Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan, the oldest part of Stockholm, has a genuine architectural environment. The foundations of today's city plan were laid in the 17th century when the malms were formed. These were certainly very rural well into the 19th century. When the number of people moving into Stockholm increased considerably at the end of the 19th century, an intensive building phase began. Jugend, rationalism and classicism were common styles around the turn of the century (1900). It was during this period that Ragnar Östberg built Stockholm's world-famous City Hall.

The Swedish Grace style, which attracted so much attention between 1900 and 1930, emphasized detail. Architects co-operated with craftspeople and artists in wood, glass, textiles and metal. Beautiful design was to be found in buildings from the beginning of the century. There were stylish entrances with well-formed gates and doors, and elegant handles and banisters. One of the earliest examples of Swedish Grace is Liljevalch's art gallery, designed by Carl Bergsten. Asplund's world-famous Stockholm Public Library marks the transition to modernism. The heyday of the Swedish Modern style, or functionalism, was the 20s and 30s. Districts such as Gärdet and Slussen were built at this time.