The Royal Palace

The majestic palace is not the first Swedish royal residence to be built on this centrally located spot. Tre Kronor Castle, which was catastrophically destroyed by fire in 1697, stood on the same site, but its dramatic history stretches back even further. Timber structures from the 10th century found during archaeological excavations are believed to be actual castle remnants – or at least pieces from a barrier-fort. A letter dated 1252 from the famous Swedish statesman Birger Jarl and his son Valdemar is the oldest definite record of the castle’s existence

The Palace is open to the public and offers no less than five museums. The Palace was largely built during the eighteenth century in the Italian Baroque style, on the spot where the “Tre Kronor” castle burned down in 1697. Visit the reception rooms with splendid interiors from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Rikssalen (the Hall of State) with Queen Kristina’s silver throne, and Ordenssalarna (Halls of the Orders of Chivalry). You can also see Gustav III’s Museum of Antiquities, the Tre Kronor Museum, and the Treasury.

The Royal Palace also contains the Armory, with royal costumes and armor, as well as coronation carriages and magnificent coaches from the Royal Stable. Make sure not to miss the parade of soldiers and the daily changing of the guard.