Architecture, Sweden

Gamla Stan, the Old Town, is one of the largest and best preserved medieval city centers in Europe, and one of the foremost attractions in Stockholm. This is where Stockholm was founded in 1252. All of Gamla Stan and the adjacent island of Riddarholmen are like a living pedestrian-friendly museum full of sights, attractions, restaurants, cafés, bars, and places to shop. Gamla Stan is also popular with aficionados of handicrafts, curious, and souvenirs. The narrow winding cobblestone streets, with their buildings in so many different shades of gold, give Gamla Stan its unique character. Even now cellar vaults and frescoes from the Middle Ages can be found behind the visible facades, and on snowy winter days, the district feels like something from a storybook. https://www.visitstockholm.com/see--do/attractions/gamla-stan/

The Stockholm City Hall is one of Sweden’s most famous buildings, and one of the capital's most visited tourist attractions. It is famous for its grand ceremonial halls and unique pieces of art and is the venue of the Nobel Prize banquet held on 10th of December each year. Since the City Hall is a governmental office building, you can only visit together with a guided tour. Public tours are offered all year round. When you take a guided tour, you will experience Stockholm City Hall at its very best. Enter the Blue Hall where the annual Nobel Banquet takes place. See the Golden Hall with its exquisite mosaic, and visit the Council Chamber, where the City Council of Stockholm meets. http://international.stockholm.se/the-city-hall/

The Palace is open to the public and offers no less than five museums. The Palace was largely built during the eighteenth century in the Italian Baroque style, on the spot where the “Tre Kronor” castle burned down in 1697. Visit the reception rooms with splendid interiors from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Rikssalen (the Hall of State) with Queen Kristina’s silver throne, and Ordenssalarna (Halls of the Orders of Chivalry). You can also see Gustav III’s Museum of Antiquities, the Tre Kronor Museum, and the Treasury. The Royal Palace also contains the Armory, with royal costumes and armor, as well as coronation carriages and magnificent coaches from the Royal Stable. Make sure not to miss the parade of soldiers and the daily changing of the guard. https://www.visitstockholm.com/see--do/attractions/the-royal-palace/

Take a day trip to Drottningholm and experience a historic milieu of the highest standard. Drottningholm Palace is Sweden's best-preserved royal palace constructed in the seventeenth century, the permanent residence of the royal family and one of Stockholm's three World Heritage Sites. The palace was constructed according to a French prototype by the architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder, by commission of Queen Hedvig Eleonora. Many royal personages have left their mark on the palace since then. The palace features magnificent salons from the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a beautiful park, a unique palace theater and a Chinese Pavilion. The imposing Baroque garden was laid out beginning in 1681 according to drawings by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger. The palace and the park are mostly open to visitors year round. https://www.visitstockholm.com/see--do/attractions/drottningholm-palace/

The City Theatre (Stadsteatern) holds seven theatres under one roof at Sergels torg in central Stockholm. Each of those theatres have a profile of their own in terms of repertoire and audiences. http://international.stockholm.se/visit-stockholm/culture/

Travel back in time at Örebros old art castle. Here you can go for exciting ghost walks, look for treasures and guided tours that take you from the castle's dark and humid prison caves for prisoners of war, thieves and witches up to the magnificent halls built for royalty like Karl IX, and Karl XIV Johan. http://www.visitorebro.se/en/gora/aktorer/orebro-slott/

King Kristian of Denmark loved building and commissioned many cities, castles and fortifications to be built around his kingdom including Halmstad Castle. https://www.destinationhalmstad.se/english/to-do/attractions.html?url=113685985%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fc%3D3%26TLp%3D641182%26TLl%3Den&sv.url=12.562a806313e8e51ee2e8bc7

Halmstads Konsthall has 8-10 exhibitions a year, making it a lively centre for art in Halmstad. Halmstads Konsthall is conveniently located in the centre of Halmstad, very close to the main shopping streets and restaurants and a wide selection of public artworks within walking distance. https://www.destinationhalmstad.se/english/to-do/attractions.html?url=113685985%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fc%3D3%26TLp%3D360594%26TLl%3Den&sv.url=12.562a806313e8e51ee2e8bc7

