Stenbockska Palatset

Stenbockska Palatset is a Baroque castle on Riddarholmen featuring a symmetrical stone facade and large rectangular windows distributed across three stories. The building displays typical early Baroque characteristics with ornately designed portals and detailed exterior decorations.

Construction of the palace began in 1649 for Fredrik Gustavsson Stenbock and his wife Katarina De la Gardie, designed by architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder. The building was completed during Sweden's Baroque peak and has remained a defining feature of Riddarholmen since then.

The palace served as a gathering place for enlightenment thinkers and artists who shaped Swedish intellectual life. Its rooms hosted important social and creative exchanges that reflected the refined tastes of Stockholm's elite.

The building is easily visible from outside as it sits prominently on Birger Jarls Square in a well-positioned location on Riddarholmen. Visitors should note that the palace now functions as a courthouse, so interior access may be limited depending on official activities.

In 1735 the first Masonic initiation in Sweden took place within these walls when Count Axel Wrede Sparre initiated Carl Gustaf Tessin. This makes the palace a significant site in the history of Freemasonry across Northern Europe.

GPS coordinates: 59.32541,18.06374

Latest update: December 8, 2025 21:04