Gamla Stan, Stockholm, Sweden

View of Riddarholmen with the Riddarholmskyrkan, in Gamla Stan, Stockholm
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stockholm_Cathedral.jpg
Author: Tom Corser
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Gamla Stan is the historic Old Town of Stockholm, in Sweden. It is located on the island of Stadsholmen (which means "city island") with parts of it on the outlying islands such as Riddarholmen to the west and Helgeandsholmen to the north.

Until the mid-19th century, the present area of Gamla Stan was the actual city of Stockholm, and was referred as själva staden, meaning "the city itself", as the surrounding areas were still rural countryside. As Stockholm began to develop and spread out, this area became known as staden mellan broarna, meaning "the city between the bridges". That was the popular and official name of the area, right up to 1980. Meanwhile, the popularity of the name Gamla Stan was enhanced when the Stockholm metro opened a station there by that name.

Ryning Palace, Gamla Stan, Stockholm
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ryningska_palatset.Munktorget.jpg
Author: Alexandru Baboş
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The earliest location of Stockholm is widely believed to be on the western shore of present-day Stadsholmen, in Gamla Stan. The area may have been settled as early as AD 400. There are evidence of human habitation, based of discovery of logs cut from trees between AD 970 and 1020.

The original Old Town is a much smaller area during the Middle Ages. It was encircled with a city wall between two present-day streets, Västerlånggatan (Western Main Street) and Österlånggatan (Eastern Main Street), in the middle of Stadsholmen. There were two towers, both having been torn down a long time ago. There were only three or four narrow gates into the city, for security reasons, one gate on the east and the rest on the rest side.

Gamla Stan on Google Maps Street View

Interior of Storkyrkan, the Stockholm Cathedral
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stockholm-Storkyrkan_02.jpg
Author: Jürgen Howaldt
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Today Gamla Stan is one of the major tourist destinations in Stockholm. It has a high concentration of historic buildings and streets.

Visiting Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan is serve by the Gamla Stan Metro Station of the Stockholm Metro.

Riksdagshust, Gamla Stan, Stockholm
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parliament,_Stockholm.jpg
Author: Olof Senestam
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Places of Interest in Gamla Stan

Den gyldene freden
Opened in 1722, it is the oldest restaurant in the world with an unaltered interior, so according to the Guiness Book of Records.
Evert Taubes Terrass
Terrace below Wrangelska Palatset featuring the statue of Evert Taube, a popular troubadour.
Kungliga slottet
The Royal Palace, built in the Baroque style in the 18th century.
Kungliga Myntkabinettet
The Royal Coin Cabinet is a museum showcasing coins and the history of money.
Livrustkammaren
The Royal Armoury Museum, oldest museum in Sweden founded in 1628.
Mårten Trotzigs Gränd
The narrowest street in Stockholm, at only 90 cm (3 ft) in width.
Medeltidsmuseet
The museum of medieval Stockholm, built around the city's archaeological sites, and includes part of the old city walls of 1530s.
Nobelmuseet
The Nobel Museum documenting the history and recipients of the Nobel Prize.
Postmuseum
A majestic historic building that was Stockholm's only post office until 1869, the Postal Museum since 1906.
Riddarholmskyrkan
The Riddarholmen Church is the traditional burial place of Swedish monarchs.
Riddarhuset
The Swedish House of Knights, which keeps records of Swedish nobility, completed in 1660.
Riksdagshuset
The Parliament House of Sweden, located on Helgeandsholmen, was built in 1905. It is now combined with the former building of Riksbank, the Bank of Sweden, completed in 1906, to form a larger parliament complex.
Sankt Nikolai kyrka
The Church of St. Nicolas, also called Storkyrkan or Stockholm Cathe4dral, is the oldest church in Gamla Stan.
Stortorget
Literally the Big Square, this is the main square in the heart of Gamla Stan.
Tessinska Palatset
One of the most beautiful and best preserved 17th century private residence, now open to the public.
Tyska Kyrkan
The German Church, a legacy of German influence on Stockholm, when the Hanseatic League controlled the trades in the Baltic Sea.
Västerlånggatan
Formerly the main road through the original town, this is now a major shopping and tourist street in Gamla Stan.
Wrangelska Palatset
Historic building from the 17th century. It incorporates the southernmost tower of the 1530 fortification of Stockholm built by King Gustav Vasa.

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