Royal Dramatic Theatre

The Royal Dramatic Theatre is a national theatre at Nybroplan in Stockholm, Sweden, housed in a large Art Nouveau building with white façade and golden details facing the water. Inside, marble foyers with painted ceilings stretch across several levels, leading to five performance spaces of different sizes.

King Gustav III founded the royal theatre in 1788 to support Swedish stage performers after dismissing foreign troupes from Stockholm. The current building opened in 1908 on the waterfront, replacing earlier venues in the city centre.

The theatre goes by the Swedish name Dramaten, a shortened form that almost everyone in Stockholm uses today. On stage, visitors hear classic and modern Swedish theatre, often performed by actors who later become known internationally.

Performances take place across five stages: Stora scenen is the main hall, Lilla scenen offers smaller productions, while Målarsalen, Tornrummet, and Lejonkulan serve special events or training. The entrances sit right on the water with a clear view of the façade from the opposite shore.

The sculptor Carl Milles and the painter Carl Larsson designed interiors with sculptures, wall paintings, and ornaments, while Prince Eugen created patterns for textiles and decorative elements. Their work remains visible in the halls and foyers, showing Sweden's artistic ambition at the start of the twentieth century.