Stockholm's most beautiful buildings

Stroll through the cobblestone alleys of Gamla Stan, (‘Old Town Stockholm’) with their amazing buildings and soak up the exciting history.

Börshuset – The Stock Exchange Building

One of Stockholm’s most famous classic buildings is located on Stortorget in Old Town. The so-called Börshuset was inaugurated in 1776 by Sweden’s then King Gustav III. The house was to be used not only as a stock exchange building but also for the city’s administration and as a party venue for the Swedish Academy. Balls and banquets, attended by members of the royal family, were held here.

When City Hall opened in 1923. The City of Stockholm all moved its operations there. Today, The Swedish Academy uses the top two floors, while the big stock exchange day houses the Nobel Prize Museum. When visiting the museum, take the opportunity to study the architecture of this beautiful Gustavian building from the inside as well.

Oxenstiernska Palatset

A building that stands out in Stockholm is the Oxenstiernska Palace. The building is located in the corner of Storkyrkobrinken 2 in Old Town. The facade is virtually unchanged since the house was built in the 1650s and the render still maintains its original red color. Oxenstiernska Palace was named after the then chancellor Axel Oxenstierna, who built the house according to plans by the architect Jean de la Vallée. The existing building was actually intended as the wing of a much bigger palace, but the construction was never completed as Oxenstierna died in 1654. The Oxenstierna family never actually lived in the palace. For several hundred years the Oxenstiernska Palatset has been owned by the Swedish State, which has contributed to maintaining it intact. Over the years, the palace has been home to the central bank of Sweden, Riksbanken, and the Ministry of Finance.

Riddarhuset – The Swedish Nobility House

Riddarhuset is one of Stockholm’s most stunning buildings from the 17th century. For example, the house has two golden lions that adorn the roof, and in front of the building, there is the statue of Gustav Vasa, actually Sweden’s first public statue. Around the facade of the house, there are several texts in Latin speaking of the greatness of the nobility.

In the 1600s, the construction of Riddarhuset, which would become the nobility’s meeting place, began. The building was completed in 1660 after several of the most famous architects of the era worked with the construction for twenty years. The coats of arms of the noblemen hang in the Great Hall of the Knights and can be seen during the opening hours, which are usually one hour per day. Should you have bad luck with the opening hours, the building itself is magnificent and a given stop on your exploration tour of the Old Town.

Tessinska palatset

Living in a palace is something most of us can only dream of. But for architect and count Nicodemus Tessin the Younger it became a reality when he built the Tessinska palatset in Old Town, 1694-1701. Tessin was a talented architect, and with the help of balanced proportions and fake perspectives, he made the relatively small building look considerably bigger and more impressive than it actually is. French sculptor Bernard Foucquet created the caryatids around the entrance.

Tessinska Palatset is now the residence of the county governor of Stockholm, but it is occasionally open to the public, including during Kulturnatten, the Culture Night. If you are one of the lucky ones to get a ticket, you can see the parlor, which has been preserved since Tessin’s time, and the stunning baroque garden with its intricately cut boxwood hedges.

In recent years there has been a lot of talk about how trendy it is in Södermalm. But among all the hip places from Sofo to Hornstull, you will also find a lot of interesting old buildings.

Dosthoffska huset

One of these old buildings is it Dosthoffska huset, in Björn’s Trädgård at Medborgarplatsen. The house was built in 1766 by gardener Kristian Dosthoff. Just over 100 years later, in 1860, the house was bought by Carl Gustaf Björn, who was also a gardener – and a member of parliament. The house was later inherited by his son Carl Fredrik Björn who built an impressive garden at the house. This garden has given its name to the park you find here today. Dosthoffska huset is used now as a preschool.

Vasastan is another area with many nice houses, and anyone interested in the city’s architecture will find a lot to look at. Among the older buildings that stand out are the Observatory and the Public Library.

Observatoriet

The observatory on its hill in the middle of Vasastan was completed in 1753. It was built at the request of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and became an important site for research into astronomy and meteorology. The architect, Carl Hårleman, created the original building. Later, a magnet house, an extension with the dome and the wing was added. The research was conducted in the Observatory until 1931 when the activities moved to the Saltsjöbaden Observatory. Until 2014, there was an observatory museum on the premises, and there are plans to open up for study visits from schools in the future. For those who see it from the inside, keep an eye out for an open house, for example on Astronomy Day.

