History of Arsenalen

Arsenalen was officially opened on 17 June 2011, and its operations are handled by the Södermanland Foundation Military History Collections.

The museum’s artefacts, meanwhile, are the property of the Swedish National Museums of Military History. Many of the site’s vehicles once resided in different historic sites around Sweden, such as Malmköping’s Military Vehicle Museum and Axvall’s Tank Museum.

Arsenalen’s collections have grown to encompass more than 300 vehicles, with around 70 of them on display at any one time.

Arsenalen today

Visitors to the Swedish Tank Museum can expect to see historic military vehicles and exhibits that trace the transformation of warfare in Sweden from the early 20th century through to the close of the Cold War.

There is a Figure Museum on the site, which boasts an impressive collection of tin figurines crafted by the artist Holger Eriksson. The museum’s Soldier and the Croft exhibit, meanwhile, recreates the experience of a soldier in mid-19th-century Sweden.

Arsenalen also features a play room for younger visitors, where they can draw, dress up in military uniforms and interact with a large model tank.

Getting to Arsenalen

The museum is located 7 km from Strängnäs, Sweden, along the E20 motorway. Take exit 135 to Härad and at the T junction turn right towards Strängnäs.

The site can also be reached from the north via road 55. Follow blue signs for the local road towards Eskilstuna.

Visitors can also catch a train to Strängnäs, and then take bus 220 or 820 to bus stop Näsbyholm, which is just outside the museum.

Borgholm Castle Museum

The origins of the original fortifications built on this site are obscure, but it is believed that a castle has stood at Borgholm since around the 12th century AD.

Over the following centuries, Borgholm Castle was often involved in the conflicts which often took place between the Nordic kingdoms and was damaged and rebuilt several times – including a significant rebuild under Gustav I of Sweden and his son John III.

In the 17th century Borgholm Castle was remodelled along the lines of an opulent Baroque palace by King Charles X Gustav – he is the only king to have actually lived at the castle. However, the lifetime of this palace was short due to a devastating fire which swept through the complex in 1806, leaving just the impressive and striking ruined shell which still survives intact.

Today, Borgholm Castle is a popular tourist attraction and visitors can explore the castle ruins as well as learning more about the history of this strategic crossroads. The castle is a popular tourist attraction and one of the most picturesque castles in the country.

The ruins also comprise a living museum, combining history with the present. The castle mixes permanent exhibits about the castle’s history with art exhibitions, children’s activities, guided tours and concerts. At the Castle new exhibitions and concerts is constantly presented, creating an interesting and exiting environment.

Getting to Borgholm Castle

The address of Borgholm Castle is Sollidenvägen 5, 387 94 Borgholm, Sverige. The nearest city to the ruined castle is Kalmar. From here, vistors can take the bus (Line 101), which takes approximately 55 minutes or drive via Route 137 and Route 136 (35-minutes). Taxi services are also available from Kalmar.

History of Drottningholm Palace

The first incarnation of Drottningholm Palace was built by King Johan III in the late 16th century. The king built it for his wife, Queen Katarina Jagellonika, hence its name meaning ‘Queen’s Island’. However, this palace was razed to the ground by a fire in 1661 and a new one built in its place in 1662, marking the foundation of the Drottningholm Palace visible today.

It was the influence of Crown Princess Louisa-Ulrika in the 18th century which can still be felt most keenly. She had Drottningholm Palace renovated in image of Versailles, taking inspiration from the opulence of Louis XV.

Drottningholm Palace Today

Since 1981, Drottningholm Palace has been the home of the current royal family. Parts of the Palace are open to the public and 50 minute guided tours of Drottningholm Palace are included in the ticket price.

Amongst the highlights at Drottningholm Palace are its restored 18th century theatre (the work of Louisa-Ulrika), its gardens, and the Chinese pavilion gifted to Gustav III in 1769.

In 1991, Drottningholm Palace became a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Getting to Drottningholm Palace

From the centre of Stockholm, the palace is reachable in around 25 minutes by car via Drottningholmsvägen/Route 275 and Route 261. There are also a number of public transport options. From the centre of Drottningholm, the palace is reachable in 2 minutes by car via Malmbacken.

