The Kingdom of Sweden is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula, and got its present name from the "ancient land of svejs" that inhabited these territories since the 5th century.
The whole world is famous for its magnificent Volvo cars, as well as Carlson, who lives on the roof. But we will visit the most beautiful cities in Sweden, as well as beautiful places to see the main attractions of Sweden.
1
Gamla Stan
Translated from Swedish, the Gamla Stan district means “Old Town”, and it appeared on the island in the 13th century. Due to its island location, it was called a city between bridges until the 80s of the last century.
The historical part of Stockholm begins with Stortorget Square, surrounded by beautiful buildings. From it, narrow paved streets diverge to different ends of the city. The Stockholm Palace, the Nobel Museum rise above the square, and in total within the historical district there are about 370 old buildings, whose age exceeds 300 years.
2
Drottningholm
In the middle of Lake Mälaren on the picturesque island of Louvain lies the majestic residence of the Swedish monarchs. Translated from Swedish, “Drottningholm” means “Queen's Island”.
The history of the palace and park ensemble began in the 16th century, when King Johan II erected the first palace on the island for his beautiful wife. Over time, the residence was upset, and acquired a beautiful modern look.
The splendidly preserved architectural monument, with magnificent halls and ceremonial halls, is often called the "Versailles in Miniature", and tens of thousands of tourists come here to touch the history of Sweden and its royal family.
3
Wadsten Abbey
The capital of Sweden, the city of Stockholm, was founded back in 1187, and therefore there are many historical monuments and architectural masterpieces within it. Such monuments of history and architecture, of course, include the Wadsten Abbey, founded in the XIV century. The patroness of the male and female monastery is St. Brigitte, whose relics are stored within the monastery.
The abbey is located on an island surrounded by the waters of the beautiful Lake Vettern, and many come here to find peace of mind here, as well as get acquainted with a magnificent collection of works of art.
4
Carl Milles Manor Museum
To the north-east of the capital on the island of Lidingo is an amazing house and a sculpture park, owned by the outstanding Swedish sculptor Karl Milles.
After the death of the master, the house passed into municipal ownership and became a kind of museum. Today, the estate and the surrounding park with sculptures are visited by thousands of tourists, enjoying the sculptor’s skills.
The sculptures fit perfectly into the nature of Sweden, and many fountains and terraces create a unique natural and architectural splendor.
5
Malmo City Hall
In historical documents, the main administrative building of Malmö is mentioned in 1353.
With the development of the city, it was decided to build a new large town hall building on the main city square, the construction of which ended in 1547. The main facade is built in the style of the Dutch Renaissance and is decorated with beautiful bas-reliefs, columns, carved elements on the windows.
In the XIX century, the building was radically rebuilt. At that time, superstructures appeared on the roof, in which sculptures of famous people of Sweden, natives of Malmö, were installed.
6
Royal Palace
In the XII century, a watchtower 25 m high was built on Stadsholmen Island. Over time, a castle around it grew up, called the “Three Crowns”, and became the residence of the Swedish monarchs.
The fire of 1697 practically destroyed the castle and in its place the construction of a new residence immediately began, the construction of which ended in 1754.
Now this is the residence of Charles XVI Gustav, in which he receives the monarchs of other countries, presents awards. On other days, the castle is open to the public, and the royal treasury is especially popular with tourists.
7
Uppsala Cathedral
Uppsala's monumental Gothic cathedral is the largest cathedral in Scandinavia, and its spiers go to the sky to a height of 118.7 m.
It was built for almost 150 years, and the temple adopted its first parishioners in 1435. After the fire of 1702, the cathedral was partially rebuilt, and elements of the baroque appeared in its Gothic decoration. The cathedral in Uppsala retained its medieval appearance only in majestic brick walls, but the interior was decorated in a neo-Gothic style.
By the way, on our site most-beauty.ru connoisseurs of Gothic architecture can admire the magnificent buildings presented in the article "Beautiful Gothic Cathedrals of Germany".
8
Iron boy
In the historical part of Stockholm there is a small monument in the form of a boy sitting on a bench. The height of the sculptural composition is only 15 cm, and it is located in the courtyard behind the Finnish church.
A monument to a boy looking at the moon, as the locals call it, was erected in 1954. Caring Swedes cover him with a scarf and a fur hat in winter, and tourists put coins and sweets at his feet.
A lot of beliefs are associated with it, including tourists believe that if you rub the boy’s head, then happiness will definitely come.
9
Örebro Castle
180 km from the Swedish capital on the Swarton River lies the city of Örebro, famous for its unique castle built in the 13th century.
For 700 years, the walls and towers of the castle have been strictly monitoring everyone who crosses the river. Each ruler of Sweden considered it his duty to build a new watchtower within the castle or to strengthen the walls.
Now the castle is one of the most visited sights of the Scandinavian country, and within its limits there is a school, restaurants and a comfortable hotel for many tourists.