Stadsbiblioteket – Stockholm Public Library

One of Stockholm’s perhaps most iconic landmarks is Stadsbiblioteket. The library was inaugurated in 1928. The architect Gunnar Asplund created the building in the style of Nordic Classicism, also called Swedish Grace. The facade of Stadsbiblioteket is well known by architects and art historians all over the world and has served as a model for many other buildings. The famous building, including the annex and park, was declared a listed building in 2017.

Don’t miss to enter the building via the main entrance. The feeling is like stepping into a big church or maybe an Egyptian pyramid. Even if you have never been here before, you might recognize the bookshelves in the rotunda, as they appear in many movies.

Hötorgsskraporna

The five Hötorg high-rises, also called “The Five Trumpet Shots”, were built between 1955 and 1962. At a first glance, one might think that they’re all alike, but they are all slightly different, and actually created by five different architects. All the houses have 19 floors and are 61 meters high. Along with the Sergels Torg’s triangle patterned surface and Edvin Öhrströms crystal pillar, Kristallvertikalaccent, in the Sergel fountain in front of Kulturhuset, Hötorgsskraporna form the most Stockholmian street scene there is.

Kulturhuset Stadsteatern – House of Culture & City Theatre

Kulturhuset is located at the well-known square, Sergels Torg, in the middle of the city. The first part of the building was inaugurated in 1971 in premises provisionally occupied by the Parliament during the rebuilding of the Parliament building on Helgeandsholmen. Among other things, there was a reading room with “pits” in the floor where children could sit and read. Kulturhuset opened in its entirety in 1974 and consists of two parts. The part facing the square contains libraries, showrooms, and restaurants. Behind this part are Stadsteatern’s different scenes

Kulturhuset, designed by Peter Celsing, has received the Kasper Salin Architectural Award twice. When you’ve finished admiring the façade (is Olle Bærtling’s 52 meters long curtain pulled out?), head into this wonderful world of culture!

Hötorgshallen

Already in the 1880s, the market hall was built on Hötorget. There were 120 shopping places, and they sold everything from meat and vegetables to hay (!). This hall was demolished in 1953 and replaced with another one in the same place and with the same name, but this time located in the basement under the square. Over the years, Hötorgshallen has been renovated several times, with the latest major renovation in 2013, when the entire interior was replaced.

Hötorgshallen now has a much more international touch, with foods and specialties from all corners of the world. Here you come both to have lunch and buy delicacies to take home, but perhaps above all for the lovely cosmopolitan atmosphere. Don’t miss Hötorgshallen the next time you are at Hötorget!

Kungstornen – The King’s Towers

Once upon a time, these were Sweden’s two highest skyscrapers. Today this may make you smile, but the two Kungstornen are still iconic buildings and part of the Stockholm silhouette. Built on either side of Kungsgatan, they rise 60 meters and 17 floors above the ground.

The towers were completed in 1924 and 1925 respectively. The north tower was constructed with inspiration from lower Manhattan. This was the first high-rise in its style in Europe and was considered very modern. The southern tower is adorned with four sculptures from Roman mythology and one of these, the angel Victoria, holds an old Ericsson phone in her hand.

Both towers have had restaurants on their top floors, where one could enjoy the view over the town while dining, but unfortunately is no longer possible for the general public to visit the towers.

Nationalmuseum

The National Museum at Blasieholmskajen is another one of Stockholm’s characteristic buildings. This magnificent building was completed for the Stockholm Exhibition in 1866. The exterior was designed by F A Stüler and the interior by F W Scholander. The building houses Sweden’s largest art museum, with art from about 1500 to 1900, and handicrafts and designs up to the present day. Oil paintings by Anders Zorn and Carl Larsson are here shown side by side with porcelain by Stig Lindberg. Many international giants such as Rembrandt and Albrecht Dürer are also represented in the collections. The outside gives you a hint of what’s inside. The façade features allegories of the arts and several well-known swedes, such as Carl von Linné, Esaias Tegnér, Nicodemus Tessin d.y. and Johan Tobias Sergel.

In recent years, the National Museum has undergone extensive renovations and was reopened in 2018. Visiting the collections is free, but some separate exhibitions require the purchase of a ticket. Visit the Nationalmuseum for the amazing art – and the restaurant’s delicious food!

Kungliga operan – The Royal Opera

The Royal Opera at Gustaf Adolf’s Square is our national stage for opera and ballet. King Gustav III, who was very interested in art and culture, ordered an opera house in 1775 and it was completed in 1782. However, the building that stands on the site today is from 1898. The architect, Axel Anderberg, was inspired by the opera in Paris when he created the building in Neo-Baroque.

