The Royal Palace Stockholm: A Guide to Sweden’s Royal Heart

Anyone walking from the centre of Stockholm via Norrbron or Strömbron on their way to Gamla Stan will also pass the Royal Palace. The building is huge. The palace is said to have 605 rooms, one more than Buckingham Palace in London. The rooms are spread over seven floors. This makes the Royal Palace in Stockholm one of the largest palaces in Europe.

While some might find its massive, “chunky” stone walls a bit imposing compared to the breezy elegance of Drottningholm Palace, there is an undeniable magic to this place.

Erected on burnt-down foundation walls

In 1697, Tre Kronor Castle burnt down on the site of today’s Royal Palace. The fire started right next to the fire watch. No one fell victim to the fire itself. However, during the rescue of the furniture and other objects, one person died: As the fire raged more and more fiercely, everything of value was simply thrown out of the window. In the process, one poor soul was hit on the head by a massive, heavy Bible and killed instantly. Talk about bad luck!

Today’s Royal Palace was built on the foundation walls of the burnt-down palace. The new Royal Palace was designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger. In Italian Baroque style, it is modelled on a Roman palace. Incidentally, the design was completed so quickly that it was rumoured that Tessin himself might have caused the old palace to burn down.

The construction of the new palace was supposed to take six years. In fact, however, it took sixty years because Sweden had no money due to several wars. By the time the palace was finished, it was already out of fashion.

Outside Sweden, the Royal Palace is usually called Stockholm Palace. On Stockholm street maps, it is marked as Kungliga Slottet.

Plan our royal stay

The best way to experience Stockholm is to stay right in the middle of it. Gamla Stan offers charming boutique hotels just steps from the Palace.

Stay in the heart of the Old Town: Book your royal getaway here

Insider tips from 30 years of Sweden travel. This guide contains affiliate links (marked with ➔) to help support my work at no extra cost to you.

Workplace and residence

While the Royal Family now resides at Drottningholm, the Royal Palace remains their official residence and primary workplace for state visits and ceremonies. On the occasion of state visits and other celebrations, the palace may therefore be closed to the general public. When this happens, information can be found on the Royal Court’s website (see link below).

Five museums under one roof

At other times, the palace is open to visitors. There are five museums in total, including Gustav III’s Antique Museum, the Tre Kronor Museum, the Treasury and the Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren) with royal robes, armour, coronation carriages and magnificent carriages from the Royal Stables.

When you visit the Royal Family Chambers, the Imperial Hall and the Order Rooms, you can walk through the same halls used for gala dinners and state ceremonies.

Parade and Changing of the Guard: A musical must-see

The parade of the guards and the daily changing of the guard are also spectacular, usually at midday (12.15 on weekdays, 13.15 on Sundays, see link below for exact times). In the summer months, the guard parade rides with music through the alleys of the city to the palace. If you’re lucky, they play a medley of ABBA songs.

Don’t leave without a visit to “Slottsboden”

Before you head back into the city, make sure to stop by Slottsboden, the Palace shop. This isn’t your average souvenir stand. While you can find postcards and keyrings, they also sell exclusive jewelry in gold and silver, along with high-end home textiles and glasswork featuring patterns found in the Royal Collections.