Stan:
- Luxurious Royal Palace.
- Noble assembly.
- The Church of St. Nicholas and the Riddarholma Church are the tomb of the Swedish kings.
- Stockholm Cathedral.
- The oldest restaurant in 1722 with the same interior, listed in the Guinness Book of Records, and many other equally significant exhibits.
Morten Trotzig Lane
There is a small street in the Old Town that attracts tourists with its architectural features that make it stand out among others - the Mörten Trotzigs lane (Mårten Trotzigs gränd). It is named for the rich merchant who purchased apartments here and opened the first trading shop. The secret of the success of the staircase lane lies in its width - only 90 cm, which makes it the narrowest street of Gamla Stan and incredibly attractive for both visitors to the city and local residents. A street looks very unusual and fabulous in the morning, when the sun rises and its golden rays touch the steps and pavers, or in the evening, when the lights are lit and the narrow space is filled with warm light.
Östermalm
Leaving the Old City, you find yourself in the midst of pomp, sophistication and expensive chic. This is an elite district of Östermalm with chic houses, designer boutiques and expensive restaurants. Its name has long been synonymous with respectability and success. Living in Estermalm means not having material problems. The main street of the district - Birger - of incredible length, stretches across the entire area and will lead to the building of the Royal Drama Theater. In between sightseeing, you can simply wander around, bathing in the luxury of the quarter, or arrange a grandiose shopping experience.
Swedish Parliament
The beautiful facades of the Riksdag, located on one of the small islands, majestically rise above the waters of the bay. An impressive architectural masterpiece, built in 1905, - the Parliament of Sweden - one of the main attractions of Stockholm. What you just need to see is the exposition of paintings and sculptures in the old part of the Riksdag.
It is a curious fact that the entrance to the building is open to all comers, and you can even attend parliamentary meetings.
Globene Arena
Not so long ago, just a couple of years ago, the original attraction of Stockholm of a spherical shape was built - the sports arena Globus (Ericsson Globe). This is the largest ball-shaped structure in the world, symbolizing the sun as the center of the solar system - an element of the Sweden Solar System project. The idea of the project is that in the territory of Sweden spherical objects have been built, representing the planets.
The main purpose of the Globe is to hold various sports championships, concerts of world-famous stars and other special occasions. It was here that in 2002 the popular Eurovision Song Contest was held, in which Russia took a worthy 2nd place.
Those who do not suffer from acrophobia have a great opportunity to see the panorama of the city at a glance. Two transparent balloons-cabins, moving on the outer side of the sphere, raise tourists to the top of the Globe, to a height of 130 meters. Since the SkyView attraction is a very popular attraction of Stockholm in winter and summer, it is advisable to book tickets in advance.
Stockholm Metro
If you are in the city for a short time and plan to see the main attractions of Stockholm in 1 day, do not write off the city metro - a real art gallery with a length of 110 km. The metro includes 100 stations, some of which are ground stations, and three route lines: red, green and blue. It is the latter that is of most interest to tourists, since each station is decorated in an original and unique style by designers and artists, whose flight of imagination can only be envied.
- Kungstradgarden ("Royal Garden") is presented in the form of a mountain cave of the troll.
- Nackrosen looks like a small pond with stone shores and water lilies.
- Hallonbergen is painted with children's illustrations.
- Tekniska hogskolan - the “scientific” station: geometric figures are closely intertwined with space patterns.
- T-centralen is the central station connecting all three branches.
Here you can see paintings, wall bas-reliefs, stained-glass windows and mosaics, antique sculptures, streams, fountains and unusual design installations. All stations are completely different, but each can rightfully be considered a work of art. Well, where else for a trip on the subway can you book a guided tour ?! And while public transport in Sweden is not a very cheap pleasure, the beauty of the metro is definitely worth it.
Ethnic Museum "Skansen"
In order not to waste your free time, take a chance to take a walk in the Skansen Museum Park, an object of respectable age, and look at Sweden in miniature. The convenient location of Skansen (on a hill) makes it possible to admire not only museum exhibits, but also amazingly beautiful views of the architectural sights of Stockholm. The photo below is a vivid example of a picturesque panorama of the city.
On the territory of the Museum of Swedish Culture , manors, houses and estates of the 18th-19th centuries, more than 160 buildings from different parts of the country are collected. A church, a forge, a mill, craft workshops in which glassmakers, blacksmiths, potters and bakers work, actors in national costumes recreate the atmosphere of everyday life of the corresponding era.
The Seglur Church, an 18th-century building, is wildly popular with lovers; it is chosen for the wedding ceremony. Connoisseurs of folk traditions and ceremonies do not miss the opportunity to visit Skansen during the holidays, to take part in solemn festivities.
A nice bonus will be a small zoo located on the territory of Skansen, which contains both representatives of the region’s wildlife and domestic animals. Some species of which freely move around the territory, which unspeakably delight both young and adult visitors.
Fairytale Museum "Unibacken" (Junibacken)
Undoubtedly, a place worthy of special attention is the Unibakken Museum. This attraction of Stockholm for 1 visit will refresh childhood memories and transfer to the magical world of adventure Astrid Lindgren, who was directly involved in its creation. Here come to life characters from children's fairy tales by Swedish writers: Pippi Longstocking, Toddler and Carlson, Moomins and other heroes beloved from an early age. A special train will take you on a journey through illustrations from children's books, and performances and various entertainment programs will not let you get bored even for a minute.
Tourists reviews
The majestic city of attractions - Stockholm - is colorful, cozy and friendly. It is these reviews that can be heard not only from tourists: local residents do not cease to admire the seemingly long-familiar, fabulous beauty of their city, especially its historical part. Medieval narrow streets, old houses, a royal residence, monumental architecture - only having seen all this with your own eyes, you can really feel the spirit of Scandinavia. During a trip to the capital of Sweden, you will be so fascinated by this city that you will certainly want to come back here again.