In addition to the opera hall with room for 1,100 spectators, there are also several restaurants in the building, the most famous of which is of course Operakällaren. For those who want to see the inside but do not have the opportunity to see a performance, there are also guided tours.

Oscarsteatern

The same architect, Axel Anderberg, also designed the Oscar theatre in 1906, this time in Art Nouveau style. The theatre was named after the then king, Oscar II. The building has been listed since 1982.

This private theatre on Kungsgatan, with its glamorous golden canopy, is now the venue for many of Stockholm’s most visited musical performances. Among other things, this was where the Phantom of the Opera was played 1,173 times!

Tändstickspalatset

Tändstickspalatset, The match palace, hides off the beaten track, on Västra Trädgårdsgatan 15, just next to Kungsträdgården. Ivar Tengbom designed the palace in Nordic Classicism for “the match king” Ivar Kreuger. The interior was designed by the famous names of the time, among others: Carl Milles, Isaac Grünewald, and Carl Malmsten. The construction was completed in 1928, meaning Kreuger only had time to enjoy it for four years before the financial crash. Today, several different companies have their offices in the building.

Konserthuset – The Concert Hall

Just before Ivar Tengbom took on Tändstickspalatset, he had completed his work with Konserthuset at Hötorget in 1926. It was here that he met the artists and designers who also worked at Tändstickspalatset. Handarbetets Vänner and NK were involved in the production of textiles and providing workshops. Konserthuset is specially built for orchestral music, but the premise is used for much more.

Among other things is this is where The Nobel Prize is given out in December every year. The winners of the Polar Music Prize, the August Laureate, and the Alma Laureate also receive their awards here. The distinctive light blue facade color and Carl Mille’s fountain Orpheus Well are loved by the Stockholmers today – although both were originally considered controversial.

Stadshuset – City Hall

The most famous Stockholm building of all is probably Stadshuset, with the three golden crowns on the tower’s spire. Ragnar Östberg designed the house, which after 15 years of construction was completed in 1923. The inspiration came from buildings at St Marc’s Place in Venice, but the handmade red bricks gave the building a unique, nordic appearance. Inside Stadshuset you’ll find the famous Blue Hall, the Golden Hall, and the Prince’s Gallery featured on TV during the Nobel Banquet. In Stadshuset, politicians and officials in Stockholm City Council have their places of work, and they meet in the Council Hall.

For visitors wanting to see as much as possible of the City Hall, we recommended a guided tour. These are held all year round. Anyone who manages to climb the 365 steps in the tower gets rewarded with a fantastic view of Stockholm. The circular balustrade has an ornamented surface where the famous buildings you can see in front of you appear in relief. The beautiful park on the terrace towards Riddarfjärden is also worth a visit.

Rådhuset – The Town Hall

Rådhuset, which is the seat of the Stockholm District Court, is located on Scheelegatan. The building, designed by Carl Westman in national romantic style, was completed in 1915. Take a walk around the house and look extra carefully at portals, cornices, and niches that are all abundantly filled with artistic ornaments.

Continuing into the building, it becomes clear that Westman was inspired by the Vasa era. Thick walls, barrel vaults, and ceiling paintings bring to mind medieval churches and give the premises a quiet, serious appearance

Piperska muren – The Piper Wall

Across from Rådhuset, you’ll find Piperska muren. This mansion was built in the 17th century as a summer residence for Count Carl Piper. He followed King Karl XII to the Battle of Poltava, was captured, and eventually died in Russian captivity. His wife, Countess Christina Piper, completed the building of the residence and erected the high sandstone wall with Roman busts in the niches, giving the place its name.

The well-known architects Nicodemus Tessin d.y. and Johan Hårleman were commissioned to create the baroque garden. The garden was considerably larger at the time, but the present-day garden is nicely renovated and well worth a visit. The premises can be booked for conferences and private events.

Dramaten – The Royal Dramatic Theatre

The Royal Dramatic Theatre, perhaps best known as only the Dramaten, is Sweden’s national stage for dramatic theatre. The magnificent theatre building from 1908, located at Nybroplan was designed by Fredrik Liljekvist in it then so popular art nouveau style. This was an expensive, and lavish construction, with white Ekebergsmarmor from Närke and ornaments gilded with 24-carat gold leaf. The beautiful theatre salon has paintings by Julius Kronberg, and the magnificent marbled entrance hall “Marmorfoajén” has a ceiling painting by Carl Larsson.

