Stockholm

Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, was founded in the 13th century upon three islands at the junction of the Malar Lake and the Baltic. Many of the houses are built on piles, and the numerous canals have won for the place the designation of "the Northern Venice." Staden the old city, occupies an islet in the main channel, and affords space for the fine royal palace, filled with treasures of art. Here is the centre of commerce. To the W. lies Riddarholmen with the Houses of Parliament, to the E. Blasieholmen, Skeppsholmen, and Castellholmen, chiefly occupied by quays and offices connected with the admiralty and mercantile navy. The fashionable quarter of the city extends over a large tract to the N. of the Staden, and is cal1ed Normalmen, the suburb of Ladugardslandet, with its park (Humlegarden), barracks, military school, and royal library, being E. of this. Sodermalmen, where the working classes chiefly reside, stands S. of Staden, being separated from it by a canal. Stockholm was only adopted as the capital in the 17th century. It is the seat of seven academies, but has no university, and is ecclesiastically subordinate to Upsala.