Stockholm

The surrounding area, with its woodlands and lakes, its old castles and coastal towns, is also very beautiful. Stockholm was the European City of Culture in 1998 and has three distinct UNESCO World Heritage sites. The city has a very active cultural life highlighted by 70 museums and many theatres.

Capital of Sweden

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden, linked by lakes and canals with the interior of the country. The city is surrounded by suburbs, many of them developed from old residential districts, and since the end of the Second World War new commuter areas equipped with shopping centers and satellite towns have grown up around the capital.

Importance

Stockholm is the seat of government, Parliament (the Riksdag) and the Supreme Court and the see of a Roman Catholic archbishop, with a University and several other higher educational establishments and scientific institutes, an Academy of Music, many libraries, a great variety of cultural institutions and the Nobel Institute. It is also an important industrial city (particularly metalworking, engineering and textiles), and in addition it is a great tourist center and congress city.

History

Stockholm originally grew up on the islands of Stadsholm, Helgeandsholm and Riddarholm, which were fortified by Birger Jarl in 1252 in order to protect the townspeople against the attacks to which they were continually exposed, particularly from the sea. These islands now form the Old Town (Gamla Stan) of Stockholm. Thereafter the town gradually spread on to the mainland to the north and south. The great days of Stockholm came in the 17th century, when it was the capital of Sweden's Baltic empire. During the 18th and 19th centuries the town's old wooden houses were repeatedly destroyed by fire, and now the buildings are mostly of stone, effectively combining Nordic traditions with modern styles. The new city center round the Hötorg and Sergels Torg, developed since 1950, is a showpiece of contemporary Swedish architecture.
The Stockholm Jazz Festival, one of Sweden's oldest festivals, is held each year in July. Other annual events include the Stockholm Marathon in June and the Nobel Banquet at Stockholm City Hall on December 10th.