We started the next morning with a stroll on Skeppsholmsbron (Skeppsholm Bridge). The beautiful bridge connects central Stockholm to Skeppsholmen island. Besides being famously known for the Gilded Crowns atop the bridge’s railing, the views from here are exceptional too. One side of the bridge presents a wonderful view of Gamla Stan while the other is the marina view of Strandvagen at a distance. The sighting of boats is a given on both sides. Hence, it’s no wonder that Skeppsholmsbron is a popular lookout spot in Stockholm. The golden crown is a big magnet on its own.
Stockholm City Hall
The City Hall (Stadhuset) with its brick façade and a tall tower is a prominent landmark in Stockholm. It houses the Stockholm’s government and plays host to the famous Nobel banquet every year. The various halls in the building can only be visited through a guided tour. Hence, I opted for a visit to the tower top instead. Hence, I opted for a visit to the tower top instead.
Thankfully it’s not crowded as there are only 30 tickets at each time slot. Hence, it’s advisable to arrive earlier to purchase the ticket for the desired time slot. Do take note from the official website about the opening months and time prior to the visit.
It’s best to take the lift to skip a large part of the 365 stairs in order to reach the viewing platform. There are some sculptures on display at the Tower Museum somewhere in the middle of the tower. The best part is upon reaching the top, where the surrounding views are stunning!
The aerial view of Gamla Stan (Old Town) alone makes it worthwhile to be up here.
Metro Art of Stockholm
After enjoying the view of Stockholm at the 106 meters tall City Hall Tower, it’s time to switch focus to the underground Metro stations (Tunnelbana). In fact, this is the part which I enjoyed the most in Stockholm. I know it sounds weird about spending time in underground stations. But be surprised that the underground stations here in Stockholm are like an Art Gallery where colourful murals or splendid artwork designs can be found. I only managed to visit Hotorget on the Green Line and the rest like Kungstradgarden, T-Centrale, Radhuset and Solna Centrum on the Blue Line.
Hotorget Metro Station has greenish tile on its walls and neon strips of white light on the ceiling. It’s slightly on the plain side when compared to other stations, less is more?
Radhuset Metro Station has a rocky surface that was painted in an orangey hue, or is it red? The contrasting effect of the orange/red surface and modern structures is excellent.
Kungstradgarden Metro Station has the red, white and green patterns throughout plus quite a handful of sculptures embedded in the walls.
T-Centralen Metro Station is the main hub of all three Metro Lines and the first to feature artwork. The calming blue and white colour combination at the Blue Line looks amazing.
Solna Centrum Metro Station is slightly further away from the rest but it’s my personal favourite. The high contrasting colours of red and green really stand out. There are also plenty of great-looking drawings on the walls to complete the mood. Very nice!
I will definitely allocate more time for the world’s longest Art Gallery when I visit Stockholm again. The simple everyday Metro stations are functional yet filled with so many visual delights is a highlight of my trip here.
[alert]
What are your thoughts about Skeppsholmsbron or Metro Art of Stockholm? Leave a comment and share it with me.
[/alert]
