Stockholm Old Town and the Viking Museum, a Small Group Walking Tour

About this activity

See the boat

+5

What is included

Itinerary

1. 1
   Stop 1

   15 min - We start the tour at Gamla Stan Metro station, inside/under ground, in front of the Pressbyrån kiosk. We talk about the early history of Stockholm and Sweden, from the ice age until the first settlements on the islands. From Riddarholmen (The Knights Island) we have a beautiful view of the lake Mälaren and the City Hall, the famous landmark of Stockholm,

2. 2
   Riddarholm Church (Riddarholmskyrkan)

   5 min - The story continues... Outside the Riddarholmen Church we will meet the presumed founder of Stockholm, Birger Jarl, or at least a statue of him. 1252 is the year when "Stockholm" was first mentioned in a written text that is preserved until today. Birger Jarl signed the paper...

3. 3
   Riddarhuset

   10 min - We stop outside Riddarhuset, the House of Nobility, and look at the statue of Gustav Vasa, "the father of Sweden". Since Gustav Vasa 1523 marched into Stockholm, Sweden has been a sovereign state, never occupied by foreign powers. Gustav, after his father and between 80 to 100 other noblemen were killed in “The bloodbath of Stockholm”, organised an uprising against our southern neighbour who had taken control over Sweden. He also changed the religion in Sweden from Catholicism to Lutheran Protestantism

4. 4
   Parliament Building (Riksdagshuset)

   10 min - The predecessor of the parliament (riksdagen) was the “Riksdag of the Estates” (Ståndsriksdagen) where Nobility, Clergy, Burghers, Peasants met separately for discussions before meeting the King in the palace. Until its dissolution in 1866, the institution was the highest authority in Sweden next to the King. In 1866 a parliament with two chambers was introduced, but still without equal voting rights for all citizens. The first elections with general suffrage was held in 1921. This was after a long political struggle led by liberals and socialists.

5. 5
   Royal Palace

   10 min - Next stop at "Lejonbacken" on the north side of the Royal Palace. . Peter the Great of Russia put an end to the Swedish dreams of being a great power in Northern Europe. Karl XII, the last of our warrior kings is still pointing to the east (i.e. the statue is pointing), where he and his army, the Caroleans, first had some great victories, but in the end were defeated by Peter the Great in Poltava 1709. The age of enlightenment, with growing interest in arts and science, influenced Sweden. Gustav III, an enlightened despot with great interest in theatre, made several contributions in these fields.

6. 6
   Jarnpojken

   5 min - The smallest and nicest statue in Sweden!

7. 7
   Stortorget

   10 min - The Nobel Price Museum is situated at Stortorget. The Swedish Royal Academies designate the winners of the most prestigious prices in many important fields of science and art.

8. 8
   Stockholm Old Town

   20 min - Below the statue of Carl XIV Johan we continue the story about Sweden. This king, the first of the Bernadottes, was imported to Sweden from France in the beginning of the 19th century to win back what we lost to the Russians. Instead he put his efforts into diplomacy, building infrastructure and develop education! In 2014 200 years of peace was celebrated in Sweden. The industrial revolution, natural resources and great Swedish inventions created a foundation for a welfare state, and several entrepreneurs continued the development in the 20th and 21th centuries. !

9. 9
   The Viking Museum

   30 min - Entrance to The Viking museum is included. Our guide will introduce you to the museum and show you some of the attractions.This small-scale museum is not a common museum but offers a unique combination of thrilling experiences and historical facts. The museum is a result of a cooperation between professionals in performing arts and Sweden’s most respected historical scientists. This is the end of the guided tour, but you are welcome to stay in the museum after the tour is finished. (If you have time, why not stay on the Djurgården island also in the afternoon, visit the Abba Museum ("walk in, dance out" ), the Vasa Museum, the amusement park Gröna Lund, or Skansen. All of these attractions are situated on the beautiful island Djurgården (but not included in this tour)).

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