Wrangel Palace, Stockholm, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

Wrangel Palace (Wrangelska palatset) is a 17th-century palace on the island of Riddarholmen in Stockholm, facing the square Birger Jarls Torg. It was built up for Field Marshal Carl Gustaf Wrangel, a commander of the Thirty Years' War, and later served for a time as a royal residence. Today it houses a court of appeal, so it is best enjoyed from the outside.

The story behind it

The palace takes its name from Carl Gustaf Wrangel, who received the property from Queen Christina in recognition of his service in the Thirty Years' War. He turned it into a grand residence in keeping with his rank. Parts of the complex are older than the palace itself: the round tower, known as Birger Jarl's Tower, is a remnant of Stockholm's 16th century defensive walls.

For a period the building was used by the royal family, which earned it the nickname Kunghuset, The Royal House. Today it is home to the regional court of appeal, and that sober purpose sits oddly beside the stories that cling to this corner of the Old Town. Riddarholmen has plenty of old tales, and the palace is one of the places where guides like to tell them.

What to look for

• The round tower beside the palace, known as Birger Jarl's Tower, is the surviving piece of the old city fortifications and the oldest-looking part of the complex.
• The long, dignified facade onto Birger Jarls Torg shows how a noble family's town palace was meant to impress passers-by.
• The statue of Birger Jarl in the square gives the place its name and is a good spot to stand back and take in the palace.
• Look across the water from the edge of Riddarholmen to see how the palace sits among the church spire and the other old buildings of the island.

Tips for your visit

• Plan 10 to 15 minutes for the palace itself, or longer if you combine it with the rest of Riddarholmen.
• Because it is a working court, expect to see it from the outside only. Check current access information if you hope to see more.
• Riddarholmen Church, the House of Nobility and the waterfront are all within a few minutes on foot, and Gamla Stan is just across the bridge.
• Early morning or late evening is quieter, and the light on the stone is softer then.

See it on a quest

The palace is a stop on Ghosts of Stockholm: Secrets of the Haunted Streets, a self-guided walk through the old streets with a haunted theme. You reach Wrangel Palace on foot as one stop of a longer route, the app tells you about it as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle in front of the building itself. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group. You can start whenever you like, with no guide and no set departure time.