Stockholm Palace, Royal palace in Gamla stan, Sweden
Stockholm Palace is a baroque royal residence on Stadsholmen in Gamla stan, with 1,430 rooms, 660 of which have windows. Its pale sandstone facade encloses four wings around a rectangular inner courtyard, and the building covers 42,000 square metres.
A fortress with a core tower was built on this site by Birger Jarl in the 13th century, later called Tre Kronor. After a fire destroyed the castle on 7 May 1697, Nicodemus Tessin the Younger designed the present palace; the Great Northern War halted work from 1709 to 1727, and Carl Hårleman completed it. King Adolf Frederick and Queen Louisa Ulrika moved in in 1754.
The changing of the guard takes place daily at noon in the outer courtyard, drawing visitors who follow the ceremony of the royal guard. The treasury preserves crowns, scepters and jewelry of the Swedish monarchy in climate-controlled display cases.
The royal apartments, three museums and the palace chapel are open to visitors daily, except during official occasions. Guided tours in several languages are offered regularly and help with orientation in the sprawling building.
The building requires ongoing restoration of its sandstone facades, with a comprehensive renovation program planned from 2011 to 2050. Work proceeds in sections to avoid disrupting visitor operations.
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