Architecture in Stockholm - 1250-1600

1250-1600

The oldest part of Stockholm is Gamla stan (The Old Town). Being the oldest part of the city, it contains some of the oldest buildings and some of the oldest remains of buildings. One example is the ruins of the Castle Of Three Crowns which was erected in the 13th century by the Swedish king Birger Jarl.

The buildings that survive from this period are mostly churches and buildings of the royal house, since these buildings were built from more durable materials than most other buildings from that time. Birger Jarls torn (The Tower Of Birger Jarl) used to be considered to be the oldest building in the entire city, however, it is now known to have been erected by Gustav Vasa in the 16th century. Today the Riddarholmen Church, which appeared in the late 13th century, is considered to be the oldest surviving building in Stockholm. While it came to serve as the church of choice for royal burials, another church, the Storkyrkan (Great Church) came to be used for coronations. Both of the churches have since their erection been redesigned several times.

In the 1430s Stockholm is first mentioned as the capital of Sweden, it had then been in existence for over 200 years and had become a typical Hansa port. During this period German craftsmen were often employed to construct buildings resulting in a wide use of German architecture. Among the buildings constructed in this period is the German Merchants Guild, which was later transformed into the German Church.

The areas to the south and to the north of The Old Town were called Malmarna. Between the 13th and 17th centuries these areas contained only very simple buildings.