Stockholm: The Venice of the North

Stockholm is an interesting blend of the old and the modern. While the greater Stockholm presents modern architectural designs, the old style has been preserved in the city’s centre, writes Kamaljit Singh

A VISIT to Stockholm is a pleasant and stimulating experience for any traveller. In what is considered to be one of the most beautiful of Europe’s capitals, it is particularly pleasant to stay during the summer period when the days are warm. All the citizens come out on to the streets and enjoy the warmth of the sun, which has been a dream all through long winter.

After landing at Arlanda airport, surrounded by beautiful forests and tucked away some 45 km north Stockholm, the hosts told me that it was the first full sunny day in Stockholm after an unusually rainy summer.

Driving on the right side of the road down Stockholm suburb Sastaholms Jonas and his wife Sarah, a pretty university student, exuding confidence, informed that in northern Sweden the summer days are very long. In mid-summer even at 11 ‘o’ clock at night the sky is a clear blue. The sun just goes below the horizon but rises again soon and stays visible for almost 24 hours. Along side the road the golden fields whizzing past were ready with wheat crop to be harvested before the onset of winter.

Stockholm stretching between small bays and canals, has grown up on about 15 islands in the spot where lake Malaren meets the Baltic Sea. The city landscape is very varied and water is the true element of Stockholm, as a third of its territory is formed by water. Another third is occupied by the green of parks and woods. Each of the islands is linked to the other by bridges and tunnels but in fact none is very far from the others so that it is easy to make excursions to discover the history and traditions of an inimitable city, which is rightly called the ‘Venice of North’ and is being promoted as beauty on water. Its beauty is as deep as the blue waters surrounding it, which are so clean that you can swim and fish for salmon in the very centre of the city. Not only are the waters of the city absolutely clean, there is virtually no air pollution despite the fact that around 0.7 million vehicles play on the city’s roads daily.

The underground train and local buses are the easiest and economical way to get around in the city and its suburbs. Travel cards valid for both train and bus for different time periods help in a greatly convenient journey for the tourists. A monthly travel card can had for just 400 kr. entitling unlimited travel in the whole of Stockholm. In alternative one may purchase the Stockholm card for 200 kr to 500 kr. valid upto 72 hours, giving free travel throughout Sweden on all types of public transport means, and also free parking in the city areas.

Interestingly, the 108 km making up the under ground network of Stockholm forms the unusual background for one of the most incredible art collections in the world. Inside at least half of the stations of the underground there are paintings, frescoes, sculptures, murals and every other kind of expression of creativity and the eccentricity of hundreds of artists who have contributed year by year to the enriching of this uniquely amazing, the longest art exhibition in the world. Over 100 artists have made contributions.

From the cultural standpoint, Stockholm is one of those cities in which cultural and sporting events abound. The city has more than 70 museums, 100 galleries and 50 theatres and is home to more than 1500 artists and craft people. With Stockholm being declared European cultural capital in 1998, it is offering a wide range of events: theatre, music, dance, exhibitions, festivals and performances that have never been seen before. The city organises some of the best races in the world. The Stockholm run held in September covers a distance of 21098 metres and the Lidingo run held in October, the world’s largest cross-country run, 30 km for men and 15 km for women, attracts a world record of over 25,000 runners each year. In July, 1999, the World Police and Fire Games are going to be held in Stockholm, for the first time in Europe since their inception in 1985.

Stockholm is an interesting blend of old and the modern. The greater Stockholm presents modern architectural designs. While the old style has been preserved in the city’s centre, it is therefore no surprise to discover almost all the buildings, some three to four hundred years old, particularly in the old city, Gamla Stan. Gamla Stan, along with the district of Norrmalm, is considered the real heart of city, with its fine squares, ancient churches, streets full of shops where everything can be found. The fantastic fountain in crystal built in 1974 can be seen on the central Sergels Torg square. From here the most modern area of the city begins. Nearby overlooking Hotorget square, the concert hall built in 1926 stands, in which each year the Swedish King presents the Nobel Prizes on the 10th of December.

Starting at Sweden House, heading towards the waterfront one comes across Kungstragarden park which in medieval times was a royal kitchen garden. Today it has become a popular meeting place for Stockholmers, particularly in summer. The Royal Opera House is located nearby at Gustav Adolfs Torg facing the Sophia Albertina Palace which is home to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Royal Palace with 608 tastefully decorated rooms is just across the Narrbro bridge. The palace still used by the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf only for official purposes, is open to public. The old tradition of changing of guards taking place daily afternoon in the outer courtyard attracts large crowds of tourists.

Gamla Stan, the island where Royal Palace is situated in the centre of the city, occupies a place of great importance in the Swedish history. It is where it all begun in the thirteenth century. The old town’s narrow streets give the feeling of bygone days. A number of pleasant restaurants, pubs, cafes and a wide variety of exciting shops provide service to the people. One can get here everything from souvenirs to quality goods and exceptional handicrafts. From here one can take boats to the fantastic archipelago as well as ferries to other ports in the Baltic. This area fostered daring navigators who sailed forth over the Baltic between 800 and 1100 AD, to gain control of Russian waterways. Known as the vikings, they extended their commercial and political influence as far as the Black Sea, and founded the first Russian kingdom.

