Riddarholmen Church

8 June 2017

Today, I decided to go to Riddarholmen Church. I went to Sweden in 2015, and this place was closed on the day I visited it. I took the bus to Gullmarsplan station and disembarked at Gamla Stan station. In Gullmarsplan station, I realised that one can bring dogs inside the train. Dogs are also allowed in the buses. That is so nice. I sat inside the sheltered stop in the station to protect one from the cold or warmth (but I think the locals love the sun too much to sit inside here). 

From Gamla Stan station, it was less than a 3 minutes walk to Riddarholmen. One take the exit for Riddarholmen at Gamla Stan and ta-da, Riddarholmen is on your right. Just walk about 20meters and up the steps, and you are in Riddarholmen. Easy-peasy. 

Riddarholmen (Swedish: [²rɪdːarˌhɔlmɛn], "The Knights' Islet") is a small islet in central Stockholm, Sweden. The island forms part of Gamla Stan, the old town, and houses a number of private palaces dating back to the 17th century. The main landmark is the church Riddarholmskyrkan, used as Sweden's royal burial church from the 17th century to 1950, and where a number of earlier Swedish monarchs also lie buried.

The western end of the island gives a magnificent panoramic and photogenic view of the bay Riddarfjärden, often used by TV journalists with Stockholm City Hall in the background. A statue of Birger Jarl, traditionally considered the founder of Stockholm, stands a pillar in front of the Bonde Palace, north of Riddarholm Church. Source from Wikipedia.

The Riddarholm Church (Swedish: Riddarholmskyrkan) is the burial church of the Swedish monarchs. It is located on the island of Riddarholmen, close to the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. The congregation was dissolved in 1807 and today the church is used only for burial and commemorative purposes. Swedish monarchs from Gustavus Adolphus (d. 1632 AD) to Gustaf V (d. 1950) are entombed here (with only one exception: Queen Christina who is buried within St. Peter's Basilica in Rome), as well as the earlier monarchs Magnus III (d. 1290) and Charles VIII (d. 1470). It has been discontinued as a royal burial site in favor of the Royal Cemetery and today is run by departments of the Swedish Government and Royal Court.

It is one of the oldest buildings in Stockholm, parts of it dating to the late 13th century, when it was built as a greyfriars monastery. After the Protestant Reformation, the monastery was closed and the building transformed into a Protestant church. A spire designed by Willem Boy was added during the reign of John III, but it was destroyed by a strike of lightning on July 28, 1835 after which it was replaced with the present cast iron spire.

Coats of arms of knights of the Order of the Seraphim are on the walls of the church. When a knight of the Order dies, his coat of arms is hung in the church and when the funeral takes place the church's bells are rung without pause from 12:00 to 13:00. Source from Wikipedia.

I paid an entrance fee of SEK50 = RM25. Well, it is a very important building in Sweden considering it is a burial church for the Swedish monarchs. I think all the other churches in Stockholm is free? Well, I have only went to Katarina Church and Sofia Church and both are free. The church has a lot of coffins of the monarch and it is well-described. I like that all the places I have been to in Stockholm has precise and concise description of the place. 

I forgot to mention that it was very cold on the day I went to Riddarholmen Church as it has rained but I still wanted to go out because I would like to go to one place a day as he has bought me a monthly bus and train pass for SEK830. It needs to be fully utilised. So, when I stepped inside the Church, it was equally cold too. I guess it is necessary to preserve the coffins inside the church. Most of it has gold and the colours are in good condition too. All the coffins are locked inside their respective chapels. 

Enjoy the photos!

There is a 'Description Paper' in the main tourist languages about the Church. I remembered seeing Swedish, French and I took hold of the English one.

Outside, the skies were cloudy and I felt raindrops. Gawd, so cold..