Stockholm Troll Hunt: Self-Guided Old Town Adventure

The Royal Swedish Opera is Sweden’s national theatre for opera and ballet. It has served in that role since January 18, 1773, when the first performance was given at the Royal Opera. A couple of years prior to that, in 1771, King Gustav III had fired the French opera troupe that had been performing at Bollhuset by Slottsbacken in Stockholm for 20 years or so. This was due to his wish to form a Swedish ensemble that could put on Swedish operas. The Swedish troupe continued performing in Bollhuset until a new Opera House was completed in 1782 and the ensemble was able to move in. Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.

The first parliament is often viewed as a meeting that took place in the town of Arboga in 1435. Since that time, Sweden's government has gone through a number of changes. After some initial meetings, parliament came to be represented through the Four Estates, which consisted of representatives from nobility, clergy, burghers, and peasants. Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.

When the palace was first built, in the 18th century, it created a stir in Europe, and today it is considered to be one of the emblematic buildings of the Baroque era. Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.

The Royal Armoury's oldest artefacts are the sets of royal state and ceremonial weapons that were stored in the old Three Crowns Palace during the 16th century. It was in this royal armoury that Gustavus Adolphus in the 1620's wanted his blood-spattered clothes to be saved as a perpetual memoria. Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.

Storkyrkan (Great Church, Stockholm Cathedral), officially Church of St. Nicholas, is the oldest church in Gamla Stan, the old town in central Stockholm. It was first mentioned in 1279 and according to tradition was originally built by Birger Jarl, the founder of the city itself. Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.

The sculpture was created in 1954 by the Swedish artist Liss Eriksson, but was inaugurated at this point only in 1967. The sculpture is located behind the Finnish Church, which is only few meters off the Stockholm Palace, however hard to find due to secluded location of the place. Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.

The statue was commissioned by Sten Sture the Elder following his victory over the Danish army in the Battle of Brunkeberg in 1471. During the battle, Sten Sture put his army under the protection of Saint George. Although not signed by him, the sculpture is widely attributed to the workshop of Bernt Notke. Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.

Den Gyldene Freden—translated as 'The Golden Peace'—was first opened way back in 1722. It has been delighting the palates of Stockholmers for almost 300 years, including members of the Royal Academy. It has not moved from its original location since then, which gives it an air of real importance and wonder. Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.

The second oldest square in Stockholm, slightly younger than Stortorget, Järntorget dates back to around 1300 and remained the city's most important trade centre for centuries — constantly busy and crowded, scents and noise intermixing while goods were transported from shore to shore across the square and up and down the attics of the surrounding buildings. Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.

By the street are the public library and the major school (Storkyrkoskolan, "School of the Great Church") of the told town. While named a square, it undoubtedly remains a matter of taste and definition whether this elongated open space should be regarded as a street. Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.

Located between the streets Tyska Brinken, Kindstugatan, Svartmangatan, and Prästgatan, it is named for standing in the centre of a neighbourhood that in the Middle Ages was dominated by Germans. Officially named Sankta Gertrud, the church is dedicated to Saint Gertrude (626-659), abbess of the Benedictine monastery of Nivelles, in present-day Belgium, and patron saint of travellers. Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.

The first important building was the palace of the purse built between 1773 and 1776 by Erik Palmsted in the French rococo style. It is now the seat of the Swedish Academy and the Nobel Museum. The fountain of the square was built by the same architect. Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.