The best cycling routes around Ågestasjön

Riddarholmen is the historical core of Stockholm, with buildings from different eras. The oldest is the Riddarholm Church, which was consecrated around the year 1300. From 1634 and until 1950, the church was the royal burial place. Originally, the Riddarholm Church was part of a monastery. It was founded by the Franciscan order around 1270 on land donated by King Magnus Ladulås. The king chose the church as his final resting place and was buried there after his death in 1290. Magnus Ladulås was the son of Birger Jarl, who is believed to have founded Stockholm in the 1250s. In 1527, during the reign of King Gustav Vasa, the Reformation took place in Sweden. It meant that the crown confiscated the property of the church and the monasteries. The purpose was to break the power of the church and obtain funds for defense. On the west side of the island, Gustav Vasa ordered the construction of two cannon towers and a middle wall. The towers are preserved in the lower levels of the Birger Jarl Tower and in the south tower of the Wrangelska Palace. In the 17th century, Sweden developed into a great power and Stockholm's urban environment was modernized. The crown donated building land to the high nobility, who in the 1630s and 40s built palaces in the contemporary Renaissance style. In the second half of the 17th century, alterations and extensions were carried out in the imposing Baroque style. Some of the leading architects of the time were hired. Jean de la Vallée and Nicodemus Tessin the Elder designed the Wrangelska Palace. After the castle fire of 1697, the palace remained the royal residence for 57 years. In the 18th century, the crown began to take over the palaces. They were made into state administrative buildings and seats of Sweden's highest judicial institutions. In the 19th century and until about 1950, Riddarholmen was also an entry point for shipping on Lake Mälaren. One of the country's largest steamship ports was located on the west side of the island, where a quay was built. In the 1960s, it became a recreational park.

This statue has stood at Slottsbacken in front of the Royal Palace in Gamla Stan, Stockholm since 2018.

... and another great photo opportunity ...

Nice train station, currently undergoing renovations.

nice view over hamarbykanalen

keep right

Very interesting and educational! A small museum that you can take your time with... it's worth taking a guided tour. I particularly liked the short films that portray the 16 Nobel Prize winners. A little dry, but the significance of the Nobel Prize as an institution becomes clear! And definitely pay attention to the ceiling...

The statue of Nils Ericson (1802-1870) in front of the main entrance to Stockholm Central Station was the first of many we saw during our stay in the city. As a mechanical engineer, Nils Ericson designed and supervised the construction of a large number of canals and locks in Sweden (Albrektsund, Karlstad, Dalsland, Stallbacka, Säffle and Trollhätte). After 1850, he did the same for the state railway system. His more traditional bronze statue was inaugurated in 1893. Sculptor Johan Börjeson (1835-1910) depicted Ericson as a well-dressed gentleman in a relaxed pose. The seagulls show no respect to the great man.