Stockholm An Overview

About Stockholm

The capital of Sweden is one of the most beautiful cities of the world. A mirage of saffron- and terracotta-colored buildings shimmering between blue water and bluer skies all summer, or covered with snow and dotted with lights in winter. It's also a vibrant, modern city, famous for producing sleek designs, edgy fashion and world-class nightclubs.

The old town, Gamla Stan, is a compact little maze of cobblestone streets apparently built for small, thin people with very sturdy ankles. The stucco walls of its red, orange and vanilla buildings sag toward each other exhaustedly over countless souvenir shops and ice-cream parlours, while the Royal Palace crowns the tiny island. Just to the south of Gamla Stan is another island neighborhood, Sodermalm, where high waterfront hills are graced by lovely old residences and the main drags are lined with bohemian shops, art galleries and rollicking clubs. On the other side of Gamla Stan is the main city center, a buzzing metropolis whose boutiques and restaurants can hold their own against just about any big city on the continent. Surrounding all of this is every Stockholmer's pride and joy - the 24, 000 or so rocky islands that make up the archipelago.



The place with so many beauties is Stockholm of Sweden. The city built across 14 islands and proudly termed as Venice of North. With more foreign visitors than any other city in Scandinavia it is also considered to be the Capital of Scandinavia. Stockholm is situated at the point where the vast Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea and was built on this strategic spot in the mid 13th century, enabling the founder to tax merchant vessels going in and out of the lake.

As water covers one third of the city area, the maritime life is an important aspect of the city. There are plenty of bridges, marinas and locks. The water is so clean that you can drink it and catch salmon in the middle of the city. The climate is very much conditioned by the sea winds, so even the warmest summer day will be contingent upon the sea breeze finding its way into the city streets.Some basic facts: 1,3 million people live in the greater Stockholm area.

The name Stockholm is first heard of in the chronicle of Eric, probably written between 1322 and 1332. According to this chronicle Stockholm was founded by Birger Jarl in 1252. It was named Stockholm, as referring to the town in between the bridges.

The city houses were all rather simple, manufactured in wood, while the Stockholm Cathedral Storkyrkan and the tower named Three Crowns, on the other hand were majestic. It was an overcrowded city, and fires were common making life rather hazardous. The remains from these days are the churches, and fragmentary pieces of the houses. However, the burnt down houses were soon replaced by houses built in a similar fashion, so, the narrow streets and high buildings still give a medieval impression.

The city full of pride is definitely worth visiting and will surely be a complete package of entertainment and knowledge and will satisfy every visitors to a large extent.The city has lots of sights and attractions to view and enjoy, here are the major attractions of the city. As usual again a lengthy post for my readers.... hope you will enjoy :)

  Going along the order of highly admired places the major attractions of the city are:
 

• Riddarholm Church (Riddarholmskyrka)
• Wasa Museum / Vasa Museum
• Birch Island
• Djurgarden
• Kaknas Tower
• Knight House
• Nordic Museum
• Royal Palace
• Skansen Open-Air Museum
• Swedish National Museum
• Stockholm Cathedral
• Stockholm Town Hall
• Stockholm Underground
• Stortorget

Here i have given the description about some of the places of my choice..

Riddarholm Church (Riddarholmskyrka)

It is one of the most remarkable landmark of Stockholm. The cast-iron steeple of Riddarholm Church, which dates from 1841, is one of the most distinctive landmarks on the Stockholm skyline. Riddarholm is the second-oldest church in Stockholm, and was founded in the 13th century as a Franciscan monastery. Most of the Swedish heads of state are buried at Riddarholm.



It is located in the south side of the Briger Jarsltorg square of Stockholm which serves as the commercial center of the city and is well connected to all the major locations. This church originally belonged to a Franciscan friary but underwent a lot of modifications in the later centuries.The church has a tall tower which is built of cast iron. This iron steeple served as a prominent landmark in Stockholm. Inside the church premises there is a burial place where the Swedish monarchs were buried. This burial ground was used since 1807 for various memorial services.

Facts

Being the oldest building it dates from around 1300 and built with the oldest brick above the ground is still preserved neatly in the city. During the middle ages it was known as Greyfriars Church ans the monastery's patron king Magnus Ladulas is buried in the chancel. Several changes were performed later but the original Gothic church can still be made out easily. The towwer was added in 16th century.In 1835 the steeple was destroyed lby fire and was replaced by neo-Gothic cast iron steeple designde by Eric Gustaf Gothe.During the reformation the Franscian monastery was closed and the church became protestant later after the migration of the nobility the land came to be known as the knight's islands and the church as Riddarholm Church.



