Visit Drottningholm Palace

Drottningholm Palace is a splendid palace, very close to Stockholm. This pleasure residence was designed to seduce the beautiful ladies of Swedish royalty. It is considered the most preserved castle in Sweden, although it has evolved a lot over the centuries. To satisfy his beautiful hostesses, he followed fashions in vogue in Northern Europe between the ^16th and ^18th centuries. It was a reflection of its time and kept an almost intact image of each era. We take you to discover this fabulous royal residence.

Opening photo: AdobeStock / Leventina

A bit of history about Drottningholm Palace

Drottningholm Palace has a very romantic history. It's a gift from a king for his queen! Its name means " Queen's Island " in old Swedish. It was built on the island of Lovön, in the heart of Lake Mälaren, between the ^16th and ^17th centuries. It is a " ladies' castle ", which was offered several times over the centuries and served in particular as a wedding gift.

It is therefore a residence of pleasure, which has no defensive function. She passed from queen to queen and evolved according to fashions. These trends are particularly visible in gardens. The park has developed over time and has thus preserved the different decorative styles that have succeeded there.

Your guided tour of the castle

While Drottningholm Palace is owned by the Swedish state, the royal family enjoys it and part of it is still private. King Charles XVI Gustave and Queen Sylvia have even made it their main residence since the 1980s. You can therefore visit the public spaces there, but the South wing of the castle is private. Who knows, you might see the royal family from afar!

The architecture of the castle is inspired by that of the Palace of Versailles and the facade is particularly impressive. The best way to realize this is to come by boat and admire the castle from Lake Mälaren.

Inside, many rooms of the ceremonial apartments are accessible to the public:

• Adjoining rooms and cabinets,
• Small reception rooms,
• The grand baroque staircase,
• The library…
  
  

Buildings are also at your disposal, apart from the days of reception of the royal family:

• The Chinese pavilion which serves as a backdrop for the magnificent Chinese pieces, brought back by the Swedish East India Company in the ^18th century.
• The palace theatre , with its original ^18th century machinery and decor.
• Do not miss the visit of the park which is very significant of the different eras:
• The baroque garden is the oldest. It was created in the pure tradition of so-called “ French-style ” gardens, inspired by the plant creations of Le Nôtre , under Louis XIV.
• The beautiful alleys of chestnut trees and Swedish trees were planted at the beginning of the ^18th century, around the Chinese pavilion. It is a more natural area, the beginnings of “ English gardens ”.
• The last part is a typical ^18th century English park with canals
  
  

Convenience

The gardens are accessible all year round, free of charge. Spring is of course the best time to visit, as you can admire the flowerbeds and working fountains.

The palace is open to the public on weekends, all year round. To visit it during the week, you must come between April and October. The period is a little more restricted for the visit of the theater and the Chinese pavilion, between May and September only.

Find out in advance about the days of closure or partial opening, during the receptions of the royal family, to make the most complete visit possible. You can also find out about the guided tours that will allow you to learn more about this fabulous castle.

We hope to have made you want to visit this castle of the ladies of Swedish royalty and wish you beautiful walks in its gardens.

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