Its waterways, historic buildings, and long summer days make Stockholm a unique city. The capital of Sweden, Stockholm is also the cultural, educational, and business center of the country. Stockholm is located where Mälaren (Lake Mälar) and Saltsjön (Salt Bay) meet. Salt Bay is an arm of the Baltic Sea that lies across from the Gulf of Finland. Stockholm is built on small islands, so water channels twist throughout the city. The islands are connected to city districts on the mainland by old bridges and modern overpasses.

Places of interest

Stockholm's unique geography, with its islands and waterways, makes the city itself a place of interest. There are also important palaces and government buildings. For example, the Royal Palace houses the offices of Sweden's king and has many rooms open for public viewing. Jewels of the royal family can be seen in the palace's treasury, and the Museum of Antiquities has sculptures collected by King Gustav III. Another important palace is Drottningholm. Located just outside of the city, Drottningholm Palace is the official residence of the royal family. With its beautiful park, theater, and Chinese pavilion, Drottningholm has been designated a World Heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Stockholm's City Hall is a famous government building that overlooks Lake Mälar. Each year the banquet for the winners of the Nobel Prizes is held in City Hall. Stockholm also has a number of parks and gardens, including the Djurgården (Deer Park). Djurgården was once part of a large royal hunting area and today is the site of several museums.

Culture

Stockholm is known as a center of learning. Stockholm University, the Royal Institute of Technology, and the Caroline Medical Institute are all located in the city. The headquarters of many scholarly societies, such as the Nobel Foundation, are also located in Stockholm. Various royal academies give instruction in the arts and sciences. There are also many theaters and concert halls in Stockholm.

Stockholm's many museums include Skansen, which is a large open-air museum. Skansen shows how Swedes lived in earlier times. The museum consists of an old-fashioned town that has houses and town buildings such as a pharmacy, bakery, bank, and café. There is also a zoo and performances by folk dancers there.

Economy

Stockholm has an economy that is based more on services than industry. The national government is a major employer in the city, as are the educational institutions. Stockholm is also a center for health care, environmental technology, and banking. Many of Sweden's large companies are headquartered in Stockholm, and because of its location on major waterways Stockholm is also a leading center for shipping. In the late 20th century, information technology became a major area of development, employing about 20 percent of the people who work in Stockholm.

History

Stockholm is said to have been founded in the mid-13th century by a Swedish ruler named Birger Jarl. In the next several hundred years the city grew and became an important international trading market because of its location. Many German merchants lived there during this time. Also, conflicts between Danes and Swedes occurred as both groups fought to control Stockholm. Finally, in 1523, the Swede Gustav I freed Stockholm from Danish rule.

In 1634 Stockholm was officially declared the capital of Sweden. The city developed rapidly in the mid-17th century as Sweden temporarily became a great power. In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, fires destroyed large parts of the city, and stone and brick buildings were constructed to replace the old wooden ones. A disease called the plague was also a problem, and many people died during the epidemic of 1711. However, by the middle of the 18th century, Stockholm had become the cultural center of Sweden. Many of its literary societies and scientific academies date from this time.

A new period of development began in Stockholm in the 19th century. During this time, buildings, streets, parks, schools, museums, libraries, and hospitals were built. In the 20th century, improvements to the city continued. City Hall was built, as well as an underground subway. At the beginning of the 21st century, Stockholm created a series of tunnels under the city to help with its traffic problems. Population (2000 estimate), 750,348.