Monuments to visit Sweden

In 1999, the Spaniard Santiago Calatrava (born near Valencia in 1951) participated in the competition to build the trans-Øresund link. His project was not selected, but it included a strange twisted monument on the Swedish shore that seduced the examiners enough for them to propose that the architect modify it into a residential building. This was done in 2005, and the 190-meter high tower (the tallest in Northern Europe) has since become one of the symbols of Malmö.

Since the 12th century, the two towers of the cathedral, called "Lunna Pågarna", have been rising above the plain, telling the traveller that he or she is no longer far from Lund. It also reminds us that there were as many as 27 churches and 8 convents here. The church has an unusual play of different shades of sandstone from a quarry in the Lund area. The same quarry, which is still used for the cathedral's purposes today, provided the sandstone for its unusually rich ornamental and figurative sculptures. The cathedral's most popular attraction is its astronomical clock, which dates from the late 14th century. Every day, at the twelve strokes of noon and at 3pm (Sundays at 1pm and 3pm), a mechanism sets wooden figures in motion: the show begins with an exchange of swords between two knights... The church is home to a set of beautiful stalls designed for the canons of the old Saint-Laurent monastery which belonged to the church. The triptych above the altar dates from the 15th century. The apse ends at the top with a mosaic of Christ, the work of Joakim Skovgaard in 1925.

Be sure tovisit the crypt, which is reached by descending the stairs beside the altar. It dates from 1123 and contains the tombs of famous people. It is supported by columns on which sculptures are carved. One of them represents Finn the Giant who, according to legend, built the church for Saint Lawrence.

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.

Malmö Castle is the heir of a first building founded by Erik of Pomerania in 1430 before being rebuilt a century later and occupied by the mint. After the return of Skåne to Sweden, the defenses were strengthened and a moat system dug. After the return of peace with Denmark, the building was converted into a prison and then into a museum in 1937. Of the castle itself remains, beyond the wooden bridge over the moat, a massive facade framed by two round towers, all built of brick.

In the courtyard, a modern building (also without lightness) houses four sections of the Malmö Museums (Malmö Museer). The restaurant Wega is located on Slottsholmen, right next to the main entrance of the Malmö Museums.

The Governor's House and the House of Technology and the Navy are located outside the castle. Between the museum and Kommendanthuset, there are some brightly painted wooden huts: this is the Fiskehoddorna, which serves as a fish market every morning.

Kontsmuseet (Museum of Fine Arts). Beautiful collection of Swedish landscape artists such as Carl Fredrik Hill (1849-1911). There are also contemporary works, notably by the sculptor Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd (born in 1934) and the Malmö-born surrealist painter Max Walter Svanberg (1912-1995). One room is devoted to a sketch made by the Dane Joakim Skovgaard for the mosaic of the cathedral in Lund. Beautiful collection of Russian paintings from the late ^19th century and representative works of Swedish design.

Historical museum. Documents, plans and objects tracing the history of Malmö Castle and focusing on life in Skåne in the ^17th century, when it became part of Sweden.

Aquarium & Tropicarium. Local fish and amphibians, but also (more exotic) gymnotes, better known as electric eels, and other piranhas.

Museum of natural history. Flora and fauna of Skåne, geology and paleontology with notably a dinosaur skeleton.

Kommendanthuset (the Governor's house). An ^{eighteenth-century} mansion that now houses exhibitions on photography. Right next to the Governor's house is a very nice little café serving organic and locally grown products (sandwiches, pies, salads, ice cream and homemade pastries).

Tekniken och Sjöfartens Hus (House of Technology and the Navy).

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.

Famous for its magnificent park and rhododendron grove, which, with 10,000 plants, is the most extensive in Scandinavia. This ^19th century castle was given as a wedding present by King Oscar II to his grandson Gustav Adolf and his wife Margareta in 1905, and the royal furnishings have not changed a bit! Lunch in the castle restaurant, a walk along the ponds... A delight. In summer, exhibitions and concerts on the beautiful and spacious lawns surrounding the castle.

Erected on the heights of the city, the Kärnan tower has watched over Helsingborg for more than 600 years. 35 m high, its walls are 4,50 m thick. It served as a defense tower and a lookout to prevent attacks by Danish troops. After the end of the Nordic wars, the fortress fell into disrepair and all the buildings were destroyed except for the tower which was restored in 1894. From the top (after having climbed the 188 steps!), a superb view on the bay and, in the distance, the contours of the Danish neighbor Helsingør.

A strategic stronghold on the border of Denmark and Sweden in the Middle Ages, then a major player during the War of Skåne in 1676, this solid orange castle surrounded by the waters of the Baltic Sea was initially built in the 12th century. It was the place where the Kalmar Treaty was signed in 1397 before being transformed by the Vasa dynasty until it took on its present appearance at the end of the 16th century. It is now the best preserved Renaissance castle in the country. A guided tour is offered at the reception desk, included in the ticket price.

The fortifications are undoubtedly the most striking feature of this city, as they are almost perfectly preserved. The wall surrounding the old town was built between the 13th and 14th centuries. It was initially very basic, but in the late 1300s it was raised and strengthened with high, solid towers to protect the city from Danish attempts to take over. Today, the walls stand all around the city. It is possible to walk along the ramparts and climb the two towers overlooking the sea at the north-western end.

The province of Bohuslän became Swedish following the Roskilde Peace Treaty in 1658. Realising the strategic value of the port of Marstrand, King Charles X ordered the construction of fortifications and so the construction of the fortress began. It took about 200 years to complete. The fortress was built by convicts over the years. The most famous of these prisoners was Lasse-Maja - a kind of Swedish Robin Hood - who managed to escape from the fortress by disguising himself as a woman.

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!

Bosjökloster, beautifully situated between two lakes, was built on an unknown date. The oldest document related to it dates back to 1181 and evokes a convent. During the Reform, the convent was closed before being, in the th century, forfeited by the Swedish State. Today, the noble Bonde family (the first name of the chamberlain is James) occupies and preserves this two-storey building with a bright white. The castle is open to the public as well as the park which includes an aromatic garden and a rose garden. Beautiful lawns overlook the lake.

This pavilion appears in a surreal way in the middle of the forests of fir trees. This construction commemorates the arrival in the region of Kung Chulalonkorn, in 1897. A real point of interest for the local population, with a sumptuous Thai garden. It is the only Thai pavilion in the world outside Thailand. It has already been visited by tens of thousands of people. It is probably also the only one to be covered with a beautiful snow coat during the winter.