Charles XIV Johns statue, Bronze equestrian statue in Gamla stan, Stockholm, Sweden
The Charles XIV John statue is a bronze equestrian figure on a granite base, standing at Karl Johans Torg in Gamla stan, Stockholm. The rider faces south, and the monument is surrounded by a small open square flanked by historic buildings on all sides.
Swedish sculptor Bengt Erland Fogelberg created the work while living in Rome, and it was cast in Munich in 1852. The statue was unveiled on November 4, 1854, in memory of the king who had ruled Sweden from 1818 to 1844.
The statue stands on a small square in the heart of the old town, where people pass through or stop briefly on their way between the main streets. The surrounding cobblestone lanes and old facades give the place a distinct character that visitors naturally notice.
The statue is in the center of Gamla stan and easy to reach on foot from the nearby metro stations. A walk through the narrow lanes of the old town fits naturally around a visit to this spot.
Charles XIV John was not born Swedish but was originally a French general named Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, elected as heir to the Swedish throne in 1810. He never learned to speak Swedish fluently, yet he ruled the country for over two decades.
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