As many royal people were buried in the tombs and vaults the burial became the Royal burial place. You can see the Gustav II Adolf's burial buried in 1634 ans 17 Swedish monarchs and their families were also buried. Also the uper and lower valuts contains all the remains of Gustav II Adolf to the present day.. Several brave soldeirs of the Thrity Years wars were also buried here.

Interior





The interior of Stockholm's Riddarholm Church is particularly fine. The walls are covered with the coats of arms of knights of the Order of the Seraphim, founded in 1336, and the floor is paved with gravestones.
is infact one of the most beautiful churches of the medieval period founded in the year 1270. It boasts an intricate work of art and is one of the famous sites for holding ceremonies. Gustav Vasa and Gustav III intended to demolish this church but their attempts did not bear any fruit. This church is infact not used for worshipping but used as a burial ground and is considered as a memorial church. This church is one of the oldest churches in Stockholm and is decorated with various wooden carvings and paintings. The church houses various war time memorabilia. If you explore the place you will see the old house of parliament on one side of the church.

Wasa Museum / Vasa Museum

Another major tourist attraction of Stockholm is Vasamusset. The place deserves the popularity as it still preserves the Wasa ship which is the world's only surviving 17th century wooden ship which sank in the Stockholm harbor during the maiden voyage in 1628. On the west side of Djurgardsbro in Stockholm is the Wasa Museum, and it was brought to the surface again in 1961.The "Wasa" was located on the seabed in 1956 at a depth of 32m/105ft, and work began three years later on recovering and preserving it. This was a large-scale operation for which entirely new techniques had to be devised. The vessel, 62m/200ft long, is the only completely preserved 17th century ship in the world. It is now displayed in its own museum, together with numerous items of equipment (everyday objects, carved ornaments, etc.). recovered from the vessel.



History

The Vasa was built during the 30 Years' War of 1618-1648, when Sweden had lost a dozen ships and needed vessels to support King Gustav II Adolph's military campaign in the Baltic. The ship was the largest in the history of the Swedish fleet, with an extra cannon deck that the king himself had ordered during the Vasa's construction. On August 10, 1628, the vessel departed from her mooring in front of the royal palace with some 130 crewmen and wives on board. As she sailed slowly through the islands that separate Stockholm from the open sea, a wind caught the sails, and the top-heavy ship unexpectedly hove to port. Water poured through the open cannon ports, and the ship sank in the 105-foot (32-meter) channel.

Although most of the crew and passengers escaped, some  went down with the Vasa. Sporadic salvage attempts took place over the next 50 years, but the ship was all but forgotten by the end of the 18th Century.It was Anders Franzén who woke the Vasa from her watery sleep after 333 years. Together with his colleague, the diver Per Edvin Fälting, he became something of a hero to the people of Sweden.

It took nearly 30 years for the Vasa to be preserved, restored, and displayed in a new museum. First, archaelogists and carpenters had to identify, catalog, and assemble some 14,000 wooden fragments that ranged from sculptures to deck planks. The museum finally opened in June, 1990.



Wasa Tourism

If you visit this museum you will get to see this ship in intact form. Vasa was the only Viking ship which was recovered from the ocean bed. This Spanish ship had three masts and boasted an intricate décor. After its recovery the ship was restored to its original form for public viewing.

The visitors will get extensive information about this famous Viking ship. They will also get detailed information on the rescue operation that was carried out to recover this ship. This ship was recovered in the year 1961. Besides, a lot of other things were recovered which included ancient coins, various carpenter tools, and a wide variety of sculptures. The archeologists inferred that these coins and other decorative items which were recovered had relevance to the Scandinavian Vikings.

The Vasa Ship Museum exhibits these artifacts for public viewing. If you visit this museum you will get extensive information on the Vikings in Sweden. The ship was infact rebuilt and fitted with the artifacts to restore to its original form. There are quite a number of medical equipments and clothing which will give you an insight to the lifestyle of the 17th century.

It was in the 17th century when the Vikings reached their peak. It was infact one of the notable and most prosperous period in the history of the Vikings mainly because of their dominance in sea navigation. The museum authorities also organize various shows which depicts the naval warfare of the century. It is a very interesting place where the travelers can spend an exciting time.Vasa Ship Museum, Stockholm is one of the most prominent museums in Stockholm which has created a niche among the popular tourist spots in Sweden.

