BACK TO STOCKHOLM

 5th - 6th Sept 2020

The front of the Royal Palace (before present building works)

Back to Stockholm by train (via Borlänge and Gävle) and returned to the excellent, and relatively inexpensive, Queen's Hotel on Drottningsggaten. Great location in the city centre and highly recommended.

Next visit was to the Royal Palace, or Kungliga Slottet in the local lingo, on the northern end of Gamla Stan. This was built on the ruins of the old Tre Konor castle which burnt down in 1697 (bedpan fire apparently after explosive schnapps induced fart) and rebuilt by 1751. I was told it has 608 rooms, some of them very grand. It is still very much in use for Royal receptions and the accommodation of choice for visiting dignitaries and possibly the world's largest castle still used for it's original purpose (I read).

I, and a small crowd, arrived in good time to see the much heralded 'Changing of the Guard' at 12.15pm on the parade ground in front of the Palace. The frontage of the building was covered by scaffolding and plastic sheeting which rather ruined the effect. At 12.00pm bus-loads of soldiers arrived and we expected a good show.

As it turned out the ceremony was a bit of a damp squib due, presumably, to military 'social-distancing' rules. It consisted of a mere seven strong contingent led by a soldier with a very squeaky voice. I just caught it but several of the onlookers were still waiting at the far end of the courtyard and saw even less.

Entry cost 180 Krone, and there were several floors open to the public. I was here for ages but will only bore you with a small selection of pics.

Right: The Grand Staircase, or one of them...there were several.

Left: The decadent Karl X1 gallery, inspired by the Versailles' Hall of Mirrors.

Right: A showcase displaying all the Swedish 'Orders of Whathaveyou'. The Premier Order is the Order of the Seraphim.

Left: Queen Kristina's silver throne in the Hall of State. It is indeed made of solid silver. I'm surprised Anders Zorn (see previous blog) didn't get one. Maybe he did!

The rest of the Hall of State was given over to a large display of ancient and modern rugs. Rugs! Rather boring in my opinion.

Left: This gallery is used as the State Dining Room for 'formal' Dinners. 

Right: The table set for supper. They probably borrowed the silverware from Anders Zorn!

....for a few of the neighbours who dropped in for a bite to eat. I hope those flunkies kept the wine glasses topped up.

Right: I was told this 'commode' was made in Russia and is famous and extremely valuable. I thought a commode was where you relieved yourself if you were a bit wonky and couldn't get to the loo.

Left: There were lots of fine uniforms on display. Mostly worn by various 'Gustavs' I expect.

Right: The Royal Bedchamber. Prince Charles and Camilla kipped here when on a state visit a year ago. It doesn't look very cosy, but I was told it is laid out rather differently when they have guests staying. 

While in this room I bumped into a charming lady guide who gave me a full run-down on the Swedish Royal history. I couldn't stop her waxing lyrical for about 40 mins. As I failed to make notes I have forgotten most of the details but it involved lots of Gustavs (Gustav 111 shot in 1792 at a fancy dress ball...probably, big mistake, went as a deer), Napoleon and a rather Machiavellian chap called Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte who was a French General and adviser/mate of Napoleon who went on to become King of Sweden. He  sounded rather like the Napoleonic version of Dominic Cummings. You can look it all up on Wikipedia if interested.

There were lots more rooms, stately halls and exhibits, but I think that is enough to send you to sleep. I missed out on the Museum of Tre Konor (13th century fixtures and fittings), the Royal Treasury and Gustav 111's Antikmuseum. 

Next on into the Royal Armoury which is housed in a large cellar beneath the Palace...and free entry! Can't think why as all other museums seem to charge the earth, but I wasn't complaining. This is divided into two. One half devoted to uniforms throughout the ages and the other to Royal carriages;

Left: Some fighting men from the 13th century. I can't think how they moved let alone fought. I don't expect they were much good on the assault course and highly susceptible to strong magnets.

This museum was in semi-darkness (like many others) so flash needed which did not make for good pics.

Right: Likewise this knight on horseback, carrying a lot of 'over-weight'. An easy target for armour-piercing bullets or someone sneaking up behind them, and useless in heavy going.

Left: The uniform of some rather poncey outfit such as King Gustav's Royal Household Gay Guards. 

Right: Another well armoured knight in a skirt. Apart from being in a very uncomfortable and top-heavy outfit, do you think they realised they looked absolute prats?

The Royal carriage collection, again in semi-darkness, included about 10 elaborate 'horse and cart' exhibits. I made a list of their names but may not have got them in the correct order. Left: The Queen's Brussels Carriage (1780). I think.

Right: The Coronation Coach (1696). I have photos of all these, including the Austrian Sleigh (a horse-drawn toboggan) presented  by the Austrian Empress Marie-Theresia to King Gustav 111 in 1777.

Left: There were even models of the nags that pulled them.........

Right: ....including this poor creature, pulling the sleigh, which hopefully never saw itself in a mirror. I dread to think what piss-taking it had to endure from its fellow cart pullers. Poofter!

That was most of what I did (culture-wise) on my second last day...apart from some shopping and a bit of expensive pub crawling. One more half-day to enjoy in this delightful city before returning to the indignities of UK.