The Royal Palace of Stockholm

The Royal Palace of Stockholm, also known as Kungliga Slottet, rose in the late 18th century upon the remnants of an ancient medieval castle destroyed by fire. This Italian Baroque-style palace, with over 600 rooms, stands among the largest royal residences in Europe.

The palace is nestled at the entrance to the Old Town, Gamla Stan, a mere stone's throw from the Swedish Parliament. While not the current official residence of the monarchy, it does host the King of Sweden's workspaces and the Court's offices.

Exploring the Royal Palace

• Royal Apartments: Most of the palace's rooms feature royal apartments—bedrooms, reception areas, and guest quarters—exuding the opulence and lavish decor of the Swedish monarchy.
• Banqueting Hall: This grand hall, a pinnacle of royal palaces, hosts contemporary royal wedding banquets.
• Bernadotte Library: The majestic library houses a historical collection of approximately 100,000 royal books.
• Chapel Royal: Adorned in gold and marble, this elegant chapel from the late 17th century features a striking organ and captivating sculptures, statues, and ceiling frescoes.
• State Hall (Rikssalen): Here resides Queen Christina's throne, protected by blue velvet drapery and flanked by two colossal statues.
• Carriages: The stables safeguard historic carriages utilized by the Swedish royal family across generations.
   

Museums within the Royal Palace

The Stockholm Royal Palace also contains multiple museums. These include:

Tre Kronor Museum

This museum brings back to life the former royal palace that burned down in 1697. Using period models and objects, Tre Kronor takes visitors on a journey through the palace's evolution, from its origins as a medieval fortress to its transformation into a royal residence.

The Treasury

The vaults of the Royal Palace house the Swedish monarchy's most precious jewels. Most displays feature rarely-used gold or silver crowns adorned with precious stones.

Additionally showcased in the "Treasure" room are significant items like the sword of Monarch Gustav Vasa (1496-1560), King Erik XIV's scepter, and the silver baptismal font still used by the royal family.

King Gustav III's Museum of Antiquities

Situated in the east wing of the Royal Palace, this museum holds one of Stockholm's oldest collections, the private art collection of King Gustav III. Since 1794, the exhibition has displayed over 200 bronze and marble sculptures from Italy and various European countries, including the renowned Endymion.

All these museums have additional entry fees.

Changing of the Guard

A must-see for tourists in Stockholm is the famous changing of the royal guard. This daily spectacle unfolds in front of the Royal Palace's esplanade at 12:15 pm in winter and 11:45 am in summer. It's pushed back an additional hour on Sundays and holidays.

For forty minutes, the guards, accompanied by the Royal Band, parade in front of crowds of spectators. It's a must-see event in the heart of Stockholm. To get the best view, arriving early is advisable, especially during peak seasons.