During the 1780s King Gustav III, aided by the architect
Fredrik Magnus Piper, began transforming the park into a fashionable romantic
landscape, known in Sweden
as an "English Park".
Meandering paths, sudden vistas, and radically tamed scenery alternating with
the grandeur of unspoiled nature are typical components of this landscaping.
Tucked inside Haga Park,
Gustav III’s Paviljong is a marvelous example of European neo-classicism. The
furnishings and décor reflect Gustav III's interest in all things Roman,
developed during his Italian tour in 1782. Not only are the permanent fittings
and decorations of the different rooms very well preserved, but also a great
deal of the pavilion's original furniture is still in existence. The "Queen's Pavilion", today
better known as Haga Palace, where guests of the Swedish Government are
accommodated, was built in the early years of the 19th century.
Kungliga Slottet
Kungliga Slottet is the largest royal castle in the world still used for its
original purpose. It was constructed on the site of the 'old' royal castle, Tre
Kronor, which burned down in 1697. The walls of the north wing of the castle
survived and were incorporated in the new palace, but the medieval designs are
now concealed by a baroque exterior. The new palace, which has 608 rooms, was
designed by the court architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger, and wasn't
completed until 57 years after the fire. The sections available for visting are
the Royal Apartments, the treasury, the Tre Kroner musuem and the Gustav
III Antiquities Museum,
which contains the King’s collection of Greek and Roman statues. The Changing
of the Guard usually takes place in the outer courtyard at 12:10pm daily from June to August (but at 1:10pm on Sunday and public holidays). The
rest of the year it's on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday only. It can last over
20 minutes and is quite an interesting spectacle.