Tre Kronor Castle

Medieval predecessor of the Royal Palace of Stockholm, destroyed by fire in 1697 — history preserved in its foundations.

Tre Kronor Castle was the medieval ancestral seat of the Swedish kings, standing on the site now occupied by the Royal Palace of Stockholm. Founded in the 13th century by Birger Jarl as a fortification on a rocky island, it was expanded over the centuries into a powerful royal residence. Its name — Three Crowns — comes from the three golden crowns that once topped its main tower, still seen today in the Swedish coat of arms. The castle burned to the ground in 1697 and was replaced by the Baroque Royal Palace that stands there today. Remnants of the original fortification are visible in the basement of the current palace — a quiet witness to Stockholm's long history.