Monuments to visit Svealand

Inaugurated in 1926, this imposing building with its blue plaster and tall gray columns overlooking Hötorget is one of the symbols of Stockholm. It is here that the Nobel Prizes are awarded every December 10, rewarding the men and women who, according to the various committees, have made the greatest advances in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine and literature. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, according to the will of Alfred Nobel. The Concert House can be visited every summer day during the Nobel tour, in English. The huge fountain on the steps of the building is a work of the Swedish sculptor Carl Milles, made in 1936 and representing Orpheus.

Home of the Philharmonic Orchestra. The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra performs here throughout the year, but you can also attend concerts by international artists and orchestras. The 105-piece Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, led by American conductor Ryan Bancroft, is one of the world's most renowned orchestras. Born in 1902 with the creation of the Concert Society orchestra, the name was changed some fifty years later, in 1957, to the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, to finally become the Royal Philharmonic. For the little anecdote, the composer Allan Pettersson was a member of the orchestra in 1940 and 1953. Today, the Konserthuset organizes more than a hundred concerts per year.

The Stockholm City Hall is one of the most emblematic monuments of the city. Created by the architect Ragnar Östberg, the Stockholm City Hall was inaugurated in 1923 after 12 years of work. Beautifully located on the shores of Lake Mälaren, this building of a new architectural style, the national romanticism, immediately became the symbol of the city. It almost symbolically illustrates the marriage between the cityscape and the surrounding water. Today, the city hall houses the rooms of the city council, the central commission, the committee of aldermen as well as the offices of the central administration of the city and the ceremonial rooms.

It is possible to visit Stockholm City Hall by taking a guided tour that lasts 45 minutes (purchase tickets on site). Guided tours are given daily but may be cancelled due to events taking place at the venue. It is also possible to book a private tour, which offers more flexibility on the language spoken during the tour (book online). The city hall also has a souvenir store with some very nice items! Good plan for a last minute gift.

The Tower(open only from May to September). At the corner of the building, the tower stands 106 m high and is topped by three crowns, a national and monarchical symbol. You can access its different levels through a narrow spiral staircase that has 365 steps. From the top, one has a complete and impressive view of the city, making the city hall a major tourist attraction. The tickets (only 30 issued each hour) are accompanied by a schedule. So you have to book them as soon as possible, on the spot.

The Blue Hall (Blå Hallen). This immense sheltered courtyard hosts the great Nobel Prize award dinner every year. Largely inspired by the Italian Baroque, with its balconnets and arcades, it does not live up to its name because there is not a single trace of blue here. The reason is simple: the architect changed his mind about the color of the room several months after naming it. Thus, the name remained... Here you will see an organ with 10,000 pipes, which must surely be the largest instrument in Sweden.

The Council Chamber (Rådsalen). The 101 elected members meet here two Mondays a month. The roof structure is fully visible, a reference to the Vikings, who once held their councils under the hulls of their overturned ships. A corner of blue sky appears on the ceiling between the rafters through a trompe-l'oeil painted bay. Again, the builder wanted to recall the dwellings of the Swedish ancestors whose roofs were slit with an opening to evacuate the smoke. The red color - common in Sweden - of the beams, textiles and leather emphasizes the solemn character of the room.

The Ovalen. The antechamber of the ceremonial rooms serves as a lounge for civil weddings on Saturdays from 2 to 6 pm. This room is also called "French" because of the tapestries from the royal manufacture of Beauvais around which the room is designed.

The Prince's Gallery (Prinsens Galleri). It is a 47 m long party room. It is illuminated by seven French windows overlooking the park, Lake Mälaren and the shores of Stockholm. In front of the windows, this vast panorama is reflected in frescoes painted by Prince Eugene. Three carved and gilded oak chandeliers hang from the ceiling of the Three Crowns Room (Salen Tre Kronor). One of the most representative paintings of the Gustavian period is Stockholm from Mosebacke by Elias Martin. It depicts the old city which, for two centuries, has remained as it is. The Prince's Gallery is closed on Saturdays, often reserved for wedding ceremonies!

The Golden Hall (Gyllene Salen). Work of the master Einar Forseth, this banqueting hall was realized in only two years and is undoubtedly the highlight of the visit. The place is as original as sumptuous: the walls are entirely covered with gold and glass mosaics that represent the history of Swedish kings (including the scenes of the "bloodbath" of Gamla Stan in 1520 and the accession of Gustav Vasa three years later) and, on the back wall, the East and the West paying tribute to Stockholm, depicted in the guise of a strange deity known as the Queen of Lake Mälaren. It is in this sumptuous hall that the annual Nobel Prize Ball is held and broadcast on radio and television.

