Page 611 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

ST OCKHOLM  609

q Nordiska museet
Djurgårdsvägen 6–16. Tel 08-519 546
00.  Karlaplan. @ 69, 76. v 7. 4
Djurgårds-färja, Allmänna Gränd. Open
10am–5pm daily. Closed midsummer
eve, Dec 24, 25 & 31. & ^ 7 8
- = ∑ nordiskamuseet.se
Housed in a Renaissance-style
building, the Nordiska museet’s
collection was started by Artur
Hazelius (1833–1901), founder
of the Skansen open-air
museum, with the intention of
reminding future generations
of the old Nordic farming The magnificent Drottningholm palace, on the island of Lovön
culture. Today, the museum
has over 1.5 million exhibits originally made its name with inspired Nicodemus Tessin the
portraying everyday life in relics from the Viking era, as well Elder (1615–81) in his design
Sweden from the 1520s to as its outstanding collections of the royal palace. Begun in
the present day. Items on from the Middle Ages. The latter the 1660s on the orders of King
display range from priceless include one of the museum’s star Karl X Gustav’s widow, Queen
jewelry, to furniture, dolls’ exhibits – a richly gilded wooden Hedvig Eleonora, the building
houses, and replicas of period Madonna figure, from Sweden’s was completed by Tessin the
rooms, such as the splendid early medieval period. In the Younger. Today, the present
17th-century state bed- prehistoric collection is the royal family still uses parts of
chamber from Ulvsunda Alunda Elk, a ceremonial the palace as a private
Castle. Highlights include the stone axe, discovered residence. The most lavish
monumental gilded oak statue in 1920 at Alunda and rooms open to the public
of King Gustav Vasa (1924), and thought to have been include Queen Lovisa
16 paintings by the Swedish made around 2000 BC. Ulrika’s library, designed
author and dramatist August Since the early by Jean Eric Rehn
Strindberg (1849–1912). 1990s, the museum’s (1717–93), and
priceless collection Queen Hedvig
of gold and silver, Eleonora’s state
dating from the bedroom, decorated
Bronze Age to the in Baroque style.
Middle Ages, has Madonna figure in the The Baroque and
been on show in the Historiska museet Rococo gardens and
Guldrummet (Gold lush parkland
Room). Look out for the stunning surrounding the palace are
Elisabeth Reliquary, an 11th- dotted with monuments and
century goblet, with a silver splendid buildings. The blue
cover made in 1230 to enclose and gold Chinese Pavilion
the skull of St. Elisabeth. (Kina Slott) was built for Queen
Lovisa Ulrika in the latter half of
the 18th century, and contains
e Drottningholm many interesting artifacts from
China and Japan. The designer
10 km (6 miles) W of Stockholm.
Carl Milles’ huge statue of King Gustav Vasa Tel 08-402 62 80.  Brommaplan, of the Chinese Pavilion, Carl
in the Nordiska museet then bus 176, 177, 301, 323. 4 May– Fredrik Adelcrantz, was also
Sep from Stadshusbron. Open May– responsible for the
Sep: daily; Oct–Apr: Sat & Sun. Drottningholm Court Theater
w Historiska (Chinese Pavilion: May–Sep; Theater (Slottsteatern), which dates
museet Museum: May–Sep.) Closed public from 1766. This simple wooden
hols. & 8 ∑ royalcourt.se building is the world’s oldest
Narvavägen 13–17. Tel 08-519 556 00. theater still preserved in its
 Karlaplan, Östermalmstorg. @ 44, With its sumptuous palace, original form. The scenery,
56. Open daily. Closed Mon (Oct– theater, park, and Chinese with its wooden hand driven
Apr); some major holidays. & 7 8 pavilion, the whole of the machinery, is still in working
∑ historiska.se
Drottningholm estate has been order. In summer, the theater
included in UNESCO’s World hosts opera and ballet. There is
Sweden’s National Historical Heritage list. Contemporary also a museum, which focuses
Museum was opened in 1943. It Italian and French architecture on 18th-century theater.

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