Malmo Konsthall was opened in 1975 and is one of the Swedens largest spaces for contemporary art. Architect Klas Anshelm has created an exhibition with great flexibility, generous space and fantastic light. ” A large, low concrete box open on the park and the light of heaven ”, described Anshelm himself his creation. The construction materials are light and simple; concrete, glass, wood and aluminium. Most of the gallery has a roof built as a lattice of 550 light domes. The ceiling height varies. The light well – with higher ceilings – has large sloping skylight north. Klas Anshelm got the idea to construction when visiting the sculptor Constantin Brancusi’s Paris studio. The result is a gallery that is both functional and aesthetic. An exhibition space that the artist with endless. Malmö Konsthall arranges annually a number of exhibitions with an international focus. https://www.konsthall.malmo.se/en/om-malmo-konsthall/

Malmö Opera presents the whole range of music theatre with the main emphasis on opera and musical. We perform the great opera classics, musicals, contemporary musical drama, concerts and dance, always meeting the highest international standards of quality. Operaverkstan, our department for children and young adults, produces high-quality performances for children aged 3-19 with focus on contemporary works and subject matters. Operaverkstan also introduces classic opera to its audience. The building that houses Malmö Opera was built during the Second World War and inaugurated in 1944. The main auditorium holds an audience of 1511 and the stage is one of the largest in Europe. With it, renowned architect Sigurd Lewerentz, together with colleagues Erik Lallerstedt and David Helldén, created one of the masterpieces of functionalist architecture. The foyer is considered of particular beauty, with its open spaces and sweeping marble staircases, and it is adorned with a number of works of art by artists such as Carl Milles and Isaac Grünewald. The building was listed with the National Trust in connection with the theatre’s 50th jubilee in 1994. https://www.malmoopera.se/node/211

The Moderna Museet Malmö is a branch of the famous Swedish Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm. It is located in a converted former power station, within walking distance from the center of the old town of Malmö. The former power station was built in 1901 as a brick building, the typical industrial architecture of its time. As part of the modernization, the building received an extension with a red-painted steel sheeting facade and in 2009 the Moderna Museet moved into the old power station. The museum is specialized on Scandinavian and international art of the 20th and 21st century. The changing exhibitions throughout the year are attracting visitors from all around the world. The former turbine hall was converted as an exhibition room and covers an area of over 800 square meters. In addition, the museum also has an educational workshop of about 100 square meters. The Moderna Museet is the only Scandinavian museum that features a significant collection of contemporary art of the 20th century. In its possession are works by Dali, Kandinsky, Matisse and Picasso. https://www.guidebook-sweden.com/en/guidebook/destination/moderna-museet-malmoe-museum-of-modern-art-in-malmoe

The Oresund Bridge is one very impressive piece of architecture and it is the scenic way of getting from Copenhagen to Malmö by car or train. But surely the symbolic meaning is even greater, given that in days gone by the province of Skåne was part of Denmark and the Swedes and Danes were at each other’s throats. The TV series The Bridge (Bron in Swedish) is a Scandinavian crime and drama television series created and written by the Swedish screenwriter Hans Rosenfeldt. Riding on the tide of Nordic Noir and Swedish crime, with predecessors like Sjöwall-Wahlöö and Henning Mankell having paved the way, the series was first aired in 2011 and quickly gained enormous popularity. Today the series has acquired a large international cult following and fans travel from all over the world to check out the filming locations in Malmö and Copenhagen. https://visitsweden.com/where-to-go/southern-sweden/malmo/malmo-and-bridge/

St. Petri Church is both the oldest preserved church in the city and its oldest preserved brick building. In the 13th century, herring fishing helped Malmö to flourish as a trading town. The Malmö residents came into contact with the Hanseatic cities around the Baltic Sea. There they were inspired to build a new church that would correspond to the city's position. St. Petri Church was probably inaugurated in 1319. Around 1380 the church was completed. The apostle's Peter and Paul became the patron saints of the church. The church building has a tight exterior with pillars and arches. The brick walls are lightened by a few parts with different coloured and glazed bricks. As a building material, clay was used from the district, which was turned into a brick in Malmö. The cream parlour was created in the middle of the 15th century. On the outer walls of the chapel, there are about ten chalkstone figures representing various saints. https://svenskakyrkanmalmo.se/st-petri-kyrka/