Stadshusparken is a small park along the city hall and the shores of Lake Mälaren. There are several sculptures here, among them the artists August Strindberg and Gustaf Fröding. The park is large and spacious, offering a very pleasant view of the whole city.

Café Ragnars Skafferi. Located in the city hall, this cozy café is named after the building's architect, Ragnar Östberg. You can go there for lunch, they offer homemade dishes and all ingredients are organic! The menu is fixed, and changes every day of the week. You can find out more on their website: www.ragnarsskafferi.se/. Vegetarian friendly menu, and everything is served as a buffet. Your choice!

It is probably the presence of this theatre on the site of Drottingholm that decided Unesco specialists to inscribe this site on the World Heritage List. It is one of the few unrenovated 18th-century baroque theatres in the world that can be visited. Its history is picturesque, since the building was built in 1766 by Queen Lovisa Ulrika and then magnified by Gustav III, who brought in French, Italian and German artists. Then, the theatre was suddenly closed in 1792. It was almost by chance that it was rediscovered by a historian in search of a painting (which is actually on display in one of the rooms). The latter realized the treasure he had just unearthed (the theatre had been dormant for nearly two hundred years), and asked for permission to restore it, which was granted. Today, operas and plays are regularly presented to the public. The hall itself is magnificent, plunged into semi-darkness to make the many trompe-l'oeil effects effective, according to the architect's wishes. The stage sets are still changed by hand using the original mechanical system. The tour will then take you to the rooms adjoining the hall, to the rooms that were used to house the artists in Gustav III's time and to the reception room, where the king liked to have breakfast with the actors, to the sound of an orchestra playing from the circular aerial balcony... A beautiful and impressive visit not to be missed by amateurs!

The summer residence of the botanist, built by him in 1758. This mansion is one of the best preserved in Sweden and reflects both the private life of this man and his scientific work. It was bought by Carl von Linné in 1758, as a refuge from the unhealthy environment of Uppsala. Many plants, cultivated by Linnaeus himself, grow in this lush park. From the hill overlooking the farm, one can enjoy the view and dream of the ^18th century landscape.

In this baroque castle, one of the most famous in Sweden, rooms dating from its construction have been preserved in their original state. Here, Carl Gustaf Wrangel (1613-1676), potentate and big spender, and his wife Anna Margareta von Haugwitz (1622-1673), created a splendid residence. Coming from the aristocracy, they sought to understand the world by collecting art and antiquities as well as specimens of nature. The apartments house remarkable collections of paintings as well as furniture and textiles.

Villa Waldemarsudde was originally the home of Prince Eugène (1865-1947), son of King Oscar II. Having moved to Paris in the 1880s to study art, the Prince was one of the leading landscape painters of his time, as well as a leading art collector, focusing on Swedish, Nordic and French art. Over the years and during his many travels, he began to acquire dozens of contemporary works, which are now on display in the museum for our enjoyment. The visit is in two parts.

The gallery. A large part of Eugène's personal collection. Here we find a jumble of the Prince's landscape creations, as well as numerous canvases by Swedish artists, the most famous of whom are Anders Zorn(La Frileuse, Sur le port d'Alger) and Carl Larsson(Karin et Biito).

The manor house. Built between 1903 and 1905, it is now almost entirely open to visitors. The rooms are still furnished as they were in Eugène's day, and decorated with works by artists such as André Lothe and Anders Zorn. Enjoy the superb view from the flower room! The other two floors are devoted to temporary exhibitions, featuring both ancient and contemporary artists. What's more, the flower-filled sculpture park that frames the museum offers a magnificent view of the channel that links Stockholm to the sea. An attraction not to be missed.

Surrounded by the tranquil waters of Lake Mälaren and located not far from the Parc aux biches nature reserve, Gripsholm Castle captivates visitors with its picturesque location. This architectural gem was built in the ^14th century during the reign of King Gustav Vasa, offering a fascinating immersion in Swedish history. Art and history enthusiasts will be delighted by the wealth of exhibits, highlighting the castle's evolution through the centuries. Not-to-be-missed rooms include Duke Karl's bedroom and Gustav III's theater.

Originally, the pavilion was smaller and built of wood. Today, the building is made of stone and can be fully visited. Completed in 1769, it was extensively restored at the end of the ^20th century so that the public could visit it. This curious building is planted in the east of the gardens of Drottningholm. It is unique in its kind. At the end of the ^18th century, trade with China, via the East India Company in particular, allowed the Swedish monarchs to discover the beauty of porcelain and silk and to taste the tea of this distant empire, which they turned into a garden of Eden. Inspired by the observations of travelers and in particular the sketches of the architect William Chambers, Swedish painters and sculptors created "chinoiseries" which mixed Asian influences and the often distorted symbols of imperial China with typically European and Swedish ornaments.

