Stockholm information
Stockholm is the capital and principal city of Sweden. Stockholm is a beautiful and appealing city with many colorful buildings. Stockholm's skyline reflects in the waters of Lake Mälaren. Stockholm is a modern city and is well known for its design and fashion, The city has a lively nightlife. The old roots of Stockholm are still visible within the Old Town area known as the Gamla Stan one of the best preserved medieval centers of the world. Being surrounded by water the visitor gets splendid views off the coastline and the surrounding islands.
Stockholm location
Stockholm is located on the east coast of Sweden at the mouth of lake Mälaren and the Stockholm archipelago. The central part of Stockholm consists of fourteen islands. With a total area of 56.3 kilometer square, Stockholm comprises 39.8 kilometer square of land area and 16.5 square kilometer of water. Geographically, Stockholm lies at the conjunction of the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea. Stockholm‘s geographical coordinates are latitude 59°20’ N and longitude 18° 03’ E.
Stockholm weather
Stockholm has a rather northerly location in Europe but the climate is generally temperate and not necessarily always as cold as visitors expect. The summer months are warm with plenty of sunny weather. June and July experience almost 19 hours of daylight. But when winter arrives you see the opposite. Daylight hours begin to reduce in December and January only around six or seven hours a day. January and February are the coldest months and snowy weather is likely.Stockholm history
Birger Jarl established Stockholm in the year 1252. The city gradually developed and traded and transported goods to other countries. Most of the trade was with countries in the Baltic region. In the year 1270, Riddarholm Church was established in the Old Town. The Battle of Brunkeberg took place in 1471 in Stockholm in which the Danish King Christian I was defeated by the Swedish forces led by Sten Sture.The Stockholm Bloodbath (1520) is a major event in the history of Stockholm. 82 Swedish noblemen were murdered at the Great Market in the Old Town by the Danish Emperor Christian II. In 1611, Gustav II Adolf conquered the Swedish Throne and turned Sweden into one of the major countries of Europe with Stockholm as its most powerful city. Sweden became an independent nation and Stockholm was declared its capital in 1634. After the completion of the Royal Palace, the Swedish Royal family shifted to Stockholm in 1754.
In 1878, colleges and universities started to function in Stockholm. Also a large number of public buildings, hospitals, post offices and railway stations were build. This period saw the growth of culture and Stockholm becoming a cosmopolitan city. Later in the 20th century, Stockholm grew out as a modern, technologically advanced city with ethnical diversity. In 1998 Stockholm was chosen as the cultural capital of Europe with its multi-faced social and cultural activities.
Stockholm tourist attractions
Stockholm is a rich city and its considerable wealth is reflected within its many grand and historic buildings. Sightseeing in Stockholm's most central districts can best being done on foot. You can take your time and explore the main attractions at your own pace. Or else you can cruise along the numerous waterways around Stockholm. There are guided boat trips or you can go on an old steamship and see the city environs, passing a number of islands along the route.Stockholm houses many national culture institutions. The notable buildings in the city include the large German Church and several stately houses and palaces. Examples are the Riddarhuset, the Bonde Palace, the Tessin Palace, the Oxenstierna Palace and the Riddarholmskyrkan, the oldest building in Stockholm. Othet places of interest are the Stockholm Palace that was erected in baroque style, the Storkyrkan Cathedral and Skogskyrkogården, that is the Forest Cemetery. The most important landmark of the city is the Stockholm City Hall
The Swedish National Museum of Fine Arts has Sweden's largest collection of art, The Museum of Modern Art, contains works by modern artists like Picasso and Salvador Dalí, Other well known museums attracted by the tourists are The Stockholm City Museum, Skansen, the archetype of open air museums and the Vasa museum.
The Royal Palace is the official residence of His Majesty the King of Sweden, with over 600 rooms. It is the official residence of the Swedish monarchy. The Palace was largely built during the eighteenth century in the Italian Baroque style. Look out for the ever-popular changing of the guard ceremony, which is always a crowd pleaser.
The famous Swedish House of Lords has been a noteworthy landmark in Stockholm for more than 300 years, being completed in the middle of the 17th century and boasting exquisite Baroque architecture with strong Dutch influences. Today, the Riddarhuset houses a private institution, which concentrates on preserving much of Sweden's rich culture and history, and also features an acclaimed genealogical department and library.
Construction of the eye-catching Stockholm Public Library began in 1924 and just four years later, it officially opened it doors for the very first time. Designed by a prominent local Swedish architect, the Stadsbiblioteket was always destined to become a much-loved local landmark. Its central circular elevation and bright orange exterior are the main features, while inside, the stylish reading halls and multi-language books are also of interest.
The biggest and most noteworthy art gallery in the whole of Sweden can be found within Stockholm and is aptly named the National Museum of Fine Arts. Visitors are treated to an enormous collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings dating back as far as the 16th century, many of which are extremely valuable and have been created by acclaimed artists such as Degas, Rembrandt and Renoir.