Stockholm Quay Palaces tour
Photo: Boberger. Photo: Bengt Oberger, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Stockholm Quay Palace tour is a roughly chronological showcase of architecture and public art; in particular the palaces, grand houses and other decorated buildings along the quays of Gamla stan (the Old Town) and Norrmalm (the business district), as well as monuments, statues, and other works of art. These buildings have been commissioned by the Swedish monarchy, as well as government agencies, nobles, and business leaders. Today they are used for various purposes: museums, conference sites, offices, or private residences. All palaces can be seen up close. Some have interiors open to the public.
The waterfront has an astounding view both of the buildings and the inner harbour, and is great for photography and urban sketching.
UnderstandIn Swedish, the words slott (from German Schloss) is used for a rural (sometimes fortified) building for a king or a local ruler. Palats (from French palais) is used for grand townhouses.
Get aroundThe tour begins at Riddarholmen, and follows the quays of Gamla stan through Norrmalm, up to the Stureplan square. The tour is preferrably done on foot; strollers and wheelchairs can get around with some detours.
DestinationsRiddarholmen, "the Knight Isle", has been settled since the 13th century, and is dominated by nobility palaces from the height of the Swedish Empire in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Stockholm Quay Palaces tour" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Boberger. Photo: Bengt Oberger, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons