Gammla Stan

Gammla Stan means "Old City" in Swedish. It's an area of buildings preserved when Stockholm started bulldozing their older strucures and modernizing.

I read one review on a travel site that said it was a shame that they stayed neutral in WWII and avoided the devastating bombing other European countries sustained, only to destroy their own history later. At least they kept this gem (relatively) untouched!

That being said, it is THE tourist shopping area in Stockholm. If it's got a Swedish flag on it, you'll find a shop full of it in Gammla Stan. :-P

Onward to history!

One noticable difference between the "Old City" and the "New City" was how narrow and winding the streets were. All the streets were cobblestone, and the old fits and finishes are all preserved by tight regulation.

I absolutely loved this restaurant's stools. Look closely - they look like wine corks! :-)

Now THAT'S what I call a moose collection!

Courtyard in the center of the city. This was really the only wide-open space apart from the edges of the island.

The Nobel Museum. I didn't bother asking why I hadn't gotten mine yet, they were closed anyway. ;-)

These neat historic doors were everywhere, all different patterns and edge adornments.

And that concludes my Stockholm trip! I flew back to Helsinki the next morning for another week of work, then back home! :-)