Page 62 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sweden

60  ST OCKHOLM AREA B Y AREA

Exploring the Royal Palace

The public areas of the Royal Palace allow visitors to walk
through grand rooms of sumptuous furnishings and priceless
works of art and craftsmanship. The Hall of State and the
Royal Chapel are both characterized by their magnificent
lavish decor and Gustav III’s Museum of Antiquities contains
ancient marble sculptures from the king’s journey to Italy.
The palace also houses the Treasury with the State regalia; the
Tre Kronor Museum, which depicts the palace before the 1697
fire; and the Livrustkammaren (see p62). The Pillar Hall in the Bernadotte Apartments
with original decor
serves as a drawing
room. Gustav III’s The Bernadotte
Apartments
State Bedchamber,
where the king died This magnificent suite has
after being shot at earned its name from the
the Opera House in gallery displaying portraits of
1792 (see pp46–7), the Bernadotte dynasty. The
is the height of apartments have some notable
Gustavian elegance. ceiling paintings and mid-18th-
Along with Queen century chandeliers, and are
Sofia Magdalena’s used for many a ceremonial
State Bedchamber, it occasion. The elegant Pillar Hall
was designed by the is the venue for investitures, and
architect Jean Eric the East Octagonal Cabinet with
Rehn. The lintels probably the palace’s best
on the doors to Rococo decor, is where the king
Karl XI’s Gallery, the finest example of the Late Baroque the Don Quixote receives foreign ambassadors.
period in Sweden Room, named Along with the western cabinet,
after the theme its interior has remained just as it
of its tapestries, were made by was planned by Carl Hårleman
The State Apartments Fran çois Boucher and are among more than 250 years ago.
The Royal Family has lived at the most treasured pieces. Oscar II’s very masculine
Drottningholm Palace (see Writing Room, dating from the
pp112–15) since 1982, but official The Guest Apartments 1870s, also looks much as it
functions still take place in the did in his day. However, the
State Apartments, including An imposing part of the palace, palace was kept up to date
banquets hosted by the king these apartments are where with the latest technical
during visits by foreign heads of visiting heads of state stay. The advances: electricity was
state. Other official dinners are beautiful rooms include the installed in 1883, and the
held here, as well as the annual Meleager Salon, where official telephone only one year later.
festivities in December gifts and decorations are
to honour the exchanged, and a The Hall of State
Nobel laureates. large bedroom with a
The dinners are served sculpted and gilded bed. Rococo and Classicism were
in Karl XI’s Gallery, the Other impressive rooms brought together in perfect
finest example of Swedish are the Inner Salon, whose harmony by the architects
Late Baroque, modelled decor was inspired by the Nicodemus Tessin the Younger
on the Hall of Mirrors at excavations in Pompeii, and Carl Hårleman when
Versailles. Each window and the Margareta they designed the two-storey
is matched with a Room, named after Hall of State.
niche on the inner the present king’s The Hall provides a worthy
wall where some of King Karl XIV Johan’s grandmother, which framework for Queen Kristina’s
the palace’s priceless egg cup displays some pictures silver throne, a gift for the
works of arts and painted by her. coronation in 1650 and one of
crafts are exhibited. Most The apartments contain the most valuable treasures in
remarkable is the salt-cellar remarkable works of crafts- the palace. The throne was
made from ivory and gilded manship by such 18th-century given to the queen by Magnus
silver designed by the Flemish masters as Georg Haupt, Gabriel de la Gardie and was
painter Rubens (1577–1640). The Ephraim Ståhle and Jean- made in Augsburg by the
room known as “The White Sea” Baptiste Masreliez. goldsmith Abraham Drentwett.
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp284–5 and pp294–5

060-061_EW_Sweden.indd 60 11/07/16 11:48 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Flashmap follow-on template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.4)
Date 5th November 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm