Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm is the capital and most populous urban area of Sweden as well as in Scandinavia. The city stretches across fourteen islands where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea. It is home to some of Europe’s top ranking universities, such as the Stockholm School of Economics, Karolinska Institute and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The Stockholm metro, opened in 1950, is well known for the decor of its stations; it has been called the longest art gallery in the world.

About Stockholm, Sweden in brief

Summary Stockholm, SwedenStockholm is the capital and most populous urban area of Sweden as well as in Scandinavia. The city stretches across fourteen islands where Lake Mälaren flows into 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 Swedish statesman Birger Jarl. It is home to some of Europe’s top ranking universities, such as the Stockholm School of Economics, Karolinska Institute and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. It hosts the annual Nobel Prize ceremonies and banquet at the Stockholm Concert Hall and Stockholm City Hall. The Stockholm metro, opened in 1950, is well known for the decor of its stations; it has been called the longest art gallery in the world. It was the host of the 1912 Summer Olympics, and hosted the equestrian portion of the 1956 Summer Olympics otherwise held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The government has its seat in the Rosenbad building, the Riksdag is seated in the Parliament House, and the Prime Minister’s residence is adjacent at Sager House. Stockholm Palace is the official residence and principal workplace of the Swedish monarch, while Drottningholm Palace, a World Heritage Site on the outskirts of Stockholm, serves as the Royal Family’s private residence. Stockholm’s location appears in Norse sagas as Agnafit, and in Heimskringla in connection with the legendary king Agne. The first part of the name means log in Swedish, although it may also be connected to an old German word meaning fortification.

The second part means islet and is thought to refer to the islet Helgeandsholmen in central Stockholm. The city originally rose to prominence as a result of the trade of the Baltic League. Between 1296 and 1478 Stockholm’s City Council was made up of 24 members, half of whom were selected from the German-speaking burghers of Kalmar. The strategic and economic importance of the city made Stockholm an important factor in relations between the Danish Kings of the Kalmar Union and the Danish King Christian II in the 15th century. With the breakup of the Danish Union in 1520, the city was able to enter the national independence movement and enter the European Union in the same year as the German city of Lübeck. In 1520 a massacre called the Stockholm Bloodbath took place in the city which led to the break-up of the Union. Between 1520 and 1530 a massacre of Swedish-speaking figures took place off the coast of Riga, Riga and Gdańsk, and set up further opposition to Kalmar’s accession to the EU. In the early 20th century the city became known as the “Swedish capital” The city was the site of the Battle of the Bulge, which took place between the Swedish and German armies in 17th century and 17th Century. The present Old Town of Stockholm was built on the central island next to Helge and Sholmen from the mid-13th century onward.