Tuesday 6 December 2016

Palaces in the Snow - Royal Palace, Stockholm


A snowy staircase fit for a fairytale at the Royal Palace, Stockholm
By Wooly Matt via Flickr

It takes a lot of snow to cover the whole of the Royal Palace in Stockholm. Its famous facade hides over 600 rooms while its baroque style adds an air of dominance. And yet even this huge, striking palace can look postcard pretty in the snow. Just don't expect a blanket of flakes, this is dusting territory.


(by By Arild VĂ¥gen (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons)

The Royal Palace sits on a site used as a royal residence since the 13th century. The present building is the design of Nicodemus Tessin who began work at the start of the 18th century only to see his dreams put on ice by a costly war. In 1727, he got back to business but his death the following year meant the finishing touches had to be applied by Carl Harleman. The Royal Palace welcomed its first royal residents in 1754 when King Adolf Frederick and his wife, Queen Louisa,Ulrika, moved in.


Now it is the official residence of the Swedish monarch as well as the site for many of the official duties that go with the role. In recent years, it's been a place of huge celebration for King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia as they have celebrated the marriages of their three children from its balcony. The Royal Palace was also the focal point for the events marking the 40th anniversary of the accession of King Carl XVI Gustaf and the celebrations for his 70th birthday earlier this year. A palace in the snow, alive with history and happiness.

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