Stockholm- Venice of the North!

Last week, I traveled to Stockholm for five fantastic days of sightseeing and exploration. I had heard so much about the "Crown Jewel of Scandinavia" and I had to check it out myself! I decided to purchase a 3-day Stockholm Card for middle section of my visit. With the Stockholm Card, I had unlimited access to all public transportation, including buses, trams, and the underground. The card covers the entrance fee to more than 80 museums and notable sights, and although I didn't visit all of them, I did get my money's worth!

My hostel in Stockholm

On Thursday evening, I arrived in Stockholm, picked up some information at the Tourist Office downtown, and walked from the bus station to my hostel. After checking in, I hit the streets again to find some grub, and I stumbled upon this awesome Malaysian restaurant. I bunked with some fellow American students from Middlebury who are studying in Germany.

Skansen was the highlight of my first full day in Stockholm. Covering 75 acres, it is "Sweden in Miniature!" Artur Hazelius founded the museum in 1891, and traditional buildings from across Sweden have been brought to or built on the current site. It is the oldest open-air museum in the world, and home to traditional farmsteads and native Scandinavian animals, like Brown bears, Wolves, Reindeer, Wolverines, and Lynx.

Bragehall

Sami Camp

The Bakery at Skansen

The Furniture Shop at Skansen

The afternoon brought a visit to Junibacken, a museum/tribute to Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. Her best known work is Pippi Longstocking, but her list of work is extensive and includes screenplays, novels, and short essays. I took a ride on the Story Train, a theme ride through Lindgren's novels.

Next stop was the Vasa Museum. Vasa was a war ship made in the 1600s in Stockholm under the rule of King Gustav II Adolf. Sweden was at war with Russia, Poland, and Denmark for parts of his 21 years as ruler, and he used Vasa as a symbol of power to show the other nations how tough the Swedes were. Not only was the vessel exquisitely decorated, displaying signs of power in the sculptures and carvings, the King insisted that more and heavier cannons be added. This was to be a ship to rule them all! Unfortunately, things didn't quite go as planned. After setting out for the maiden voyage, Vasa was overtaken by leeward winds, from side to side, then began to sink as water flooded through the gunports! That was the end of Vasa, until more than 300 years later, when the wreck was located, salvaged, and restored to its current condition, which is 95% original. Today, Vasa is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Europe.

The next day brought sun and I hit the streets early. First stop: City Hall. Stockholm City Hall is the host of the dinner following the Nobel Prize Ceremony every year in December. It is an incredible building, with numerous styles and influences. A guided tour was included with the Stockholm Card, and I was sure to take advantage of the guide's knowledge!

This is the "Blue Room" of City Hall. As you can see, its not blue. After 12 years of construction, the architect, Ragner Östberg, decided that the he wanted to keep the bricks red. The room was designed like an Italian piazza and the ceiling was intended to stay open, but the Swedish climate didn't agree with the building design...  A pipe organ with over 10,000 pipes is situated above the terrace in the Blue Room and plays the national song as honored guests enter the hall for the Nobel Dinner. Östberg knew how important the building would be for the city, and he anticipated that the Blue Room would host many significant events. The staircase was an integral component to the space, and he wanted something that was comfortable and elegant. To pick the best design, he had his wife walk down staircases of every dimension in a ball gown and heels to find the right fit. 

The "Golden Room" has gold tiles that total over seven kilos! The artist asked for six years to complete the project and was given less than two. How's that for a deadline?!

The ceiling in the main chamber of the city hall was exquisite. Originally, it was to be a flat ceiling, but the Östberg changed his mind during construction (again) and wanted to keep the beams visible. Many Swedes believe that it looks like the underside of an overturned Viking ship. Vikings would bring their vessels on land and turn them upside down for shelters. Meetings were held under their protection, so the idea that major governmental decisions are still made under the protection of a ship carries some significance.

In the afternoon, I took a (long) journey to Södertälje, a township west of Stockholm. I was headed to Tom Tit's Experiment, a children's science museum that was included with the Stockholm card. It was quite the trip out there, but worth it! I'm a sucker for cool experiments, and despite the entire museum being in Swedish, and not having an experiment partner, I kept myself entertained!

An auditorium with the layout of the periodic table. How cool!

On Sunday, I managed to visit eight (8!) museums, a full day to say the least. I'll try to keep it brief:
I started off with a visit to the largest spherical building in the world, the "Globen." I got some nice views at the top, but not much more than that. Next, I visited the Post Museum which I really enjoyed!

The Royal Palace offered three museums, and with that handy little Stockholm card, I made my way to all three. The Royal Apartments were a step back into Swedish royal history, with ornate furniture, silver cabinets and carpeted walls. I was reminded time and again that the decisions that these kings were imposing on the citizens of their countries were what immigrants to the USA were trying to escape from. Now, people from around the world come to admire the finery of royal life in the 1500 and 1600s. No doubt it was exquisite, but it was important for me to take a step back to examine the lives of regular folks during the time period.

I hopped a bus over to Tekniska, the Musuem of Technology, followed by a visit to the Natural History Musuem.

I watched the sunset from Kaknastornet, the TV and radio broadcasting tower on the edge of Stockholm. At the end of Day Four, my instinct was to sit down on the escalator, so I knew I had seen enough.

I spent my final day wandering through the Ekoparken, the National Urban Park that streches six miles through the city. You can find more about the Ekoparken and Stockholm's role as 2010 European Green Capital here. I also spent a few hours in Gamla Stan, the oldest district of Stockholm.

You know what they say, "When in Sweden, eat Swedish meatballs!"

It was an excellent visit and I am sure that I will be back in Stockholm sometime in the future. With that said, when I landed back in Oslo, it really felt like home.