Gamla stan

Gamla stan is an old section of Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. Gamla Stan consists of three islands, Stadsholmen, Riddarholmen and Helgeandsholmen. The main buildings such as the National Assembly Building, the royal palace and the Cathedral are located here. Gamla Stan whose meaning is "Old Town" is known to be built first in 13th century. Thus, there are a lot of old buildings in Gamla Stan and they were built in 17th or 18th century. They have very long history. After crossing the bridge in front of Royal Swedish Opera theater, there is the National Assembly Building. This building is the entrance of Gamla Stan and connects the old town, Gamla Stan, and the new town. The royal palace is just after the entrance and there are a lot of buildings which make you feel like in middle ages. 

The center of Gamla Stan is Stortorget square. This square has a sad history. Christian II killed more than 80 of the leading members of Sweden and buried their necks in the well. This is called the Stockholm massacre. In this square, there are Nobel Museum in one side and buildings built from 13th century to 19th century. Also, a lot of shops are placed in narrow alleyways. Up north from the square, the stock exchange built in 1776 and the Sweden Academy headquarters which selects the Nobel Prize winner are located.

In addition, there are a lot of famous tourist spots, such as Morten Trozigsgrand, which is the narrowest alley in Gamla Stan and as wide as 90cm, and the German Church. Since Gamla Stan preserves the image of middle ages very well, it can be one of the most famous tourist places in Sweden.

Other websites
Northern Europe, World Tour

Category:Stockholm