Stockholm Attractions

An underground railroad system (Tunnelbana, or T-Bana for short), begun in 1930 but actively developed only after 1945, links the center of Stockholm with its various suburbs. The T-Bana stations are a kind of city-wide art exhibition: the tunnels blasted out of the rock were left in their natural state, painted in bright colors and skillfully lit.

Moored off the west side of Riddarholm the former training ship "af Chapman" is used in summer as a youth hostel.

The Almgren Silk-Weaving Mill has been in production for over 170 years. It was a large employer of women and has maintained many of the same looms for silk production.

From the west side of Riddarhustorg in Stockholm a bridge leads on to the little island of Riddarholm. In Birger Jarlstorg are a column bearing a statue of Birger Jarl, the founder of Stockholm, and Birger Jarl's Tower (15th C.), from which there are fine views of Lake Mälar and the Town Hall. Also in the square is the High Court (Svea Hovrätt), housed in the old Wrangel Palace (ca. 1650), whose round tower is a relic of the old fortifications of Stockholm.

The Carl Eldh Studio Museum consists of the well-preserved studio of the famous Swedish sculptor Carl Eldh and his collected works. There are over 400 works spanning the entire career of Carl Eldh.

Sergelsgatan, a Stockholm pedestrian zone with many shops and an underground market hall, runs north, past five high-rise blocks, to the Hötorg, in which markets are held in spring, summer and autumn. In Hötorg is the Concert Hall (Konserthuset, 1962), home of the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, in which the annual presentation of the Nobel Prizes takes place. In front of it can be seen the Orpheus Fountain (by Carl Milles, 1936).

To the west of the Stockholm Town Hall, in Hantverkargatan, stands the Baroque Kungsholm Church (17th C.) and northwest of this, in Scheelegatan, the Council House (Rådhuset; by C. Westmann, 1911-15), occupied by the Law Courts.

From here, majestic cruise ships depart for distant ports of call. While docked, these mighty ships are a spectacle for all to see.

The collections of the Dance Museum features dance, theatre, art and music from around the world and from different cultures.

In Djurgårdsbrunnsvägen, the continuation of Stockholm's Strandvägen to the east, are the National Maritime Museum (Sjöhistoriska Museet), the Museum of Science and Technology (Tekniska Museet) and the Museum of Ethnography (Etnografiska Museet; peoples and cultures of the Third World, with material brought back by travelers of the 18th-20th centuries).

In Stockholm's Karlavägen is the Engelbrektskyrka (by Lars Israel Wahlman, 1914), built of granite and red brick. East of this, in Valhallavägen, can be seen the Stadium built for the 1912 Olympic Games. To the north is the College of Technology.

Southeast of Stockholm's Stortorg is the German Church (Tyska Kyrka; St Gertrude's), which, more than any other church in the city, preserves the character and style of the 17th century. It has a richly gilded altar by Markus Hebel of Neumünster, a magnificent pulpit in ebony and alabaster designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Elder, a royal pew and an organ (by the firm of Peter in Cologne) presented to the church in 1971 on the 400th anniversary of the German community in Stockholm.

To the east of the German Church in Stockholm's Old Town, in Österlånggatan, is the Gyldene Freden ("Golden Peace") restaurant, which has associations with the 18th century Stockholm poet Carl Michael Bellman, among whose best known songs are "Fredmans Epistlar".

The Greek Cultural Centre offers a variety of events and activities to help maintain the Greek-Swedish cultural inheritance. There are 20,000 volumes in the library on Greek literature and culture, museum artifacts and photographs.

Kungsholm (King's Island) is separated from the rest of Stockholm by a narrow inlet.

The Stockholm Tunnelbana has three lines encompassing 110km of track and 100 stations of which 64km and 55 stations are underground. Several of the deep underground stations are cut into solid rock which were left with cave-like ceilings. The builders carved fascinating artistic objects out of the rock. One like the base of a gigantic Greek column (Station Radhuset) resembles the excavated remains of some lost city of Atlantis encased in an ancient lava flow. The Station Kungstradgarden has torsos and lion heads emerging from the rock. Modern murals and statues are liberally used in many other stations.

On an island to the northeast of Stockholm can be found the residential suburb of Lidingö, in which Millesgården is located, the former home and studio of the Swedish sculptor Carl Milles (1875-1955), now a museum, which in addition to major works by Milles himself displays his collection of Greek and Roman art. In the grounds of the house, from which is a fine view of Stockholm, are replicas of various sculptures by MIlles.