The Green Room or Pleasure Room. Decorated with representations of nature and scenes of Chinese characters relaxing, covered with a pale green painting, this room overlooking the gardens was, with its windows open, a place where one could indulge in the pleasures of life: reading, music, and tea tasting.

The yellow and red rooms. Furnished and designed by William Chambers, these two rooms are almost twins. They contain Chinese calligraphy signs that mean... nothing!

Drottningatan 85 was the last home of Sweden's most famous author. He moved there in 1908. He also rented a room on the seventh floor of the same building where he installed his library, which contained about 6,800 volumes. It was in the Blue Tower, so called because of the color of the staircase, that he wrote his last play The Great Road in 1909. 1910 and 1911 were the years of the "Strindberg quarrel", a quarrel over some 500 political articles in which he sided with the working class. And it was here that he received, on his 60th birthday, his first massive tribute from the working classes. Later, when it became clear that he would not receive the Nobel Prize, a collection was organized, which raised 45,000 SEK, and constituted a kind of anti-Nobel Prize of the people. This money was given to him on his ^63rd birthday, and on the evening of January 22, 1912, the workers of Stockholm formed a torchlight march from Odenplan to Tegnérslunden, with 20,000 people in attendance. Strindberg appeared on his balcony, lifted his top hat and gave thanks. He died a few months later, on May 14, and 60,000 people accompanied him to his final resting place. Strindberg's apartment has been reconstructed from eyewitness accounts and photographs of the time. For the sake of preservation, a visit to the apartment requires that you put on slippers to protect the original parquet floor.

In the old town, just before the bridge that leads to Riddarholmen. Riddarhuset, or the Palace of the Nobility, was built between 1641 and 1674, in a German baroque style, by the French architect Simon de La Vallée, and later by the German Justus Vingboons. The building, apricot-colored, with white columns and ornate windows, still belongs to the Swedish nobility. It is guarded by the imposing statue of King Gustav Vasa, more than 5 m high!

This is the home of the famous writer, Nobel Prize winner in 1909, who grew up in Värmland. You will discover, in a charming setting, the rooms that have remained intact, the library where many of the author's short stories were written. A guide will tell you the story of this woman through a visit of the place. The garden is also to be discovered. A café allows you to eat and drink a tea. A very interesting place.

It is an old stone bridge crossing the Östra Klarälven. Built in the ^18th century, it is remarkable for its style, made of a succession of twelve stone arches spanning the river. Previously, there were wooden bridges on the site, but they could not withstand the spring floods. Construction was to take four years, but it was not until 1797, after 32 years, that the bridge was inaugurated. Connecting the districts of Haga and Norstrand with its 168 m length, it is also the longest of its kind in Sweden.

This superb library contains countless priceless treasures, some of which are on display in the small museum at the entrance: a hand-drawn map of Mexico City by Alonzo de Santa Cruz in 1555, Mozart's scores, and beautifully illuminated medieval manuscripts, including the Codex Argenteus, or Silver Bible, dating from the ^sixth century, whose fabulous story can be told by a guide in French. Reservations can be made at the tourist office.

Not to be missed if you are in Falun. Every year, more than 60,000 visitors come to see the home of the very popular artists Carl and Karin Larrson. Here you can admire the beautiful interior design of the house and many of the artist's works. Lilla Hyttnäs, the house, has remained in the Larsson family for generations and is now run by the family association, which strives to keep Carl and Karin's work alive.

The most beautiful view of the city. From the top of the 54 m of this water castle, striated white and sky blue, you dominate the whole region from mountains to lake. And of course we discover the castle and the city centre from a very different angle. It's essential if you go to the corner. A café at the top of the water castle offers for 95 Sek a dish, a drink, a salad and a coffee and offers an exceptional view.

Örebro Castle was originally a lookout tower in the 13th century and a manor house in the 15th century, but it was not until the end of the 19th century that it took on its final form. The building, with its four rounded towers, is built on Svartån, the black river. Today the building is occupied by the local governor, but the north-east tower can be visited, where there is an informative permanent exhibition, free of charge. It is accessed by walking along the walls on the right after the small bridge. The rest of the building is only open to guided tours for groups.

The castle, which was ordered built by Gustav Vasa in 1549, is today the residence of the governor and the seat of the regional administration. The Rikssalen, or State Hall, where Queen Christine renounced the crown, is worth a visit. It was also here that Erik XIV, in a fit of madness, had influential nobles executed in 1567 (history remembers this event as the "Sture murder"). The castle also houses several museums, including the Uppsala Museum of Fine Arts (Uppsala konstmuseum).