Building started on Uppsala Slott (Uppsala Castle) in 1549 during the reign of Swedish King Gustav Vasa who intended it as a fortress. Look up from almost any location in Uppsala and you'll see it on the skyline at Kasåsen. The castle is the location of several major events in the history of Uppsala and Sweden; for example, ‘the Sture Murders’ in 1567 when several noblemen were butchered at the behest of deranged King Erik XIV who had accused them of treason (their clothes are displayed at Uppsala Cathedral). Like many mid-1500s castles in Sweden, bloodbaths, conflict and political plotting were par for the course. As fired, which engulfed Uppsala and the castle in 1702 when it virtually burned to the ground. Its remnants were then scavenged for the building of the Royal Palace in Stockholm, which didn’t help matters much. The castle façade you see today is faithful to the bright colour it was following its reconstruction in 1740. https://destinationuppsala.se/en/activities/uppsala-castle/

Uppsala Cathedral (Uppsala domkyrka) is the largest and tallest cathedral in the Nordic countries. Construction on the cathedral began around 1270, with consecration taking place in 1435. The church towers were added later in the 15th century. The exterior of the medieval cathedral is unknown. The building has undergone several major restorations. Also, the fact that the church of Sweden became Evangelical Lutheran in the 1500s has had an impact on the appearance of the cathedral. Uppsala is the see of the Church of Sweden’s archbishop since 1164 and the place where bishops of other dioceses are consecrated and priest and deacons of Uppsala diocese are being ordained. Until 1719 many coronations took place in the cathedral. The cathedral is used for services every day all year round. The cathedral’s attractions include the reliquary of Saint Erik (Sweden’s patron saint), a medieval Saint Anne altarpiece and the 18th century Baroque pulpit. Mary (The Return) by Anders Widoff, the candle trees by Olof Hellström and wooden sculpture tableaux by Eva Spångberg are appreciated examples of modern art in the cathedral. https://destinationuppsala.se/en/activities/uppsala-cathedral/

Visit Gamla Uppsala Museum, one of Scandinavia’s most noteworthy cultural environments, and learn more about the centuries-old myths surrounding the area. Exhibits include unique and original finds from the royal mounds, which have long served as a symbol of a magnificent past. On display are found from archaeological digs and tales of Yngling dynasty kings, victims of the Viking era, pagan gods and a warring Iron Age. Follow along on a journey through the oceans of time, from 6th-century local heathen kingdoms to the religious upheaval of the Viking era to the building of the cathedral in the 1100s. https://destinationuppsala.se/en/activities/gamla-uppsala-museum/

Take a trip back in time to see what life was like in rural Uppland during the late 1800s. The estate is an open-air museum consisting of old buildings that together give visitors an idea of what an Uppland village may have looked like back in the mid-1800s. The buildings, which have furnishing typical to the time period, were brought to the site from their original locations throughout Uppland. The open-air museum is situated in an idyllic location on the edge of Gamla Uppsala, just behind the Uppsala mounds and Gamla Uppsala church. Opening hours 1st June- 31 st August, 10 am to 5 pm. Closed 10th June. Free admission. https://destinationuppsala.se/en/activities/the-disa-farm/

Wik Castle is located in a scenic area close to Lårstavikens strand. In the Wik Castle area, you will find lovely walks, well-kept green areas, a beach for swimming, hotel buildings, as well as the beautiful mediaeval castle – perfect for a day trip and a cup of coffee in their summer café. Here you can book your banquets, conference meals and eat a delicious lunch in Sigrid’s dining room. Wik offers an atmosphere out of the ordinary and you can also book various experience packages. Why not try the popular wine and chocolate tasting or a cooking class? At Wik the 1400s meet the present day in a unique combination that creates the very best conditions for an excursion, conference, hotel weekend or wedding reception. https://destinationuppsala.se/en/activities/wik-castle/

Västerås Cathedral, the oldest parts of which date back to the 13th century, is well worth a visit. Its art treasures and modern contrasts are unusual in a shrine of this kind. http://visitvasteras.se/en/actor/vasteras-cathedral/

