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Top 10 Little Known Facts about The Royal Palace, Stockholm

The Stockholm Palace which is also known as the Royal Palace is the regarded the official residence and major royal palace of the Swedish monarch. The palace is located in Gamla Stan in the capital, Stockholm.The place is built in a baroque style by the architect Nicodemus Tessin.

It holds up to 600 rooms divided into eleven floors. The office of the King, other members of the Swedish Royal family and the court of Sweden are housed in it.  The head of state uses this palace for representative purposes. 

Its current location has been in Stockholm since its initial construction in the 13^th century. The initial construction of the palace was halted during the Great Northern War which began in the year 1700. The construction later recommenced six years after the end of the war.

1.The halting of the construction during the Great Northern War

The initial design of the palace was made by Nicodemus Tessin the Young and was erected at the same position where the Tre Kronor castle was located. The construction was halted due to the Great Northern War which started in 1700.

The recommencement of the construction began six years after the end of the war. The construction was however taken over by Carl Harleman after the death of Tessin the Young in 1728. King Adolf Frederick and Queen Louisa Ulrika were the first Royal family to move in after the completion of construction. 

2.The magnificent interior of the palace

The Royal Palace, Stockholm, photo by Christopher Macsurak .

It is assumed that as from 2009, the palace ha at least 1,430 rooms. It holds apartments for royal families, representations and festivities. In addition to that, the said palace holds state apartments, guest apartments and Bernadotte Apartments.  

Other outstanding features of the palace in the interior are the Royal chapel, the Treasury with the Rigalia of Sweden, Livrustkammaren and the Tre Kronor Museum.

3.The National Library of Sweden was once housed in the palace

It is believed that until 1878, the National Library of Sweden was housed in the northeast wing which was known as the Biblioteksflygeln (the Library Wing). The palace however does not currently house the national library but as from 2014, the Bernadotte Library is housed in it.

4.The beginning of the construction of the palace

The palace in September 2014, photo by Arild VÃ¥gen.

The initiation of the construction of the fortress was made by Birger Jarl in the 13^th century in their defence of Lake Malaren. Over the years fortress grew no to become a palace and was later on named Tre Kronor. During the 17^th century new plans for the royal palace were mad by King Gustavus Adolphus.

Later on, Jean de la Vallee was appointed to be an architect of the palace. Jean made several suggestions for the construction of the castle. Tessin the Elder was later on required to take over from jean in the construction.

He made new substantial plans for the construction, it was taken over by Tessin the Young. He took over and oversaw the construction until it was concluded. The construction was sadly halted during the Great Northern War and later recommenced after six years.

5.The inauguration of the Royal chapel in the palace

The inauguration of the first Royal Chapel was made in 1696. It is evident that on the same year a new Hall of State was planned on the same year. The chapel erected by John III was replaced by a new one.

The new chapel was made in the same proportions as the old one that it replaced. Tessin was tasked to retain the high ceilings which proved to be a difficult task to achieve. To achieve the new proposed design, Tessin added a mezzanine floor with smaller square windows just above the lower row of windows.

6.Alterations made to the palace after the fire 

The northern row  before the fire in 1697,  photo by Swidde, Willem.

The palace caught fire on the 7th of May 1697 which prompted some alterations to be made on it. The fire prompted for the building of the current palace. The fire ruined most of the feature that were present in the initial design of the palace.

Tessin who was an architect as tasked with the responsibility to make much needed alterations on the palace. The Royal Chapel and the Hall of State was placed in the southern row of the palace instead of its initial location before the fire.  These were some of the major alteration made on the palace after the fire.

7.Change in the façade of the palace

During the reign on King Charles XIV John there was a large change in the façade of the castle. His reign resulted into a HÃ¥rleman’s light yellow facade coloring being painted over.  Later on in the 20^th century King Oscar II made decisions to restore the castle to the original brick that was initially designed by Tessin.

During 1922 to 1930, the LogÃ¥rden was rebuilt from the former English park to a more open area with pools of water on either side of the walkway leading from the East Arch to the Skeppsbron.

As at 2014, the brick design still remains the façade of the place.  It is also noted that during the reign of King Oscar performed several improvements and modernization of the palace. He made technical instalments to the place. 

8.The restoration of the Museum in the castle

Photo by Philip Myrtorp on

Between the year 1956 and 1958, Gustav III Museum of Antiquities was restored in the palace. Architects were appointed to oversee the restoration of the museum. Architect and Chief Intendant Ivar Tengbom were appointed for the work. After the restoration, the Tre Kronor Museum was opening made in 1999 while the Treasury was made on 1970. 

9.In addition to the Royal apartments, the palace holds museums

Apart from the rooms and royal apartments held in the palace, the place holds three museums steeped in regal history. They are; the Treasury with the regalia, the medieval history and the Gustav III Museum of Antiquities and the Trekronor museum.

In the Trekronor museum, the remains from the fire that occurred in 1697 are still displayed in it. The Gustav III Museum of Antiquities which is regarded as the oldest museum was named after the death of King Gustav who had prior purchased several pieces in the museum. The sculptures purchased are displayed in honor of him.

10.Jean Eric Rehn and Federik Scholander`s immense contribution to the interior of the palace

Stockholm, Royal Palace, Interior, photo by Rainer Halama.

Over the years there has been contributions made by several architect on the building. Jean Eric Rehn and Federik Scholander are some of the few artists that made contribution to its interior.

Between the 18^th and 19 century the two contributed to change in the Pilasters, wall decorations, and columns. Apart from the two, Louise Masrelies, Jean Baptiste Axel Magnus, Johan Niclas made immense interior contributions to the palace.

The palace holds immense importance to both the royal family and the people of Sweden. The palace however caught fire and the place was in dire need for alterations. The fire thereafter prompted the building of the current palace in Stockholm.