Page 63 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sweden

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The canopy was added 100 ordered by Tessin. They had
years later for the coronation been rescued during the
of King Adolf Fredrik and was palace fire in 1697 and
designed by Jean Eric Rehn. preserved, but not put in
The room is lavishly the chapel until the 19th
decorated. The throne is flanked century. The benches
by colossal sculptures of Karl XIV were made by Georg
Johan and Gustav II Adolf, while Haupt, grandfather of
those on the cornice symbolize the Georg Haupt who
Peace, Strength, Religion was to create some of
and Justice. the palace’s most prized
Until 1975 the Hall of State furnishings (see p86).
was the scene of the
ceremonial opening of the Gustav III’s Museum of Erik XIV’s crown, made by Cornelis ver
Swedish Parliament (Riksdagen), Weiden in Stockholm in 1561
which included a march past Antiquities
of the royal bodyguard in full Opened in 1794 in memory of the French silversmith Jean
regalia. It is now used for the murdered king, the Museum François Cousinet 11 years to
official occasions and, like the of Antiquities initially housed make, is over 200 years old
Royal Chapel, is a venue for more than 200 exhibits, mainly and is still used for royal
summer concerts. acquired during Gustav’s Italian baptisms. Hanging in the
journey in 1783–4 and then Treasury is the only undamaged
supplemented with more tapestry among six dating
purchases at a later date. from the 1560s, salvaged from
In 1866 the museum’s the 1697 fire.
collection was moved to the
city’s National Museum (see
pp86–7). During the 1950s the Tre Kronor Museum
main gallery was renovated, A fascinating attraction at the
followed by the smaller galleries Royal Palace is the Tre Kronor
30 years later, which enabled (Three Crowns) Museum, which
the collection to be returned is housed in the oldest parts of
to its original setting. the ruined Tre Kronor fortress,
The most prized exhibits are preserved under the north side
in the main gallery, the best of the palace. About half of a
The Hall of State, the most impor tant known being the sculpture massive 12th-century defensive
ceremonial room in the palace of Endymion, the eternally wall and brick vaults from the
sleeping young shepherd and 16th and 17th centuries provide
lover of the Moon Goddess a dramatic setting for the
The Royal Chapel
Selene. The 18th-century museum which illustrates the
It took 50 years to build the sculptor Johan Tobias Sergel palace’s history over almost
Royal Palace, and a lot of effort is represented by The Priestess, 1,000 years.
went into the interior decoration ranked as the collection’s Two models of the Tre Kronor
of the Royal Chapel. The work second most important fortress show changes made
was carried out largely by piece. She is flanked by two during the second half of
Carl Hårleman under the large candelabras. the 17th century and how it
supervision of Tessin. As with looked by the time of the fire.
the Hall of State, the co-operation The Treasury Among items rescued from
between the two produced a the ashes are a snaps glass,
magnificent result, enhanced At the bottom of 56 well-worn amber pots and bowls made
by the contributions of several steps, below the Hall of State on from mountain crystal.
foreign artists. the south side of the palace, is
A number of remarkable the entrance to the Treasury
artifacts have been added over (Skattkammaren) where the
the centuries. The most recent State regalia, the most potent
was a group of six 17th-century- symbols of the monarchy, are
style bronze crowns, as well as kept. Occasionally, for an
two crystal crowns, given by the important event, King Erik XIV’s
Court to King Carl XVI Gustaf crown, sceptre, orb and the keys
and Queen Silvia to mark their of the kingdom are taken out
marriage in 1976. of their showcase and placed
It also has some rare relics of beside the uncrowned King Carl
the original Tre Kronor fortress: XVI Gustaf. The 1-m (3 ft) high A glass bowl in the Tre Kronor Museum,
new benches that had been silver baptismal font, which took saved from the 1697 fire

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