Old Riksdag Building, Stockholm

Located in the Birger Jarls Torg, the Riksdag Building is known as “The Old House of Parliament.” The reason for this name is because this was the original home of Sweden’s Parliament for most of the 1800s. The Birger Jarls Torg is a square located on the island of Helgeandsholmen in Old Town Stockholm. The historic square is the location of many other historic landmarks which date back to ancient Swedish times. Once the seat of Sweden’s Riksdag, Sweden’s Parliament, the building dates back to 1833, when it was the estate home of Swedish nobility. In the 1860s, the parliament moved into the building and remained there until 1905. The building has a majestic front facade and is styled in the neo-baroque style of architecture. Flanked by Corinthian columns, two neoclassical wings span from east to west. A detailed relief of the Swedish coat of arms is inlaid into the grand bronze doorway at the entrance of the building and a statue of Mother Svea sits atop the balustrade. On the interior of the building, a massive staircase guides visitors to the two assembly halls, which were once used by the bicameral assembly and, each octagonal hall is protected by massive glass domes.