Page 68 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sweden

66  ST OCKHOLM AREA B Y AREA

q Riddarholms­
kyrkan
Birger Jarls Torg. Map 3 A3.
Tel 08-402 61 30.  Gamla Stan.
@ 3, 59. Open mid-May–mid-Sep:
10am–5pm daily; mid-Sep–Nov:
10am–4pm Sat & Sun. & 8 mid-
May–mid-Sep: noon daily (English).
7 ^
This church on the island of
Riddarholmen is best known as a
place for royal burials. Its interior
is full of ornate sarcophagi and
worn gravestones, and in front Wrangelska Palatset, a royal residence after the Tre Kronor fire of 1697
of the altar are the tombs of the
medieval kings Karl Knutsson are the graves of royal children, now uses this building, as
and Magnus Ladulås. including the many small tin well as Rosenhane Palace
Built on the site of the late coffins that surround the last (Birger Jarls Torg 10) and
13th-century Greyfriars abbey, resting place of Gustav II Adolf Hessenstein House (Birger Jarls
founded by Magnus Ladulås, and his queen, Maria Eleonora. Torg 2), built in 1630 by Bengt
the majestic brick church was Bengtsson Oxenstierna.
gradually enlarged over the
centuries. After a serious fire in w Wrangelska e Evert Taubes
1835, it acquired its present Palatset
lattice-work cast-iron tower. Birger Jarls Torg 16. Map 3 A3. Terrass
Inside, burial vaults, dating  Gamla Stan. @ 3, 59. Closed to
back to the 17th century, sur- the public. Norra Riddarholmshamnen. Map 3 A3.
 Gamla Stan. @ 3, 59.
round the church. The coffins
rest on a lower level with space Only two parts of Gustav Vasa’s A statue of Evert Taube, the
for a memorial above. The most fortifications from 1530 remain much-loved troubadour and
recent was built in 1858–60 – Birger Jarl’s Tower and the ballad writer, stands on the
for the Bernadotte dynasty. southernmost tower of what terrace below Wrangelska
The vaults contain the remains became the Wrangel Palace. Palatset looking out
of all the Swedish sovereigns Built as a residence for over the waters of
from Gustav II Adolf in the 17th the nobleman Riddarfjärden.
century to the present day with Lars Sparre in In an ideal position,
two exceptions: Queen Kristina 1652–70, it was given the poet’s
was buried at St Peter’s in Rome remodelled a few close links to the sea,
in 1689 and Gustav VI Adolf, decades later by Carl the bronze sculpture
who was interred at Haga in Gustaf Wrangel. A field was created by Willy
1973 (see p102). The most marshal in the Thirty Gordon in 1990. Close
magnificent sarcophagus is Years War, Wrangel by stands Christer Berg’s
that of the 19th-century king, chose Nicodemus Tessin granite sculpture Solbåten
Karl XIV Johan, which was the Elder as his architect. Evert Taube (Sun Boat), unveiled
towed here by sledge from The result was (1890–1976) in 1966. Inspired by
his porphyry work shops Stockholm’s largest the shape of a shell,
in northern Sweden. privately owned palace. from some angles it also
Particularly moving In 1697 the Royal Family resembles a sail.
moved into the palace
after the Tre Kronor
fortress (see p58) was r Riddarhuset
ravaged by fire. It became Riddarhustorget 10. Map 3 A3.
known as the King’s House, Tel 08-723 39 90.  Gamla Stan.
and it was here in the @ 3, 59. Open 11am–noon Mon–Fri.
same year that the Closed public hols. & 8 by
15-year-old Karl XII took appointment. ∑ riddarhuset.se
the oath of office after
the death of his father. Often regarded as one of
Gustav III was born here Stockholm’s most beautiful
in 1746 and in 1792 his buildings, Riddarhuset
assassin was incarcerated (House of Knights) stands on
Riddarholmskyrkan and the external burial vault by in the dungeons. Riddarhustorget, the city’s
Tessin and Hårleman The Court of Appeal centre until the 19th century.
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp284–5 and pp294–5

066-067_EW_Sweden.indd 66 11/07/16 11:48 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2)
Date 14th November 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm