The Royal Palace

Gamla Stan 11130
Stockholm
Southern Sweden
Sweden

Type: Historical Interest

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The Palace became the home for royal families for two centuries, starting with King Adolf Fredrik in the mid-18th century. Even today it is called “the official residence of His Majesty the King,” though, technically, the present king, Carl XVI Gustaf, lives in Drottningholm Castle just outside the city. The unique thing about the Royal Palace is that it’s open to the public. Visitors are not allowed inside the entire building but there are many interesting rooms, such as the Treasury and the Royal Armory, that can be visited. And don’t miss the Museum Tre Kronor, which gives you a fascinating insight into the palace in the Middle Ages. It is no coincidence that the Royal Palace is here. The location was the natural choice to build a fortress over 700 years ago as it was the best place on stadsholmen to survey the surrounding area. The fortress eventually turned into the palace called Tre Kronor, where Gustav Vasa and many other kings lived before it was burned to the ground in 1697. After the disastrous fire, a new palace had to be built and the respected architect Tessin was the man asked by Hedvig Eleonora to create the plans. Hedvig Eleonora was the widow of Karl X Gustav, the mother of Karl XI and grandmother of Karl XII. It was for the latter, who became king of Sweden at age 15 only months before Tre Kronor was destroyed, that the palace was built. But the young king had other plans and left Sweden a few years later to conquer the world, never returning to his native city. Lack of money, mainly due to the many wars, delayed the construction of the palace, which wasn’t completed until 1754.