Museums of Sweden

Drottningholm Palace

Ekerö, near Stockholm — a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Notice: Non-commercial diploma project — no tickets or services are sold here. Some rooms close when the royal family is in residence, so check the official site before visiting.

The story

On the island of Lovön west of Stockholm stands Drottningholm — the 'Queen's Islet'. The present palace was begun in the 1660s by architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder for Queen Hedvig Eleonora and is the best-preserved royal palace built in Sweden in the 17th century. Together with its formal gardens, the Chinese Pavilion and a uniquely intact baroque theatre, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. Since 1981 it has also been the private home of the King and Queen of Sweden.

What makes it special

  • A UNESCO World Heritage Site and a working royal residence at the same time.
  • The Drottningholm Palace Theatre of 1766 still uses its original 18th-century stage machinery.
  • The Chinese Pavilion (Kina slott), a rococo royal retreat hidden in the park.
  • Vast baroque and English-style gardens that are free to wander year-round.

Plan your visit

In the warmer months you can reach Drottningholm by steamboat from central Stockholm — a scenic hour across Lake Mälaren. The gardens stay open even when the state rooms are closed for official events.