The castle is visible wide around and has three towers with stately hoods. It appears to be one of Sweden's most powerful 16th-century castles, surprisingly well preserved despite rebuilding and decay. The estate has long belonged to the families Sture and Banér. It has been uninhabited since 1934. In recent years the restoration has recreated both exterior and interior and the castle is now on display as a museum. Since 1974, Ekenäs Castle has been a building monument. Ekenäs Slott is a genuine fairytale castle, dating back to the 17th century. A popular jousting tournament is arranged in spring, guided tours in summer, ghost tours in autumn and Christmas market in winter. Just 20 km east of Linköping. https://visitlinkoping.se/en/g%C3%B6ra/attraktioner/slott-och-herres%C3%A4ten/eken%C3%A4s-slott

Experience the development of the Swedish military aircraft at the Air Force Museum in Linköping - from the flight's childhood to today's JAS 39 Gripen. The Air Force Museum is modern technology and cultural history museum that reflects the development of the Swedish military aircraft from the pioneer era to the present day. The museum attracted over 170,000 visitors in 2017 and won the 2011 Museum of the Year award by the Swedish ICOM (International Council of Museums) and the Swedish National Museum of Sweden. In the museum's exhibitions, you can botanize in a unique collection of military aircraft and other objects linked to the flight's hundred-year history. Or you can step right into typical Swedish homes from the second half of the last century in the big exhibition about the Cold War. A time when the whole world trembled before a war that never broke out. On the ground floor of the museum rests the DC-3, a reconnaissance aircraft with a very special history. The downed reconnaissance aircraft was salvaged after 50 years on the seabed. Now you see it in a suggestive and thought-provoking exhibition about political play and the family's longstanding search for the truth. https://www.flygvapenmuseum.se/om-flygvapenmuseum/om-museet/#

Sturefors Castle by Lake Ärlången belongs to the Bielke family. It is a three-storey building with wings, constructed in 1704 by Tessin the younger for Carl Piper. The castle is known for its 1700s interior. You can only see Sturefors Castle from the outside, but it is worth a visit for the fine English Park that was created during the 1700s with a magnificent mirror pond, and the nature reserve which lies in the grounds of the old castle. https://visitlinkoping.se/en/do/attractions/castles-and-manors/sturefors-slott

Stjärnorp manor ruins are ruins of a 17th-century manor of the northern shore of Lake Roxen. The manor burned down in 1789 and the main building was never restored. Stjärnorp's castle was erected in 1655–1662 (in the parish of Vreta monastery ) by the Count and Field Marshal Robert Douglas (1611–1662). The castle and terraces were designed by Nicodemus Tessin. According to a story, it is said that when the war comrades and arms brothers Robert Douglas and Axel Lillie came home from the Westphalian peace, they entered into an agreement to build their respective castles, Stjärnorp's castle and Löfstad castle, so high that they could see and send greetings from the top floor to each other. All buildings were destroyed by a fire on May 12, 1789, but the castle chapel was restored already that year. The wing buildings were also rebuilt soon but financial resources were lacking for the main building, which is still a ruin. https://visitlinkoping.se/en/do/attractions/castles-and-manors/stj%C3%A4rnorps-slottsruin

For almost 800 years people have been coming to worship and pray at Linköping Cathedral. Work on the Cathedral was started in 1230, with the main building works being completed in 1520. The belfry and the west façade were added in 1885. Linköping Cathedral is the most impressive and expensive Swedish church building of the Middle Ages. http://visitlinkoping.se/index.php/en/churches-and-monasteries/link%C3%B6ping-cathedral

The oldest parts of Linköping Castle stems from the 1100s and the castle is the oldest secular building in Sweden. Large parts of Linkoping burned down in 1700, including the town hall. http://visitlinkoping.se/index.php/en/castles-and-manors/link%C3%B6pings-slott

The Culture centre was opened November 7, 1964 in connection with the city council's 100th anniversary and was the country's first cultural center. http://www.vastsverige.com/en/skovde/b/46830/Skovde-Cultural-Centre

A unique environment in Norrkoping City. A historic neighbourhood where the oldest buildings are from 1767. Now you can shop, snack, eat and enjoy life in Knäppingsborg. No matter from which direction visitors enter the neighbourhood, they encounter the exciting contrast between streets full of intimacy and the light from the three squares. Each square has its distinct identity, where companies gathered that strengthen each other. And in the cosy streets are stores where knowledgeable staff provides visitors with both personal service and friendly smiles. The same closeness and warmth greet the visitor in the alleys and outside windows in a Knäppingsborg who brought Norrköping unique qualities. Happy friends and acquaintances can exchange a few words with each other. From the squares seating, it is nice to just observe people. Others choose to relax at a café or on a terrace. Here at this unique setting next to the stream people come to listen to music without having to go to a concert and to see art without having to go to an art exhibition. https://www.upplev.norrkoping.se/en/item/kvarteret-knappingsborg

