Stromsholm Palace

Stromsholm stands on an island where the river runs into Lake Malaren, built for the dowager queen Hedvig Eleonora from 1669 to Nicodemus Tessin the Elder's design - a square yellow block with a cupola, plain outside, with eighteenth-century interiors, largely Gustavian. What it is known for is horses: a royal stud was here from the sixteenth century and the site has been continuously connected with breeding, training and cavalry ever since, so the grounds hold stables, riding halls and a national equestrian centre rather than formal gardens. The palace itself opens in summer, and the surrounding parkland and canal locks are open all year.

What's there

• A square yellow block of 1669 - Tessin the Elder's design.
• Gustavian interiors - added in the following century.
• Stables and riding halls - the equestrian centre around it.
• The canal and river - locks running past the island.

When to go

June to August for the palace; the grounds year round. Two hours.

Good to know

The palace opens only in high summer and often by tour. There is no useful public transport. Equestrian events restrict access at times. The interior is small compared with the setting.

Nearby

Engelsberg is north; Vasteras is east.

Key facts