Drottningholm, Uppland | Exploring Sweden

Drottningholm, with its royal palace, is one of the main attractions for visitors to Stockholm. This is a small locality with around 300 inhabitants on the island of Lovön in Ekerö Municipality, just to the west of the more central areas of Stockholm. The Drottningholm Palace is the official residence of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. These royal grounds have a history of centuries and still offer some spectacular sights for visitors from near and far.

A Short History of Drottningholm

This was originally a small village known as Glia, which was mentioned for the first time in written documents dating back to 1342. Glia became a royal estate in 1553 when the King Gustav Vasa acquired it. Gustav Vasa’s second son, King Johan III began the construction of what was to become a royal palace. He named the palace Drottningholm after his queen. “Drottning” is the Swedish word for Queen. The completion was delayed several times and Johan III would eventually not spend much time at his new palace.

The palace has since had several owners, including the queens Katarina, Kristina, and Maria Eleonora. The original palace did, however, not survive the 17th century. It burned to the ground in a fire in 1661. The palace was at the time owned by Queen Hedvig Eleonora. It was after the fire that construction of the current palace began. The new palace was designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Elder, one of the most well-known Swedish architects in history. The main building of the new palace was completed in the summer of 1664.

Drottningholm Castle has over the last centuries been competing with Haga Palace as the residence of the royal family. The current royal family is split between the two. The King and Queen have their official residence at Drottningholm Palace while the Crown Princess and her family reside at Haga Palace.

The Drottningholm Palace and its adjoining buildings and parks were added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1991. It was Sweden’s first contribution to the list of heritage sites.

Things to Do and See

The royal palace is the main attraction here. It is beautifully located on the shores of Lake Mälaren and has a beautiful park leading up to the main building. In addition to the arranged baroque park, there is a larger park landscape just to the northwest of the palace. Other attractions here include the 1760s-era Chinese-style pavilion, the Gothic Tower, and the Palace Theatre.

Several events take place here during the year. One of the more noteworthy is the annual Christmas Market. The market has a traditional focus, with local crafts and products.

How to Get to Drottningholm

• Flights: Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN), is 44 kilometers to the north.
• Car: Drottningholm lies along Road 261 just west of central Stockholm.
• Bus: Buses from SL connect Drottningholm with the surrounding area.
• Train: There are several railway stations nearby, one is the Central Station in Stockholm.

The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:

• Stockholm – 12 kilometers (16 min)
• Gothenburg – 474 kilometers (4 h 50 min)
• Malmö – 617 kilometers (6 h 20 min)
• Linköping – 205 kilometers (2 h 20 min)
• Kiruna – 1237 kilometers (14 h 10 min)

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