Here you will find the factories and the workplaces of the craftsmen dating from the 19th century up to the present day. This is situated in the middle of the old Industrial landscape on the banks of the Motala ström - the Motala River. Norrköping City Museum shows, in a very realistic way, a part of the history of the city as well as the history of the industries of Norrköping. There are many different exhibitions throughout the year. The Museum also houses a gift shop. https://upplev.norrkoping.se/en/item/stadsmuseet

The opera was founded more than 40 years ago and has evolved from a regional opera ensemble to a performing arts house with a broad range of activities. There is a symphony orchestra and departments for opera, dance, music and contemporary art. Visit Norrlandsoperan´s website for the current programme. https://visitumea.se/en/norrlandsoperan

Experience art at the Eskilstuna Art Museum. Here you will find everything from modern to historical art as well as a fun museum shop - perfect for finding unique gifts. The Eskilstuna Art Museum is a meeting place for people and the arts and is located in the historic district of Munktellstaden, in Bolinder Munktell's former gear workshop. Here you will find the permanent collection, temporary exhibitions with contemporary arts and crafts, educational activities, Swedish children's picture archive, program activities and museum shop. The Eskilstuna Art Museum's collection consists of works from the 17th century to the present, mainly Nordic and Northern European art, with the emphasis on Swedish 20th century painting. In the basic exhibition with art from the collection about 200 works are shown by, among others: Vera Nilsson, Carl Larsson, Emil Österman, Hannah Ryggen, Lars Lerin, Lena Cronqvist, Sven X: et Erixson, Astrid Sylwan, Carl Johan De Geer, Frida Fjellman, Otto G Carlsund and Siri Derkert. The museum is one of Sweden's oldest art museums, which opened outside the big cities. https://eskilstuna.nu/gora/sevardheter/eskilstuna-konstmuseum

Eskilstuna's oldest church, Fors church, is located in central Eskilstuna on the western shore of Eskilstunaån and was erected during the middle of the 11th century on the initiative of the monk S: t Eskil. The old wooden church was replaced by a Romanesque stone church as early as the 11th century. Parts of the old wooden church remain in the north and west walls. The armoury was built during the 17th century when it took its present form. If you are visiting the church, please stay in the armoury and raise your eyes to the classic ship hanging from the ceiling. Fors church got its name after its beautiful location along the river. It belongs to the Eskilstuna parish in Strängnäs diocese. It has probably been the foundation church for an area consisting of western Södermanland, southern Västmanland and eastern Närke. https://eskilstuna.nu/gora/sevardheter/fors-kyrka#googtrans(sv|en)

The Old Town is one of Eskilstuna's oldest and most well-preserved areas. Here there is very beautiful architecture to take part in and the area houses several attractions and opportunities for shopping. The cobblestoned Köpmangatan with cultural buildings from the 18th century extends along the river in the Old Town. There are narrow alleys and beautiful views from the gates down to the river. Along Köpmangatan there were once workshops and tanneries, today the street is surrounded by a variety of small unique shops, salons, flea markets, cafes and restaurants. Feel free to stop and relax and enjoy the atmosphere. Good food and drink can be found in the area's cosy restaurants and cafes. https://eskilstuna.nu/gora/sevardheter/gamla-staden

Eskilstuna city museum is located on Faktoriholmarna in central Eskilstuna. It is an industrial and technological history museum where you can experience a functioning, mechanical workshop with steam engines from a bygone era. In the experience room Faktotum, large and small can experiment on magnetism, electricity and centrifugal power. Here you will also find the Lilla Stadsmuseet , a colorful journey to the past, where children and adults can experience Eskilstuna's history together. The museum organizes lectures, workshops, various events and exhibitions. The Eskilstuna City Museum also includes the Rademachers forges , Lagersberg's seats in, Sörmlandsgården and large collections. The Eskilstuna City Museum was formerly called Faktoriet and Faktorimuseet. https://eskilstuna.nu/gora/sevardheter/eskilstuna-stadsmuseum