Stockholm

West of the palace are the offices of the majority of the min istries, some of them in the former buildings of the Royal Mint.

Beyond these, on the west side of the island, is a square named from the palace on its northern side, the Riddarhustorg. The Riddarhus (house of the nobility) was the meeting-place of the Council of the Nobles until 1866, and its hall is adorned with the armorial bearings of noble fami lies. The north fore-court has a statue (1890) of Axel Oxenstjer na, the chancellor, by J. Borjeson.

In Riddarhustorg is a statue of Gustavus Vasa, unveiled in 1773 on the 250th anniversary of his accession. South-west of the Royal Palace is the Storkyrka (great church), dedicated to St.

Nicholas, the oldest church of Stockholm, greatly altered from its original state. The date of its foundation is 1264; but it was practically rebuilt in 1726-1743. Within it is richly adorned with paintings and wood-carving. Staden is the commercial centre of the city. At the broad shipping quay (Skeppsbro) which flanks the palace on the north and east, most of the sea going steamers lie; and the exchange, custom-house, numerous banks and merchants' offices are in the immediate vicinity: Rid darholmen (nobles' island), lying immediately west of Stadholmen, contains the old Franciscan church (Riddarholmskyrka), no longer used for regular service, which since the time of Gustavus Adolphus has been the burial-place of the royal family. It has re cently been restored, and contains mediaeval paintings, and many trophies of the European wars of Sweden. On one side of it stands the old house of parliament ; on the other a statue of Birger Jarl, the reputed founder of the city. On Riddarholm also are various government offices, and most of the steamers for Malar and the inland navigation lie alongside its quays.

Norrmalm.

Staden is connected with Norrmalm by the Norr bro (north bridge) and Vasabro, the first crossing Helgeandshol men (the island of the Holy Spirit), on which are situated the new Houses of Parliament and the Bank of Sweden. A third bridge connects with the main thoroughfare of Norrmalm, Drott ningsgatan (Queen Street). The Norrbro gives upon Gustaf Adolfs-Torg, where a statue of that king stands between the royal theatre, royal opera house and the palace of the crown prince.

Norrmalm is the finest quarter of the city, with broad straight streets, several open spaces with gardens, and handsome buildings. East and north of the theatre royal, the Karl-den-Tolftes-Torg and Kungstradgard (royal garden) form the most favoured winter promenade. There are a statue of Charles XII. and a fountain with allegorical figures, by J. P. Molin, also a statue of Charles XIII., and in the small Berzelii Park close at hand one of the chemist J. J. Berzelius. Near Drottningsgatan is the Klara church, the burial-place of the poet K. M. Bellman, and west of this, oc cupying one side of a square, is the central railway station. In the building of the academy of science is the national museum of natural history, including mineralogical, zoological, and ethno graphical departments.

Other Districts.--On

the island of Kungsholm, S. of Vasastad, are the Caroline medical institute, several hospitals, including the Serafimer (1752), the royal mint and factories. Ostermalm, lying east, that is, on the seaward side, of Norrmalm, is a good resi dential quarter, containing no public buildings of note, save the barracks of the Swedish Guards and the fine royal library, which is entitled to receive a copy of every work printed in Sweden. The library stands in the beautiful park of Humlegard (hop garden), in which is also a statue of Linnaeus. South of Oster malm, and east of the Kungstradgard and Staden, lies the penin sula of Blasieholm (formerly an island) and, connected by bridges, the islands of Skeppsholm and Kastellholm, the three forming the foreground in the beautiful seaward view from the Norrbro. On the first is the national museum (1866), a Renais sance building, containing historical, numismatic and art-industrial collections, with ancient and modern sculptures, picture-gallery and engravings. The numismatic collection is notable for its series of Anglo-Saxon coins. About 1 i,000 pieces came from the island of Gotland, some dating from 901-924, but the majority are later. In front of the museum is a bronze cast of the famous group of J. P. Molin (1859), the Baltespannare (belt-bucklers), repre senting an early form of duel in Scandinavia, in which the com batants were bound together by their belts.