From the Butterfly House in Haga Park, I continued on to explore the huge grounds of Haga Park. I passed by Haga Palace where the Crown Princess lives. I could not see Haga Palace because it was built way inside and it is surrounded by a fence with security cameras at every angle. So, you can imagine the size of Haga Park now.
This is the Temple of the Echo. My voice did not echo around, though.
The Temple of the Echo is one of Haga Park's many summer houses. Gustav III enjoyed eating outdoors on warm summer days and the temple was built as an airy summer dining area. The building was originally called the Temple of Venus and the Green Salon but soon took on its current name due to the acoustics. Source from the Signboard.
This is Gustav III's Pavilion. It was locked when I visited the place. It is opened from 15 June - 13 August at 1200, 1300, 1400 with its guided tour in Swedish and at 1500 for the English version with an entrance fee of SEK100 for an adult while students and children between 7 - 17 years old for SEK50.
Ta-da, the Chinese Pagoda! I have to confess, I was disappointed when I saw it. Does not look very Chinese to me. I don't fancy the blue stars.
China was the height of fashion in the 18th century which probably contributed to the choice of a Chinese-inspired building. The East India Company's travels and trade with China helped to generate huge interest in Chinese culture in Europe. The Chinese Pagoda is an open octagonal pavilion with a tented metal roof, resting on timber columns. Each corner is decorated with a dragon's head, originally cast in lead. Source from the Signboard.
This is the locked Royal Cemetery. I wonder why is it described at all if it is locked and forbidden to go in.
The Royal Cemetery was established in 1922 and now covers the whole island. The bridge and cemetery were designed by Ferdinand Boberg. Crown Princess Margareta, wife of the future King Gustav IV Adolf was the first member of the royalty to be buried here. Riddarholmen Church, the traditional venue for royal ceremonies' and funerals no longer had space for dignified new royal graves. The Church was already the last resting place of 17 Swedish monarchs and their families. Source from the Signboard.
I went to Riddarholmen Church a month back (when I first arrived in Stockholm) and it is grand and cold inside. Costs SEK50 to visit.
Next up - Turkish Pavilion. I peeked in through one of the windows and it was empty.
Exotic summer houses and interesting buildings were important features of an English landscape garden. The Turkish Pavilion is the only one of architect Fredrik Magnus Piper's many proposed new buildings to be built in Haga Park. The pavilion opened with a "Turkish" birthday party for the King's brother, Count Karl at New Year 1788. Gustav III often used the building for meetings and parties and gathered his closest advisors here to plan the war against Russia. For the winter, Gustav III had a covered walkway set up between the Turkish Pavilion and the residence at Gamla Haga. The boarded walkway was clad in spruce twigs with windows to let in light plus ceramic stoves for heating. Source from the Signboard.
This is Gamla Haga which is next to the Turkish Pavilion.
Gamla Haga was the king's residence at Haga until Gustav III's Pavilion was completed in 1789. Gamla Haga was a very simple home by royal standards but was still his favourite place, offering a freer and simpler life than the formal court life at the Royal Palace. The main house and the kitchen wing are privately rented residences. Source from the Signboard.
The last point of interest in Haga Park - Great Haga Palace Foundation. A model of how the Palace would can be seen in Haga Museum.
All that remains of King Gustav III's plans for a magnificient palace here in Haga Park are the foundation walls. The huge project started with the formal foundation work in 1787. One reason for the location here was to create a sightline between the Royal Palace and the Great Haga Palace. On the king's death in 1792, construction work ground to a halt for the 800 workers involved. A large model of the magnificent, temple-like palace that never was can be seen in the Haga Park Museum in the Copper Tents. The foundations here show the huge footprint of the palace and the enormous basement structure. Source from the Signboard.
That is the end of the walk around Haga Park. What a day!
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