Birch Island

28km/18mi west of Stockholm, in Lake Mälar, lies the little island of Björkö (Birch Island). During the Viking period Björkö was a trading station, with a population in the 10th century of some 1,000 craftsmen, merchants, peasants and slaves. Here too, about 830, St Angsbar preached the Gospel.In summer there are boat services from Stockholm and Sodertalje to Bjorko.

It served as an important trading center in the Baltic sea since 8th century which handled goods from Eastern Europe and the Orient, possibly as far as China, thus covering most of the Viking Age. Bjorko is located in the Lake Malaren, not far from Stockholm. Birka and Hovgarden is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.

Ownership of Borko is today mainly in private hands, and used for farming. The settlement site, however is an archaeological site, and a museum has been built nearby for exhibition of finds, models and reconstructions. It is a popular site to visit during the summer times.



Description

The Birca archaeological site, located on Birch Island in Lake Mälaren 9th and 10th centuries, and Hovgarden , on the neighbouring island of Adelsö, make up an archaeological complex which illustrates the elaborate trading network s of Viking Age Europe and their influence on the subsequent history of Scandinavia. Birca was also important as the site of the first Christiancongregaton  in Sweden, founded in 831Events The Saracens capture Palermo. Saint Ansgar founds the first church in Sweden, at Birka Births Deaths 831.

The archeological remains are located in the north part of Birch Island and span an area of about 7 hectares (17 acres). The remains are both graveyards and buildings, and in the south part of this area, there is also a castle-like building called "Borgen" ("The Castle"). The construction technique of the buildings is still unknown, but the main material was wood. An adjacent island holds the remains of Hovgården , an estate which housed the King's retinue during visits.

Approximately 700 peoples lived at Birca when it was as largest, and about 3,000 graves has been found. Its administrative center was supposedly located outside of the settlement itself, on the nearby island of Adelsö. According to written sources, the settlement itself was fortified by a wooden palisade and its harbour guarded by pilings driven into the bottom of the lake, limiting the number of ships able to pass into it. However, no archeology evidence can prove this yet.

The function or significance as a trading center of the Baltic sea was moved to Sigtuna in the 10th century. Due to the land raising , Birch Island is no longer directly connected to the Baltic Sea as it was before.

The island has been a focus of investigation since the 17th century, with the greatest intensity between 1871-95. A large excavation was performed between 1990-95 in a certain region, the "Black Land", believed to be the site of the main settlement.Birch Island is today mainly agricultural, and shipping lines carry tourists to the island, where a museum showcases a view of life during the Viking era.

Djurgarden

On an island reached from Stockholm's Strandvagen on the Djurgardsbro lies Djurgarden, a park laid out on the site of an earlier deer park which was a royal hunting preserve between the 16th and 18th centuries. In the park are a number of interesting museums.

At the north end of the park rises the Bredablick lookout tower, and to the east of this is the 19th century Rosendal Castle, a wooden building once occupied by King Carl XIV Johan and later converted into a Carl Johan Museum. To the south of the park is the Solliden restaurant, where concerts, displays of folk dancing and theatrical performances are given daily in summer. In this area too is Grönalund, a modern amusement park.  



Description

Djurgarden, Stockholm also known as the Game Park in English, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Stockholm. It is an island located right in the middle of Stockholm and is known for its lush green spaces, breathtaking sights, events, parks, and tourist attractions. The Djurgarden, Stockholm is a cultural center and lushly wooded park to which Stockholmers have been flocking for centuries. Stockholm consists of a number of islands that are linked together by bridges.

The Djurgarden in Stockholm is laid out on the site of an earlier deer park which was a royal hunting preserve between the 16th and 18th centuries. There are some really interesting museums in the park. At the north end of the park there is the Bredablick lookout tower and to the east of this is the 19th century Rosendal Castle. This castle is a wooden building that was once occupied by King Carl XIV Johan and later converted into a Carl Johan Museum. At the south end of the park is the Solliden restaurant, where concerts, displays of folk dancing and theatrical performances take place daily during summer season. There is also a modern amusement park called Grönalund situated in this site.


 

The island has more than 10 million visitors each year. The location is perfect for a wonderful walking tour, and also offers other great things to do. The palce is meant completely for enjoyment and culture. We get a god chance of viweing the interesting things all around by a small leisure walk.

The old-fashioned veteran-style trams are driven by enthusiastic members of the Swedish tram association. It is also possible to reach Djurgarden by taking the bus.

