Sweden

The Stockholm Royal Palace is located on the island of Stadt in the Old Town. It is the place where the King of Sweden works and celebrates, and is also a major tourist attraction in Stockholm. The palace was built in the Middle Ages. In the early days, it was a military fort. It was gradually transformed and expanded at the end of the 17th century and became the royal palace of today. The palace is built on the water, and the building is square. It is a small square castle with a white exterior and elegant atmosphere. Now the Swedish royal family does not live here, but lives in Queens Island in the suburbs, but the king drives to the palace every day to go to work.

The Old Town is located on a small island in the heart of Stockholm. The Old Town dates back to the 13th century. The city has medieval alleys, round stone streets and antique buildings, influenced by the North Germanic style. Since Sweden has no war for 200 years, the Old City is well preserved, and you can feel the breath of history and modernity, especially on the streets of Linhe and Linhai. The main sights of the Old Town include the Royal Palace, Stockholm Cathedral, the Nobel Museum and the Knights Church.

Stockholm Stadshus is where the Municipal Council for the City of Stockholm meets. It stands on the eastern tip of Kungsholmen island, next to Riddarfjärden's northern shore and facing the islands of Riddarholmen and Södermalm. It is the venue of the Nobel Prize banquet and one of Stockholm's major tourist attractions.The building was inaugurated in 1923 and is designed around two open spaces, a piazza called Borgargården on the eastern side, and the Blå hallen to the west. The southeast corner of the building, immediately adjacent to the shore, is marked by a monumental tower topped by the Three Crowns, an old national symbol for Sweden. The tower is 106 metres high and is accessible by an elevator or by a stair of 365 steps. The eastern side of its base is decorated with a faux tomb and gold-plated sarcophagus of Birger Jarl. When visiting the Stadshus, don't miss the small park between the building and Lake Mälaren's shore where several sculptures awaits.

Say "Hej!" to the seven seas at Stockholm's Vasamuseet, home of the warship Vasa, the most complete seventeenth century ship ever salvaged. Scandinavia's most visited museum, the Vasamuseet offers exhibits on maritime history and Scandinavia in the seventeenth century. Although the Vasa sunk during her maiden voyage in 1628 and spent over three hundred years under water, much of the warship has been restored and is now on display in this building, itself a destination for architecture buffs. Take a 25 minute guided tour around the Vasa's impressive hull, watch a film to learn about the archaeological processes that saved her or simply wonder at the trajectory of Scandinavian maritime history at this unique museum.