Visitors to the Museum of Medieval Stockholm can experience medieval Stockholm, with its brick houses and booths, workshops, harbour and gallows. It relates the medieval history of the city from the 1250s to the 1520s.

In the southern part of Stockholm's Östermalm district is the National Historical Museum (Historiska Museet), which offers an excellent survey of the early historical period, the Viking age and the Middle Ages in Sweden; of particular interest are the inscribed stones from Gotland. In the same building is the Royal Coin Cabinet. Nearby are the headquarters of Swedish Radio and Television and, in Borgvägen, the Swedish Film Institute.

On the north side of Stockholm is the district of Vetenskapstaden ("City of Learning"), in which are the Royal Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum (Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet), with an interesting range of collections, including a geological section.

To the east of Stockholm's Humlegård Park, at Sturegatan 14 is the Nobel Foundation, established in 1900 by the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel. The Foundation annually awards six prizes for outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, economics, literature and the cause of peace.

(The Peace Prize is presented in Oslo).

Nordiska Kompaniet is the major department store in the North. It is conveniently located in midtown and this makes it accessible to all of the major Stockholm hotels. There are a number of individual boutiques.

The Old Town of Stockholm, called Gamla Stan is a charming place of old antique shops and the 500 room Royal Palace.

The history of the Post Office and stamps is found in the museum. A permanent exhibition of the origin of the stamp, artists behind the stamp and how the picture was developed on the stamp.

At the northwest corner of Gamla Stan in Stockholm is Riddarhustorg, with a monument to Gustavus Vasa, who re-established the independent Swedish kingdom in 1523. On the north side of the square can be seen the Old Town Hall (17th C.), now occupied by the Supreme Court (Högsta Domstolen).

The Royal Armoury houses items from the Swedish regents, their families and the Swedish Court over the last 500 years. Many of the pieces are from state ceremonies, weddings, coronations and funerals.

To the north of Strandvägen in Stockholm, in Riddargatan, is the Royal Army Museum (Armémuseet), with a collection of uniforms and weapons illustrating Sweden's military history.

The first economic museum in Europe, the Royal Coin Cabinet has coins, banknotes, credit cards, tokens and medals on display. Money from around the world and the history of savings are other highlights.

North of the Army Museum in Stockholm, in the Humlegård Park, is the Royal Library, Sweden's National Library (built 1870-77, with later extensions). Among its treasures is the Codex Aureus, an eighth century Latin translation of the four Gospels.

The Stockholm City Museum is located in a 17th century building and features exhibits that highlight the history of Stockholm from a medieval port to the capital city it is today.

The Stockholm Music Museum has over 200 instruments on display as well as theatrical and musical archival material. Musikmuseet has Sweden's largest music archives with material primarily related to Swedish individuals and institutions in the fields of music and theatre.

To the south of the Stockholm Cathedral, in the center of the island of Helgeandsholm, is the Stortorg, a square surrounded by 17th and 18th century buildings. One of the finest of these is the Exchange (Börse), built by Erik Palmstedt in 1778, which now houses the Swedish Academy and the Nobel Library. In 1520 the Stortorg was the scene of the Stockholm Massacre, in which Christian II of Denmark executed 82 leading Swedes in order to strengthen his hold on the country.

Along the waterfront in Stockholm's Östermalm district, between Nybroplan and the Djurgård, runs one of Stockholm's finest streets, Strandvägen. Along it are a series of palatial buildings, most of them occupied by foreign embassies.

The Swedish Customs Museum features exhibits on customs in Sweden. It is housed in the first customs house in Stockholm. There is a large display on smuggling.

This is a large science and technology museum housing an aviation gallery including some early aircraft used in Sweden in the 1920s and 30s.

The Telecommunications Museum shows the developments in telecommunications within the fields of telegraphy, telephony, radio and television.

The Vasa Museum illustrates Sweden's long history of shipbuilding, merchant shipping and ocean liners. Visitors will see full scale reproductions of ship's forecastles and helms, 100 large (1:200 scale) ship models, photographs and, artifacts. Temporary historical exhibitions and a childrens' museum can also be seen.

To the west of Stockholm's Gamla Stan, Västerlånggatan runs south, lined by small shops, to the Järntorg. In this square is the old Riksbank (ca. 1670), one of the oldest bank buildings in the world.

To the east of Norrmalm is Stockholm's Östermalm district, which is bounded on the west by Birger Jarlsgatan and on the south by the inlet of Nybrovik.