Kaknas Tower

Kaknas Tower, Stockholm or Kaknästornet is located to the northeast of the museums in Djurgårdsbrunnsvägen. It stand today as one of the most popular tourist attractions in Stockholm. The Kaknas Tower, Stockholm is one of the tallest structures in Scandinavia with a height of 155 meters or 510 feet including the antenna. At the height of 128 meters of the tower, there is an open viewing platform. There is also a glazed viewing platform, with eateries, offering panoramic views of the city. The view of the city is particularly striking in the evening, when the lights are lit and the tower is open throughout summer.



Description

The Kaknas Tower, Stockholm is a major hub of Swedish television, radio and satellite broadcasts. The tower was finished in the year 1967 and was designed by architect Bengt Lindroos. The tower is owned by the national Swedish broadcasting company Teracom. This tower can not communicate with some southern satellites due the ecological orders that protect the ancient oak trees owned by the King of Sweden. These block the "line-of-sight".

Knight House

The Stockholm's Riddarhus was built in the Baroque style with neo-classical features showing Dutch influence. It is one of finest buildings of Stockholm. The portico, articulated by columns, is flanked by two wings facing the beautiful Lake Mälar. The green copper roof of the Knights' House(Riddarhus), Stockholm is topped by gilded figures. The Knights' House(Riddarhus) is also known as the "Swedish House of Knights" and "Swedish House of Nobility".

The Knights' Hall, with the coats of arms of Swedish noble families, was the meeting place of the Estate of the Nobility until the year 1866. Between the 17th and the 19th century, the House of Lords was a chamber in the Estates of the Realm. This building is thus considered as the Swedish equivalent to the British House of Lords. While the building was begun by the French-born architect Simon de la Vallée in the year 1641. He met a dramatic death a year after the commencement of the building. The work was completed by a famous Dutch architect Justus Vingboons. The design of the original roof was given by the son of the former Jean de la Vallée. The entire composition was completed by Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz.

The architectural style of the Knights' House(Riddarhus), Stockholm reflects the decreasing influence of Swedish nobility during the transition from the era of Swedish Empire to the Age of Liberty. The innovative intentions, including towers on the corners and wings, reduced to the present Corinthian pilasters projected on a plain bricked wall, centered on the temple gable motif. There is a small but beautiful garden in font of the palace. This garden was created to the design of Isak Gustaf Clason.




Its Surroundings

The knight house is surrounded with palaces, scenic view of the bridge Riddarholmsbron stretching over Riddarholmskanalen and the motorway Centralbron to the islet Riddarholmen and some prominent buildings there, including Riddarholmskyrkan.On the eastern side, the street Myntgatan passes between the arcades of two of the buildings of the Parliament, Kanslihuset  and Kanslihusannexet  over to Mynttorget.On the southern side of Riddarhustorget, the alley Storkyrkobrinken leads up to the Stockholm Cathedral and the Royal Palace, while the street Stora Nygatan passes through the western part of the old town and Munkbroleden leads along the western waterfront past the neighbouring square Munkbron.North of the the square the alleys Rådhusgränd and Riddarhusgränd connects to the cast iron bridge Vasabron from the 1870s.Several prominent palaces are located around Riddarhustorget:

Nordic Museum

Near the Djurgarden to the north you can see the Nordic museum a massive building in a renaissance style and it gives a detailed information about the works and lilfe of Sweden over the last 500 years. The Nordic Museum, known as Nordiska museet in Swedish is a museum located on Djurgården, an island in central Stockholm, Sweden. The museum is dedicated to the cultural history and ethnography of Sweden from the Early Modern age until the contemporary period. The museum was founded in the late 19th century by Artur Hazelius, who also founded the open-air museum Skansen. The museum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Stockholm.

The Museum was originally called the Scandinavian ethnographic collection in 1873 and came to be known as the Nordic Museum from the year 1880. Hazelius bought or managed to get donations of objects for Nordic Museum. The objects included furniture, clothes, toys etc. from all over Sweden and the other Nordic countries. He was mainly interested in peasant culture but his successors increasingly started to collect objects reflecting bourgeois and urban lifestyles as well.

Royal Palace
 

Kungliga Slottet, Stockholm is one of the popular Stockholm tourist attractions which has become widely popular over the years. If you ever visit Stockholm you should not miss the opportunity to visit the Kungliga Slottet, Stockholm.Kungliga Slottet, Stockholm is the official residence of the Swedish emperor. This palace is located on Stadsholmen and is one of the greatest architectural marvels which attracts a lot of tourists worldwide every year. The palace houses the personal office of the monarch and other members of the royal family. The administrative office of the royal court is also situated in this royal palace.