The best way to experience Dramaten is, of course, to attend one of the many theatre performances that are given here each year, but should you not have the time or possibility to do this, and the sun is shining, take the opportunity to eat out on the glorious Dramatenterrassen.

Grand Hôtel

The most elegant hotel in Stockholm is probably the magnificent Grand Hôtel. This five-star luxury hotel is located by the water on Blasieholmen. Grand Hôtel was inaugurated in 1874 after the French hotel man Jean-François Règis Cadier was commissioned to create a hotel that could compete with the leading hotels in Europe. Over the years, several surrounding buildings have been incorporated into the hotel, which today has 300 rooms, a spa, conference facilities, three restaurants, and the Cadier bar.

If you have the opportunity, sit down by the windows in the Cadier bar and enjoy the view of Strömmen and the Royal Palace while deciding whether to order one of Grand Hôtel’s signature cocktails or their Afternoon tea with an indulgent three-tiered cake stand and perhaps a glass of champagne.

Hotel Diplomat

On the elegant Strandvägen, this Art Nouveau palace was built as an exclusive private residence in 1911. During the 1960s it was converted into a five-star luxury hotel. The interior of the hotel is decorated with works by Swedish artists, with an emphasis on contemporary art, from a private collection.

Those who do not have the opportunity to stay at the hotel can at least enjoy the beautiful interior of the restaurant, which with its windows facing the street also offers a beautiful view of Nybroviken. There are also a couple of ambient hotel bars, for those wanting to enjoy a cocktail in an international hotel setting.

Glashuset – The Glass House

Glashuset on Strandvägen was once in the time a filling station, the very first designed by an architect in Sweden. The architect was Peter Celsing, who would later be famous for, among other things, Kulturhuset and Filmhuset in Stockholm. Glashuset was inaugurated in 1955, and in 2018 the old gas station was transformed into a restaurant with lovely outdoor seating. As soon as the sun shines, the tables are filled with people who want to both enjoy good food and drink – and watch people passing by. Here you have one of the city’s very best viewpoints if you want to check out the city’s flaneurs.

Stockholms Stadion

The Stockholm Stadium was built for the Summer Olympics in 1912. The large brick arena in national-romantic style was designed by the architect Torben Grut, also known for having created the Royal Family’s summer residence Solliden on Öland. Stockholm Stadium is the oldest Olympic stadium still in use.

Here, Djurgårdens IF Fotboll has had its home arena until 2013 and although they have now moved to Tele2 Arena, some matches are still played here. Stockholm Marathon starts and finishes here every year. Many other annual sports events, such as DN-galan and Finnkampen, as well as large arena concerts, take place here, so the old stadium is still going strong.

Djurgården is a part of town that differs from many of the other areas as there is not so much urban development here. However, Djurgården is a very important part of Stockholm, and a place most Stockholmare loves to visit. Some of Stockholm’s most visited tourist attractions such as Skansen, Gröna Lund, and Junibacken are to be found in this lovely park area. This is the place to go for attractions, concerts, art exhibitions, walks in the forest, and enjoying one of the many restaurants and cafés.

Cirkus

Cirkus is an iconic building located between Skansen’s main entrance and Hasselbacken. Originally, this was indeed a building for circus performances. The French circus man Didier Gautier, whose previous permanent circus burned down, had the building erected in 1892. Until the 1930s this was a venue for the circus, but after a reconstruction in 1932, it was used also as a theatre. The building’s most distinctive features are the dome and the large quadruple span sculpture “Qvadrigan” that resides on top.

Villa Godthem

This large private home, Villa Godthem, was built in 1874. It was – believe it os not – a gift from an admirer to opera singer Carl Johan Uddman (1821-1878)! After Uddman’s death, the villa was converted into a restaurant to be used during the Stockholm Exhibition in 1897. The charming Swiss style with its rich decoration has made the villa a landmark on Djurgården. Still today, a very popular restaurant, by chef Melker Andersson, is housed in Villa Godthem, and on sunny days the outdoor dining area is packed with visitors who enjoy both the environment and the great food.

How to find Stockholm’s most beautiful buildings?

Whether you’re an architecture buff, a history nerd, or just enjoy old buildings this beautiful town has an abundance of fantastic old houses just waiting to be admired. Every part of town has its own treasures, so choose your destination and head out there and look up! Start by following our guide but soon you will have your own list of  Stockholm’s most beautiful buildings!