Mansions and private mansions to visit Svealand

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.

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.

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!

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.