ROSENDAL PALACE

Description

Essentials about Rosendal Palace in brief

The Rosendal pleasure palace, located on the green island of Djurgården, was once the idyllic retreat of Swedish rulers away from the courtly formality of the city. Today it is a popular excursion destination where visitors can immerse themselves in the Swedish Empire style of the 19th century. A visit to Rosendal Palace can also be perfectly combined with a visit to Rosendals Trädgård, which is located right next door.

The history of Rosendal Palace

A wooden building was erected on the grounds of Rosendal Palace in 1790, which was bought by the Swedish King Karl XIV Johann after several changes of ownership. After the previous building burned down in 1819, Karl Johann had the present royal pleasure palace built between 1823 and 1827 according to plans by the architect Fredrik Blom.

The castle is a prefabricated wooden house with 17 rooms on two floors, finished with plastered facing stone. The two-storey veranda on the north side was added in the 1860s. The dining room, which adjoins the short western side, is furnished like a tent and was added in the 1870s. The two-storey Pavilion for the Queen (Drottningens paviljong) on the east side was built before the main building.

The precious furniture and other furnishings are typical examples of the Empire style. A huge vase (3 meters high, 4 meters in diameter) made of porphyry was placed in front of the northern façade in 1825. In 1913, Rosendal Palace was converted into a museum about Charles XIV John and the Bernadotte dynasty, which still rules Sweden today.

The exhibition at Rosendal Palace

During the summer months, visitors can view objects from the 1820s and 1830s in the so-called Karl Johann style, the Swedish equivalent of the Empire style. Special features include the library, which displays Karl Johann’s unaltered book collection, and Karl Johann’s bedchamber, whose furnishings were transferred from Stockholm Palace to Rosendal in 1913.

Rosendals Trädgård

Situated right next to Rosendal Palace, Rosendals Trädgård is an oasis of peace, relaxation and enjoyment in equal measure. Here you can spend relaxing hours among the flower beds, greenhouses, fruit trees and rose bushes, having a picnic, picking flowers or enjoying coffee and cake in the garden café.