Near the palace, a yellow building erected in 1653 serves as a church of the Finnish parish in Stockholm. And at its back park, one finds the smallest statue in Stockholm, only 14 cm. high who in summer wears a sun hat, in winter a warm cap and scarf. Often stolen, these items are always lovingly replaced!

A narrow lane from the park leads to stock exchange built in 1776, which incidentally houses the Nobel Library. Adjoining the large open square, Stortorget was the old market centre and the scene of the infamous bloodbath of 1520. Until 1770 it was also a place of public pillory. A little walk across the square into a street, rangsund, leads to the oldest cathedral founded in the 13th century. Inside is the oldest wooden statue of northern Europe, made in 1489, that of St. George and the Dragon, carried in polychrome oak, gilt metal and elkhorn. It is fascinating to enter the small restaurants in the 13th century vaults opposite the cathedral. Nearby, down the slope one finds the House of Nobility and the Supreme Court of Justice.

Steeped in tradition, the old town is a mixture of old and new shops. Some of the shops in Vasterlangatan, the main shopping street in old town (Gamla Stan) still have their glass ceilings and old interiors in tact. The narrowest lane called Morten Trotzigs grand is only 3 feet wide. Osterlanggatan, a long winding street renowned for its fine restaurants and high quality handicraft shops, was in fact a sea shore around the 12th century and every lane leading off to the right was once a pier. A little ahead one finds another statue of St. George and the Dragon, a replica caste in 1912. An old viking painting can also be seen in the corner of a nearby building.

The Swedes have a strange custom of leaving shoes, and the overcoats also at the doors before entering a dwelling. "In the past, the Swedish farmers used to take off spoiled shoes and overcoat at the entrance of the house when they returned from fields. The basic idea was to maintain the cleanliness of house. The tradition is observed even today," explained Olle Naslund, Director, Quality Performance, Scandinavian Airlines System, and father of my Swedish friend, Annie. In restaurants and at public gatherings you are supposed to hand over your overcoats to the attendant in the cabin at the entrance. At some places a nominal fee of 5 kr is charged for this service. Interestingly, a traveller has to keep ready a good supply of coins of five kronas to pay for use of toilets at public places and also in some restaurants.

A dinner at Annie’s house gave singular opportunity to taste genuine Swedish home cooking. One feature of Swedish food is that spices are used sparingly, so that taste is largely determined by the natural qualities of the raw materials. The Swedes maintain a tradition of festive dinners at which a plentiful quantities of crayfish, salmon meat balls, salads are served. The Swedes usually start with various types of herring and salmon. After that, cold cutlets then comes hot food. They finish off with cheese, dessert and coffee. They also have a tradition of eating split-pea soup on Thursday. Lunch is usually served between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner at 6 to 8 p.m.In recent years, a new trend in Swedish cuisine seems to have begun. The brightest youngsters are now competing for entry to cooking schools, as the role of chef has become a high status profession. The preferred goal for the majority is to open own restaurant.

There are only a few restaurants serving exclusively South Asian food. This is perhaps due to poor numerical strength of South Asian emigrants. The number of Pakistanis living in Sweden is around 40,000 whereas Indians are 12,000 with just 4000 of them living in Stockholm itself, an Indian embassy official told me. Not more than 150 Sikh families live in Stockholm. Moreover, there is one place, the Asian Super Market at Radmansgatan, run by Abdul Ghani, where one can get provisions of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan origin. Even canned mustard and Punjabi saag is available. All these goods reach Sweden by ships in three weeks from South Asian sea posts.

Purchasing items of Swedish design is a good way to take the soul of Sweden with you. Perhaps the most famous expression of Swedish design is in glass and crystals, mainly from world renowned designers associated with famous glass works such as Orrefers, Kosta Boda and Skruf.

Stockholm, like other big cities, also has an ultra modern amusement park. Situated on the island Djurgarden, the Grona Lund, established 116 years ago, is one of Europe’s oldest amusement parks. It is particularly crammed with carousels, roller-coasters and everything else constructed only to make one laugh. The gravity fall from Europe’s tallest, 80-metre high tower called Free Fall can be enjoyed here but only by the strong-hearted ones at a cost of 40 kr.

The things which impress most about the Swedish society are the efficiency and meticulous punctuality of the public transport system, general cleanliness, absence of marine and air pollution and safety concerns of the drivers for the pedestrians. At busy thoroughfares, green and red lights with switches are provided for walking across the roads. One is simply amazed at not sighting even a single police person manning traffic anywhere in Stockholm despite having a population of over 1.6 million. The civic sense of the Swedes is remarkable. At public places people do not make any eye contact with others and remain absorbed in themselves by reading newspapers like "Metro", the largest circulated daily or listening music with earphones inserted in. Such a decent public behaviour comes as a jolt as one has become so accustomed to seeing an altogether different scenario at home.