Description
 

The Kungliga Slottet boasts an intricate architectural work. The eastern side of the building shares its boundaries with the quay along the waterfront. In the northern side you will find the sculpted lions on the stone railings. Initially a fortress was built on this historical site in the 13th century with the sole objective to defend Lake Malaren. This fortress later developed to a palace and was named after the core towers.

In the 16th century a lot of renovation work was carried out by King John III and the old fortress was transformed to a palace which was built according to renaissance style. In the year 1690 this palace was rebuilt in Baroque style. The dreadful fire that broke out in the year 1697 engulfed a major portion of the palace and much of it was destroyed. The palace was again rebuilt in the year 1734. The entire construction work was completed by 1754. In the year 1830 the lion’s slope was built and was named after the lion sculptures that stood there.

The palace is mainly built of brick. The front of the palace was built of sandstone. The roof of the palace is covered with copper sheets which stretches the entire main building. There are a total of 609 rooms and boasts of being one of the largest royal palaces in the world. The Kungliga Slottet in Stockholm has four rows which represent the nation, the king, the queen and other royal members.Kungliga Slottet, Stockholm is infact one of the major tourist attractions in Stockholm which draws a lot of travelers worldwide.

Treasures

In the Treasury are the royal regalia,including the crown of Eric XIV. In the Armory are displayed magnificent suits of armor and coronation and ceremonial robes. Also in the palace are Gustavus III's Museum of Antique Sculpture and a museum containing models of the medieval castle

Skansen Open Air Museum

It is the oldest open air museum of Stockholm and it also comprises of zoos and park. a branch of the Nordic Museum, extends over a large area to the east of the Biological Museum in Stockholm. The initiator and founder of the museum, which was opened in 1891, was Artur Hazelius, who was concerned to save something of the older Sweden before the development of industry had gone too far in changing the country. The old buildings brought together here include a church and a manor house, Lapp dwellings and an upland shieling (summer grazing station), smallholders' cottages and peasant farmhouses, and a whole quarter of a town, with craftsmen's workshops. Over the years some 150 old buildings of historical interest have been assembled at Skansen, which is now 10 times its original size.



Features

This prominent tourist attraction is located on the Island of Djurgarden. The Swedish government has recognized this island as a national park. Besides the Skansen Museum, Stockholm there are two other museums in the city namely, the Vasa Museum and the Nordic Museum.

Artur Hazelius who was a renowned scholar. was responsible for restoring the ancient past. The historical monuments were renovated during the period of renaissance when there was a gradual development in industry and commerce.

Many ancient structures were restored. These include a church, a manor house, grazing station, small cottages, farmhouses and other workshops. Over the years some 150 old constructions were put together at Skansen. These buildings represent the ancient style of architecture which dated back to the 14th century. The visitors can explore the area and see many of the traditional activities which include butter cheese making, weaving, glass blowing etc.

All throughout the year the museum hosts various events which include various performances and other exhibitions where numerous literary works are displayed. Besides, there are various musical shows, dance performances and other events which are mainly organized on the holidays. There are quite a number of celebrations on the eve of Walpurgis, the Swedish National Day.

One can also visit the zoo which has varied species of wildlife. There are 70 different types of wildlife which include bears, wolves, seals and a wide variety of exotic aquatic animals. It also houses various African species of animals in a different section. This place attracts a lot of travelers who come to Sweden to spend their extended vacation.

Minor Attractions

The rich city Stockolm provides everybody a memorble view and all can enjoy the palce either by foot roaming in the busy streets of the city or by a calm cruise along the numerous waterways. Several guided boat rides are also offered which provides a scenic view of the islands and archipilagoes long the way.




The Katarinahissen is one of major attraction of Stockholm whcih is a speedy lift that elevates the passengers to 40 meters / 130 feet above the ground and offers a wonderful view of the historic Gamla Stam district and beyond. This gigantic elevator was built in 1930s.



Lake Malaren is the thrid longest lake of the Stockolm and linked with the Baltic sea, the tourists can enjoy the peaceful boat ride here.



An appealing island called Langholmen is a small area with exquisite natural beauty, coastal attractions and can enjoy the calm water movements and sea foods.




Aquaria Vattenmuseumis a wonderful water museum it is much more than a museum. It hs several water species that are interesting to see. Tourists and children are much attracted.

Thus the place offers lots of things to see in every corner of the city. The travelers will definitely need more time to enjoy every part of the city thus a long well planned vacation will give the best experience..

 

 

Surces

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