The Gamla Stan district is the historical center of Stockholm. It is located on three Islands: Stadsholmen (City island), Riddarholmen (Knight island) and Helgeandsholmen (Island of the Holy Spirit). The authentic atmosphere of an 18th-century Scandinavian city has been completely preserved here.
In 1252, Jarl Birger founded a fortress on the island of Stadsholmen. It was located on the site of the current Royal Palace. Almost no buildings of that time have been preserved in Gamla Stan, with the exception of the Riddarholmen Church, was built by the Franciscans in 1270. Jarl Birger`s Tower on Ridderholmen island, built in 1527, has also been preserved. The other houses in Gamla Stan belong to the 17th and 18th centuries.
There is a very dense development of residential buildings in the Gamla Stan. The houses have from 3 to 5 floors. The streets between them are very narrow (some of them are 3-5 meters wide), most of them are pedestrian. In the 1990s, the district was recognized as an architectural monument and completely restored. Walking along these narrow streets is a pleasure.
The Royal Palace is located in the Northern part of the island of Stadsholmen. This is the main attraction of all of Stockholm. There are two churches with high spires in this area: the German Church and the Riddarholmen Church. Their spires rise above the roofs of houses for tens of meters and are visible from many parts of Stockholm.
The quays of Islands, labyrinths of streets, small squares of Gamla Stan are always filled with tourists. In the center of the Gamla Stan is located the former market square Stortorget. Here it is customary to walk, sit in street cafes. The atmosphere of the Old city is really conducive to this.