10
Royal Park in Malmö
When the defenses of Malmö lost their direct purpose, it was decided to create a beautiful park around historical buildings.
The castle was transferred to the prison, and at one time it was the most famous Swedish prison around which a public park was set up. Shady alleys were laid around canals and lakes, and rare trees and plants were planted on the territory.
The place is perfect for family vacations, as there are places for picnics, and convenient playgrounds are laid out for children.
11
Ericsson Globe
The huge, 85-meter sports facility, which the people simply call "Globen", is considered the real pride of the Swedes, because it is the largest spherical sports arena in the world.
Concerts of world music stars are held here, but the main purpose is sports competitions. During hockey matches, and in Sweden it is one of the most popular sports, up to 14 thousand spectators gather under the roof of the arena.
The architect of the project was Svante Berg, and the arena received the first spectators and athletes in February 1989.
12
Ship Museum Vasa
This ship was supposed to be the pride of the Swedish Navy, and now it is the oldest sailing ship of the 17th century of this type, preserved to this day.
During its construction, the latest shipbuilding technologies were used, and in its decoration there was a lot of gold. It was the wrong calculation of the weight of the jewelry that led to the sinking in 1628 during his first voyage.
In 1965, Vasu was lifted from the bottom of the Gulf of Stockholm, and a unique museum was created from it.
13
Öresund bridge
A one-of-a-kind engineering structure in the form of a tunnel bridge spread across the Öresund Strait. The unique bridge connecting Denmark with Sweden began to function in 1999.
The bridge is 7,845 meters long and, in addition to the motorway, railway rails are laid along it. The uniqueness of the design is that part of the bridge is laid along the Drogdentunnelen tunnel with a length of 4,050 m.
The unusual bridge has become a symbol connecting Sweden with mainland Europe, and the inhabitants of Sweden consider it the most beautiful in the world.
By the way, you can learn about the most beautiful bridges in the world on our site most-beauty.ru.
14
Skansen
On the island of Djurgården, an amazing ethnographic corner has been recreated, where ancient Swedish architecture is preserved, and you can also meet people in traditional national costumes.
The Skansen Museum was the first open-air ethnographic museum in Scandinavia to bring old buildings from all over Sweden. It was opened in 1891 at the initiative of Arthur Hazelius.
Now in the museum there are more than 150 houses of the XVII-XX centuries, as well as a small zoo. You can enjoy Swedish cuisine in beautiful restaurants, and in shops you can buy souvenirs in memory of Sweden.
15
Museum "Volvo"
It is worth briefly telling about Swedish pride - Volvo cars, and in the city of Gothenburg, where the automobile giant is located, there is also a unique museum.
The concern itself began to produce cars in 1927, and in 1995 they decided to create a museum. Museum expositions tell about the history of automotive industry in Sweden. In addition to cars, large tractors are presented in the halls, as well as a tank engine created by Volvo designers.
16
Palace Sofieru
The majestic, but still unfinished, palace in 1864 was acquired by the Crown Prince Oscar and his wife Sofia. A year later, the royal residence was completed, and it became a beautiful landmark in the vicinity of Helsingborg.
In 1904, Oscar's grandson Gustav Adolf and his wife Margarita received the palace as a wedding gift. It was they who ordered the huge park to be built around their new home, which glorified the royal residence.
Today, more than 500 species of plants of both local and imported flora grow in the garden. There are cafes and restaurants in the shady alleys, and one of the brands of Swedish beer is named after the Sofieru Palace.
17
Nobel Museum
Do not go side by side with the Nobel Museum, because the name of Alfred Nobel is forever connected with Sweden and Stockholm.
The building of the stock exchange was allocated for the museum, and its expositions can be viewed in one hour. There is an unusual design under the ceiling at the entrance to the museum, and on the plates are photographs of all Nobel laureates. It is interesting that these portraits move and accompany the visitor in all the halls of the museum.
A separate room was given for gifts that the laureates did when they presented the prestigious prize to the museum.
18
Ice hotel
Sweden has a lot of interesting things and, of course, one cannot fail to mention such a unique attraction as the “Icehotel” in the village of Jukkasjärvi. An ice hotel in Sweden is built annually, and operates from December to April. In 1989, Japanese sculptors became interested in the idea, and held an exhibition of ice art here.
The walls and the interior of the hotel, except for the beds, are made of ice taken in the Tournai Elv River. Surprisingly, even the glasses in the hotel bar are carved from pieces of ice.
However, there are corners on our planet and it is much colder. For lovers of extreme relaxation, most-beauty.tu has prepared an article “TOP-10 of the coldest cities in the world (Description + Photo). We highly recommend reading it.
In conclusion
We note some features of the political structure of this Scandinavian country. During the Second World War, Sweden and Switzerland remained neutral, and despite Sweden joining the European Union, it continues to maintain a neutral status without entering the NATO bloc.
So we found out where Sweden is located on the world map, and most importantly we found out where to see and what to visit in this amazing Scandinavian country.