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Gamla stan, photo by Arild VÃ¥gen.

Top 10 Intriguing Facts about Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan, known as Stockholm Old Town, is the historical quarter of Sweden’s capital city, Stockholm. Gamla Stan was originally called själva staden, which means ‘the city itself’ and is mostly located on the island of Stadsholmen. Dating back to 1252, Gamla Stan is one of the biggest and best preserved medieval canters in Europe.

Gamla Stan is home to the Kungliga slottet, Sweden’s 18th century Baroque Royal Palace which replaced the medieval Tre Kronor palace that burned down, having stood there since the 13th century. Today, the small yet bustling Gamla stan is the site of centuries of history and contains numerous significant attractions from walled fortresses to quaint cobbled villages. Here are 10 intriguing facts about Gamla Stan.

1.Gamla stan is part of more than one island

Gamla stan primarily consists of Stadsholmen island and three surrounding islets; Riddarholmen, Helgeandsholmen and Strömsborg. Stadsholmen is connected to the mainland via several bridges while Helgeandsholmen is located north of Stadsholmen, and east of Strömsborg.

Riddarholmen houses a number of private palaces dating back to the 17th century with the main landmark is the church Riddarholmskyrkan. It was used as Sweden’s royal burial church from the 17th century to 1950, and where a number of earlier Swedish monarchs also lie buried.

2.The Stockholm Cathedral in Gamla stan

Photo by Péter Andi on

The Stockholm cathedral , primarily called Storkyrkan, which is the Old Town’s most ancient church, was donated by the imperial administrator Birger Jarl, the founder of the city Stockholm and was built in 1264 on the highest point of the island Stadsholmen. This Sweden’s Royal Cathedral dates to the 1300s, when it was initially constructed as a chapel.

 Due to a fire in the 1300s, it was reconstructed in the same century, as a basilica. It has different architectural styles such as the Gothic style interior and a Baroque style exterior.  The Storkyrkan Today only parts of the foundations and the remains of one wall are preserved from the original Storkyrkan.

It is located next to the Royal Castle in Stockholm’s old town Gamla Stan and has witnessed several coronations and royal weddings in its more than 750-year history. The cathedral has a silver altar above the main altar in the nave. This is a large winged altar made of ebony, decorated with numerous silver applications and several elaborate silver reliefs.

3.The medieval church of Riddarholmen

The interior of Riddarholmen Church, photo by Alexandru BaboÅŸ Albabos.

Riddarholmen Church is located on the island of Riddarholmen, close to the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. Built in 1279, Stockholm’s medieval cathedral is home to fascinating artifacts like the wooden sculpture of St. George and the Dragon. The beautiful medieval church of Riddarholmen is one of Stockholm’s oldest buildings and the burial place of Swedish monarchs.

After the Protestant Reformation, the monastery was closed and the building became a Lutheran church. A spire designed by Flemish architect Willem Boy (1520–1592) was added during the reign of John III, but it was destroyed by a lightning strike on July 28, 1835, after which it was replaced with the present cast-iron spire.

4.The stunning Nobelmuseet

The Nobelmuseet, which means the Nobel Museum, is adorned with various fascinating works from Nobel laureates. The Nobel Prize Museum is located in the heart of Stockholm, the Old Town. The museum showcases the discoveries and creativity of the Nobel Prize laureates.

The Nobel Prize Museum illustrates a century of creativity, where visitors can follow the changes of the 20th century through the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Prize laureates. One of the most popular features is a video recording of a speech that was given by Martin Luther King Junior.

5.The Theatre of Death

The theatre displays the elaborate funerals and artefacts of members of the Royal family from the 1500s to the 1900s, the 16th century Gustav Vasa in 1560 through to the 20th century. They do a standing exhibition presented by the Royal Armoury. The exhibition doesn’t shy away and there are plenty of photos of open coffins.

There are pictures of the ceremonies following the death of a king, as well as the adornments and processions of the funeral. Tourists visit the exhibition to learn more about the elaborate arrangements made following the death of Swedish kings and the artefacts preserved from various funerals.

6.The stunning Stockholm Royal Palace

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Built in Baroque style, the 18th century Swedish Royal Palace is the official residence of the Swedish royal family. Many rooms are open to the public, however, including five museums. When wondering what to do in Gamla Stan, it’s worth building in some time to see some of these museums.

The Armory contains royal costumes and armor. The reception rooms with their splendid interiors are worth a look too. The palace is built in baroque style by the architect Nicodemus Tessin and is formed as a Roman palace.

The palace has more than 600 rooms divided between eleven floors with a state apartment facing the city and smaller living rooms facing the inner courtyard.

7.The Alley of Marten Trotzig

Mårten Trotzigs Gränd, the narrowest alley in the city, photo by Mastad.

The alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. The alley is named after Marten Trotzig (1559 to 1617), a merchant and burgher who was born in Wittenberg and later immigrated to Stockholm in 1581. He became very rich and bought properties in the alley in 1597 and 1599, also opening a shop there.

It Leads from Västerlånggatan and Järntorget up to Prästgatan and Tyska Stallplan, the width of its 37 steps tapers down to a mere 90 centimetres, making the alley the narrowest street in Stockholm. The alley of Marten Trotzig is the narrowest street in Stockholm. It consists of 36 steps, which get narrower and narrower as they lead to the top of the alley.

8.A stop for fika in Gamla stan

Photo by Catalina Johnson on

Fika is essentially Swedish for taking a break for coffee and a pastry, a cinnamon roll or vanilla bun. Tourists and residents indulged in the Swedish custom and stop for fika while walking in Gamla Stan. It is filled with must see sights, authentic restaurants, attractions and cafes.

One of the café is the Mäster OlofsgÃ¥rden, a cultural institution, located a few metres from Stortorget. The cafe has a lovely courtyard garden. The organisation operates one of Stockholm’s oldest leisure canters and provides courses and events for the local community.

9.Stortorget public square

Stortorget is a public square in Gamla Stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. It is the oldest square in Stockholm. It’s lined by beautiful buildings and houses dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries, once owned by wealthy merchants.

The cafés around this Gamla Stan square make good people watching spots. Today, the square is visited by tourists annually, and is occasionally the scene for demonstrations and performances. It is traditionally renowned for its annual Christmas market offering traditional handicrafts and food.

10.Saint George and the Dragon

The Saint George and the Dragon sculpture are located in Köpmantorget in Gamla stan, Stockholm, Sweden. It was unveiled on 10 October 1912, marking the anniversary of the Battle of Brunkeberg.

It is a bronze replica of Bernt Notke’s wooden Saint George and the Dragon, which is in Stockholm’s Storkyrkan. The sculpture was moulded by Otto Meyer. It depicts the knight, sword raised, about to deliver the final blow to the dragon, which is lying prone on its back having been lanced.

It is carved from oak wood, elaborately painted and partly gilded. The large sculpture group shows Saint George as a knight in golden armour on horseback killing a dragon and saving the Virgin.

Built from the 13th century, Gamla Stan is  true beauty made up of a network of cobbled streets, North-Germanic architecture and beautiful open plazas such as the Stortorget, The Alley of Marten Trotzig, the Stockholm cathedral, the Nobelmuseet and many other tourists attraction.