Escape to myself

Riddarhuset … House of Nobles

As this is my last morning I was pleased to get into the Riddarhuset. Built in the 1660s it’s a beautiful building in baroque style and housed the nobility and acted as a proto-Parliament until the 19th century. The main assembly chamber walls are lined with the shields of the nobility and there is a fabulous collection of seals of the nobles entitled to attend.

Riddarholmen church

A rather beautiful and austere medieval church it is the royal mortuary church of the Swedish Royal family with some rather interesting tombs. Originally a monastic foundation. The bodies lie in rather beautiful coffins and the Caroline chapel has a vault with some exquisite pewter coffins. The earliest burial is thirteenth century. Each dynasty had its own chapel. It’s also the church of Sweden’s highest order of chivalry and the church is lined with the shields of members.

Serendipity

A few pictures of interesting asides. I found out why street names have Greek sub names. The names are those of blocks of housing and were instituted in the seventeenth century.