The Stadshuset in the Kungsholmen district is one of Stockholm’s landmarks. It is located not far from the main railway station “Centralen” and directly on the waterfront, on Riddarfjärden. After twelve years of construction, Stadshuset was completed in the summer of 1923. It is home to Stockholm’s city council and city government. It is the Stockholm City Hall.
Beautiful?
I’ve never been a fan of the national romantic building designed by architect Ragnar Östberg. In my opinion, Stadshuset doesn’t photograph well in bad weather; it gives off a gloomy, cool, and unapproachable vibe, especially when you’re up close to the massive structure.
However, in bright sunshine, the façade comes to life. The eight million dark red bricks seem to brighten up, making the building look a bit friendlier.
A work of art filled with works of art
The house is considered a classic work of art. In addition, it houses a large number of works of art itself: Mosaics, tapestries, paintings, statues. They come from very different styles: Italian Renaissance, Byzantine, Islamic … Göran Everdahl once said, “in the 1980s they called it post-modernist, today they would rather say multi-culti” – an exciting mixture of styles.
Terrace with a view
The terrace in front of Stadshuset offers a spectacular view of Riddarfjärden, the island of Riddarholmen and Södermalm. If you also want to see Gamla Stan, you can climb the 106-metre-high tower of Stadshuset.
When the weather is good, you meet all kinds of colourful, friendly people on the terrace in front of Stadshuset: Some do yoga, others cool their legs in the water, others have brought their easel and paint Stockholm, and some just sit and read a book.
Nobel Banquet: From the Blue to the Golden Hall
Every year on December 10, Stadshuset provides the backdrop for the banquet in honour of the new Nobel Prize winners.
The dressed-up guests then sit at long rows of tables in the “Blå Hallen” hall and are served festive food and exquisite wines before moving on to entertainment and dancing in the Golden Hall one floor up. Swedish television is always there live, and in the meantime you can also follow the four-hour programme worldwide on the internet – for a whole year, in fact.
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Blå Hallen, the “blue hall”, which is anything but blue. Originally it was supposed to be plastered blue.
Nobel Banquet
ABBA with Stadshuset Stockholm in the background
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Photo Blå Hallen: Holger Ellgård. Photo Nobel Banquet: Nobel Media AB/Photo/Helena Paulin-Strömberg. Photo ABBA: Bengt H. Malmqvist, Premium Rockshot via Stockholms stadsmuseum.