Stockholm Palace

Infobox Historic building

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caption = The Royal Palace in Stockholm.
name = Stockholm Palace
location_town = Stockholm
location_country = Sweden
architect = Nicodemus Tessin the Younger
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construction_start_date = 1697
completion_date = 1760
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The Stockholm Palace (Swedish: "Stockholms slott") is the official residence and major royal palace of the Swedish monarch. (The private residence of the royal family is Drottningholm Palace). Stockholm Palace is located on Stadsholmen ("city island"), in "Gamla Stan" (the old town) in the capital, Stockholm. It neighbours the Riksdag, Sweden's parliament.

The personal offices of the monarch (currently Carl XVI Gustaf) and the other members of the Swedish royal family as well as the administrative offices of the Royal Court of Sweden are located there. The palace is also used for representative purposes by the king whilst performing his duties as the head of state.

The southern façade is facing the grand-style slope Slottsbacken; the eastern façade is bordering Skeppsbron, a pompous quay passing along the eastern waterfront of the old town; on the northern front is Lejonbacken, a system of ramps named after the sculpted lions on the stone railings; and the western wings border the open space Högvaktsterrassen.

History

The first building on this site was a fortress with a core tower built in the 13th century by Birger Jarl to defend Lake Mälaren. The fortress grew to a palace, named Tre Kronor ("Three Crowns") after the core towers' spire.

In the late 16th century, much work was done to transform the old fortress into a Renaissance-style palace under King John III. In 1690, it was decided to rebuild the palace in Baroque style after a design by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger. In 1692, work began on the northern row. It was complete in 1697, but much of the palace burned to the ground following a fire on May 7,1697.

The palace was rebuilt by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger, with half-round wings around the outer western courtyard finished in 1734, the palace church finished in the 1740s, and the exterior finished in 1754. The royal family moved to the palace with the southwest, southeast, and northeast wings finished. The northwest wing was finished in 1760. In the north, the "Lejonbacken" ("Lion's Slope") was built from 1824 to 1830. Its name comes from the lion sculptures that stand there.

The palace is guarded by the "Högvakten", a royal guard of members of the Swedish Armed Forces. The guard dates back to the early 16th century.

The palace today

The palace is built of brick, with midsections of the west, south, and east façades covered by sandstone. The roof slopes slightly inwards. The roof is covered with copper and is surrounded by a stone balustrade which stretched around the entire main building.

The palace has 609 rooms and is one of the largest royal palaces in the world still in use for its original purpose. The palace consists of four rows: western, southern, eastern, and northern. The southern façade represents the nation, the west façade represents the king, the east façade represents the queen, and the northern façade represents the common royal. From west to east the palace façade is 115 m (without wings); from north to south the palace façade is 120 m. These four rows surround the inner courtyard.

From the main buildings' corners, four wings stretch out east and west. All wings are 48 m long and 16 m wide except the southwest wing which is only 11 m. The irregularity is hidden by two free-standing half-round wings that surround the outer courtyard. The "Logården" ("Lynx Yard") is a small garden between the southeast and northeast wing.

Interior

The western row

Walking up Västra Trapphuset (Western Staircase), a visitor will find the entrance to the Bernadotte Apartment to the left on the second floor, and the entrance to Ordenssalarna (Halls of the Orders of Chivalry) to the right. On the third floor lies The Guest Apartment (left side), and the entrance to the state apartment (right).

The eastern row

One stair down lies Livrustkammaren, Sweden's oldest museum, which contains old weapons, uniforms and also the crown jewels.

The northern row

In the northern row lie the king's and queen's suites (which contains bedchambers, wardrobes and anterooms). In the northern row also lies the Feast apartment which contains the ball room Vita Havet (the White Sea). In the same row also lies Karl XI:s galleri (Charles XI's gallery). On the bottom floor lies the exhibition part of the palace. One stair down lies Museum Tre Kronor, located in the old palace's cellar. One stair up lies Konseljrummet (the Council Room).

The southern row

One stair up lies Rikssalen and the Palace Church. Rikssalen is at the west and the Palace Church is at the east. One stair down lies Skattkammaren (the Treasure Chamber) which contains the Swedish crown jewels.

The northeast wing

In the northeast wing lies Gustav III's "antikmuseum" (museum of antiques). It contains ancient sculptures found in Italy.

References

External links

* [http://www.royalcourt.se/theroyalpalaces/theroyalpalace.4.19fe5e61065eb9aeea80002742.html Official website]

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