Stadshuset / Stockholm City Hall, Sweden

Stockholm City Hall (Stadshuset) stands on the waterfront of Kungsholmen island, looking across the water toward Gamla Stan. The nearest metro station is Rådhuset, less than a 10-minute walk away, and the building is also within easy walking distance of Stockholm Central Station. In front of the south façade lies Stadshusparken, a small lakeside park dotted with sculptures and offering one of the finest views of the old town.

History and What Makes the City Hall Famous

Designed by the architect Ragnar Östberg in the National Romantic style and completed in 1923, the City Hall was built from around eight million bricks and is crowned by a 106-metre tower bearing the three golden crowns of Sweden’s national emblem. It is world-famous as the venue for the banquet held each December after the Nobel Prize ceremony, which takes place in the vast Blue Hall. Above it lies the dazzling Golden Hall, whose walls are covered with around 18 million gold and glass mosaic tiles depicting Swedish history. The building is still very much in use as the seat of the city council and for civil weddings.

Visiting Information

The interior can only be seen on a guided tour, which lasts about 45 minutes and visits the Blue Hall, the Golden Hall, the Council Chamber, and the Gallery of the Prince. Adult tickets cost around 150 SEK, with reduced prices for seniors, students, and young people (7–18), and free entry for young children; English-language tours run several times daily, more frequently in summer. Tickets are released about a week in advance and can also be bought on the day at the City Hall shop. The City Hall Tower is a separate ticket, open only from May to September, and rewards the climb (with a lift available halfway) with a sweeping panorama over the city. Tours may occasionally be cancelled at short notice due to official events.