Gamla Stan history

Built from the 13th century, Gamla Stan was made up of a network of cobbled streets, North-Germanic architecture and beautiful open plazas, most notable of which is Stortorget. Stortorget was a square surrounded by merchants’ housing, although it later became the site of the Stockholm Bloodbath, a massacre of noblemen in 1520 ordered by the Danish King Christian II.

Gamla Stan is home to the Kungliga slottet, Sweden’s 18th century Baroque Royal Palace which replaced the medieval Tre Kronor palace that burned down, having stood there since the 13th century. Also from the 18th century, Gamla Stan boasts the oldest continuously operated restaurant with an unchanged environment – Den gyldene freden – which has been in business since 1722.

From the mid-19th century to the early-20th century, Gamla Stan was considered a slum with many of its historic buildings in disrepair. In fact, after World War Two several blocks were demolished to make space for the Riksdag parliamentary building. Yet from the 1970s the area became popular for its medieval and Renaissance architecture and remains a charming tourist district.

Gamla Stan today

Today, the small yet bustling Gamla stan is the site of centuries of history and contains numerous significant attractions beyond those already mentioned, not least of which is Stockholm’s Saint Eric’s Cathedral and the iconic Stockholm Stock Exchange Building in Stortorget.

Another stunning religious site in Gamla Stan is the beautiful medieval church of Riddarholmen, one of Stockholm’s oldest buildings and the burial place of Swedish monarchs. Riddarholmen is near Stockholm’s famous 18th century Royal Palace.

Getting to Gamla Stan

The best way to enjoy Gamla Stan is just by walking around and exploring. Reaching Gamla Stan via public transport is easy: you can get the metro to Gamla Stan station, the 4, 13, 14 and 83 ferries to Stockholm Slussen kajen terminal, or the 2, 57, 76, 96, 191-195 buses to SLottsbacken.

Gamla Uppsala history

With its roots stretching far back in time, much of the history of Gamla Uppsala is unclear and mingles into the semi-mythical legends of the earliest kings of Sweden. What is known is that the area was of great religious and political importance during the Iron Age and Viking Age. The three Royal Mounds themselves likely date from the 6th century AD.

The Royal Mounds of Gamla Uppsala have been shrouded in mystery for generations. Some believed the three large mounds to be gods Thor, Odin, and Freyr, others thought them to be the burial sites of legendary kings, while some people believed them to be, simply natural lumps of dirt.

Headed by Bror Emil Hildebrand, the first archaeological dig of the Eastern Mound confirmed that it was indeed a burial site, they believed it to be a grave for either a young woman or a young man and a woman. The second excavation in 1874 of the Western Mound yielded more impressive findings of warrior equipment, luxury weaponry, as well as a prominent man dressed in a suit of golden threads.

Though archaeologists were unable to identify the bodies of the mounds, they are quite certain the mounds belonged to a royal dynasty. As Sweden’s oldest national symbols, the Royal Mounds have retained their significance, especially emphasized by a trip from Pope John Paul II in 1989. The three mounds are known today as the Eastern, Middle, and Western Mounds.

Gamla Uppsala today

Today Gamla Uppsala is one of Sweden’s most important ancient sites and is a popular tourist attraction.

The Gamla Uppsala Museum, displays finds from archaeological digs and tales of Yngling dynasty kings, victims of the Viking era, pagan gods and a warring Iron Age. Visitors can follow along on a journey through the oceans of time, from 6th century local heathen kingdoms to the religious upheaval of the Viking era to the building of the cathedral in the 1100s.

The museum also offers a new Virtual Reality experience that allows visitors the chance to roam around 7th century AD Gamla Uppsala.

Getting to Gamla Uppsala

Located 2.5 miles north of Uppsala, the flat and pleasant route makes a nice walk or bike ride. Another option is bus 2 or 210 from Vaksalagatan in Uppsala.