After a 5 hour train ride from Eslöv we arrived in Stockholm. Navigating our way through the train station and metro was easier than I expected. Stockholm is the capital of Sweden and the most populous city in Scandinavia, with 905,184 people living in the municipality, approximately 1.4 million in the urban area, and a total population close to 2.2 million in the metropolitan area. The city is spread across 14 distinct islands on the coast in the south-east of Sweden at the mouth of Lake Mälaren, by the Stockholm archipelago and the Baltic sea. The area has been settled since the Stone Age, in the 6th millennium BC, and was founded as a city in 1252 by Birger Jarl. Stockholm is the cultural, media, political, and economic center of Sweden.
Our first stop was Gamla Stan, the Old Town. Old Town is definitely a tourist attraction, the narrow winding cobblestone streets are lined with shops, cafes, and souvenir stores. It reminds me a lot like the streets of Paris.
There are several beautiful churches and museums in Gamla Stan, including Stockholm Cathedral and the Nobel Museum. The largest of the attractions in the district is the Royal Palace, one of the largest palaces in the world with over 600 rooms. In addition to the reception rooms, there are several interesting museums in the Palace, including the Royal Armory, with royal costumes and armor. It’s strange for me to think I live in a country with a royal family.
In the distance you can see Sonar Stockholm which is a concert venue. The architecture looks like the Walt Disney concert hall in Los Angeles.
The Stockholm City Hall is one of Sweden’s most famous buildings, and one of the capital’s most visited tourist attractions. It houses offices for 200 people including the Municipal Council, and is also famous for its grand ceremonial halls and unique art pieces. The Stockholm City Hall is the venue of the Nobel Prize banquet held on December 10th each year. The three crowns (Swedish: Tre Kronor) is a national emblem of Sweden, present in the Coat of Arms of Sweden, and composed by three yellow or gilded coronets ordered two above and one below, placed on a blue background.
