Drottningholm Palace — Attraction in Ekerö kommun

Take a trip with to the World Heritage Site Drottningholm Palace. Enjoy the beautiful, peaceful environment, and take the opportunity to visit the Chinese Pavilion, the Palace Theatre, and the beautiful Palace Park. Drottningholm – a UNESCO World Heritage Site Drottningholm is the best-preserved castle built in the 17th century and the decor has been influenced by several kings and queens. The Royal Family moved in 1981 and today the Royal Couple uses it as their permanent residence. Drottningholm Castle area, built after French models in the 17th and 18th centuries, was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991.

Things to do at Drottningholm At Drottningholm, there is a lot to see and experience. Discover the castle on your own or join a guided tour through the castle's halls. The guided tours are available in Swedish or English. For families, there are specially tailored tours that are entertaining for both children and adults. The family tours are perfect for children between 6 and 10 years old.

In the far part of Drottningholm Palace Park is the Chinese Pavilion, the beautiful Chinese-style castle from 1753. Wander around the castle on your own or let the free audio guide tell you more about the history of the castle.

Drottningholm Palace Theatre is the world's oldest theatre in carefully preserved original condition. Here you can see and enjoy world-class opera, exciting screenings, and activities for the whole family. During the screenings, you will learn more about the history of the theatre, but also about the features of the stage machinery and the secrets of theatre life.

Drottningholm Palace Park is open all year round so you can come here every month of the year and experience the park's different shapes. On a walk through the park, you will be moved between a formal garden planned in the late 17th century, a more relaxed English-style park started around a century later, and more intimate 1760s bosquets at the Chinese Pavilion. Children’s Activities at Drottningholm An excursion to Drottningholm is appreciated by both children and adults. At Drottningholm, there are always tours and activities adapted to children.

To bring a memory home with you, you will find a wide selection of books, interior items, and jewelry in all price ranges. There are also delicacies such as tea, coffee, and confectionery in beautiful packaging. Many of the products that you can buy in the gift shop are directly inspired by the Royal...

The name Drottningholm (literally meaning "Queen's islet") came from the original renaissance building designed by Willem Boy, a stone palace built by John III of Sweden in 1580 for his queen, Catherine Jagiellon. This palace was preceded by a royal mansion called Torvesund.

The Queen Dowager Regent Hedwig Eleonora bought the castle in 1661, a year after her role as Queen of Sweden ended, but it burnt to the ground on 30 December that same year. Hedwig Eleonora engaged the architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder to design and rebuild the castle. In 1662, work began on the reconstruction of the building. With the castle almost complete, Nicodemus died in 1681. His son Nicodemus Tessin the Younger continued his work and completed the elaborate interior designs. The Flemish sculptor Nicolaes Millich made for the great staircase and hall sculptures of the nine muses in marble, along with a series of busts of Gothic kings.[2] In addition, he also made bust portraits of King Charles X Gustav, his wife Hedwig Eleonor and both their sons, the young King Charles XI, probably also of Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie and his wife Maria Euphrosyne, a sister of King Charles X Gustav. Millich and his assistant Burchard Precht also made decorative wood carvings in the queen dowager's bed chamber.[3]

During the period of the reconstruction, Hedwig Eleonora was head of the regency for the still-underage King, Charles XI of Sweden, from 1660 to 1672. Sweden had grown to be a powerful country after the Peace of Westphalia. The position of the queen, essentially the ruler of Sweden, demanded an impressive residence located conveniently close to Stockholm.

During the reign of the kings Charles XI of Sweden and Charles XII of Sweden, the royal court was often present at the palace, which was used for hunting.[4] Hedwig Eleonora used the palace as a summer residence until her death in 1715, also when she had become the undisputed host of the royal court during the absence of Charles XII in Great Northern War...

A Disappointing Experience with Parking at a Beautiful Destination.

I was excited to visit the stunning castle and grounds of Drottningholm, drawn in by the promise of an engaging tour and affordable dining options. However, my experience was marred by a critical failure in customer service related to parking.

As a foreign tourist, I was unprepared for the parking nightmare that awaited me. The parking machines were in disrepair, one malfunctioning after inputting the registration number, and the other with a broken card reader. The only alternative was to download an app, which, to my dismay, was only available for those with a Swedish smartphone. This left me and several others unable to pay for parking.

In an attempt to resolve the issue, I called the number listed on the machine, only to be met with an automated answering machine. I then emailed the parking company, Hojab, detailing the problem and providing my registration number. Despite my efforts, I received a parking ticket.

When I contacted AVARN, the company listed on the ticket, I was met with a 35-minute wait on an international call, only to be accused of theft for my inability to pay. The ordeal didn't end there. Paying the ticket within the 8-day window was another challenge, as credit card payments were not accepted, forcing me to arrange an international money transfer.

I implore Drottningholm to consider the experience of its visitors. Please replace the predatory parking enforcement company with a more customer-friendly one. Alternatively, allow visitors to pay for parking when purchasing their tickets. This would prevent tourists from having to deal with faulty parking machines and region-specific payment methods. This could have been a wonderful visit, but the parking issues left a sour taste...