St Nicholas Cathedral

St Nicholas Cathedral is the most significant religious building in Stockholm. Legend has it that a wooden chapel stood here in the 13th century, thanks to Birger Jarl, the man who also founded the city. As is often the case with wooden buildings, it didn’t take much for the chapel to go up in flames. A grand Gothic basilica was inaugurated in its place in 1306. You can still see traces of its medieval architecture inside, but the exterior now reflects a Baroque style. It may be a place of worship, but it’s also steeped in history and politics. St Nicholas Cathedral has hosted several royal weddings and coronations, including that of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. Inside this iconic monument, you’ll also find the oldest surviving painting of Stockholm, dating all the way back to 1535. So yes, it’s most definitely worth stepping inside. Facing the cathedral, the Slottsbacken Obelisk pays tribute to the people of Stockholm who defended their city during the Russo-Swedish War. Built in 1800 by order of Gustav III, it had to be dismantled two centuries later due to cracks, then rebuilt in 2020 in pink granite, rising 30 meters high. A subtle detail: beneath its top stone rests a small gold ring, a personal tribute left by one of the project’s supervisors.