Stockholm Cityguide

Many an old school geography book will tell you that Stockholm is the "Venice of the North". Nothing could be further from the truth - as I realized, initially with a sense of disappointment and then with growing enthusiasm, when I made my first visit to this beautiful city as a tourist. Although there is plenty of water around - lakes, sea and islands - the atmosphere in the city, the climate, the vegetation, and of course the people, have little in common with its supposed namesake. Those lucky enough to arrive by plane and fly over the city in clear skies - granted rather an infrequent occurrence here - are guaranteed a wonderful sight. On the right is the Baltic Sea and the archipelago, where the islands were originally hills carved out during the Ice Age. Some of the islands area wooded and have houses. On the left is Lake Malar, and around its shores there are housing estates and dormitory towns set in amongst its thousands of bays. The Old Town of Stockholm (Gamla Stan) is at the junction between Lake Malar and Salt Bay, which is an arm of the Baltic Sea.

The first settlement in the area dates from 700, when the Vikings established the town of Birka on Bjukö Island in Lake Malar. The town became the largest trading centre in northern Europe. Surrounded by a wall constructed from earth and wooden stockades, it retained its leading position for about two hundred years, until its inhabitants abandoned it to move to nearby Sigtuna. During the summer months fascinating archaeological excavations can be observed here, while the most precious of the findings are on display in the History Museum.

Seven hundred and fifty years ago the tribe known as the Svear created a new capital, Stockholm. (The name is made up of the words for "stockade" and "hill".) The new city was easier to defend. The first inhabitants settled on the land at the junction between the see and Lake Malar, and it was here that the king built his palace. Stockholm was unable to avoid the fate of many other mediaeval European towns, being destroyed by fire several times in the course of its history. On the small island today the stone houses of Gamla Stan (the Old Town) preserve the atmosphere of the 1500s and 1600s, while the Royal Palace, after numerous reconstructions, and particularly after a massive fire, took on its present appearance in 1697. today, the palace houses a museum and is the official workplace of the king. After the birth of their children the present royal family moved out to the picturesque Drottningholm Castle on the shore of Lake Malar. One of the castle buildings is a baroque theatre which is still functioning today. (It was here that Ingmar Bergman's wonderful adaptation of Mozart's "The Magic Flute" was filmed.) As part of the summer opera programme at the theatre, several Hungarian performers were invited to make a guest appearances.

In modern times Swedish towns have been threatened by architectural innovations and as part of a massive building programme in the 1970s, a hundred thousand apartments were constructed annually, in many places at the cost of ruining the old town centres. Fortunately, the Swedish love of nature is reflected in their architecture and urban planning and Stockholm has plenty of trees. Not only were smaller or larger wooded areas left standing between the various districts of the town, the new housing estates were also designed so as to necessitate the felling of as small a number of trees as possible. Despite its urban character, the lakes, islands, granite rocks and trees mean that the presence of nature can be felt everywhere.

Each year Stockholm welcomes approximately two million visitors, making it the largest tourist centre in northern Europe. However, some of the visitors do not just come to admire the beauty of the city as Stockholm is also a major congress centre. Over one hundred international gatherings are held here annually, with the result that the Swedish capital rose from thirtieth place to ninth on the list of top conference locations during the 1990s.

If you include all the suburbs, a quarter of a Swedish population lives here in the throbbing metropolis of Stockholm, which offers plenty of exciting opportunities to visitors. There is something here for everyone to enjoy. There are seventy museums, with exhibitions on everything from ancient relics, via the history of glass, to paintings by Swedish and international masters. The Royal Palace, which contains the Crown Jewels, is a must, as is the Town Hall, where on 10 December each year (the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel), the monarch holds a banquet in honour of the winners of the Nobel Prize.

Lovers of sports and nature are recommended the take boat excursions to the island in the summer, while in the winter they can enjoy the five hundred kilometers of ski slopes near the town, where skis are normally available for rent. For those seeking recreation for both body and soul, a visit to one of the palaces near Stockholm is certainly recommended. There are several such locations with two- or three-day programmes offering physical exercise, medicinal spas and massage, as well as the world-famous Smörgasbord.

Apropos of the smorgasbord, the various dishes are set out on a large table and guests make their own choice from among the delicacies, according to their taste and appetite. The smorgasbord features a range of different items depending on the season, although marinated herrings and salmon, small frank-future. The Swedes have a sweet tooth, so do not be surprised if not only the delicious cakes but even the herrings and the bread are slightly sweet to the Hungarian taste.

Katalin Garam