Churches in Stockholm

Stockholm's churches are spread across several islands and districts rather than clustered on one church hill. Three stand in the old town, Gamla Stan, one on the quiet neighbouring island of Riddarholmen, and one each defines Södermalm and Norrmalm. Six are worth the visit – from the coronation cathedral to the smallest Finnish parish church. You'll find all six, with location and details, in the overview above.

Stockholm's most important churches

The must-see is Storkyrkan, Stockholm's oldest church and cathedral, standing right next to the Royal Palace in Gamla Stan. Swedish kings were once crowned here, and inside, the late-Gothic wooden sculpture Saint George and the Dragon and the Vädersolstavlan, the oldest coloured depiction of the city, draw the eye. A few steps away on the neighbouring island of Riddarholmen stands the brick-Gothic Riddarholmen Church with its delicate cast-iron spire – for centuries the burial place of nearly every Swedish monarch, and today a burial and museum church with no regular services.

Also in Gamla Stan are the German Church (Tyska kyrkan), St Gertrude's Church, with its 96-metre tower – the tallest structure on the island, though not currently open to climb – and the small Finnish Church opposite the palace, whose courtyard holds Sweden's smallest monument, the Järnpojken (Iron Boy) statue. On Södermalm, the baroque Katarina kyrka and its dome shape the island's skyline; north of the centre in Norrmalm stands the neoclassical Adolf Fredriks kyrka, where politician Olof Palme is buried.

Admission, opening hours and visiting

Four of the six churches featured here are free to enter – Katarina, Adolf Fredriks, the German Church and the Finnish Church. Admission is charged, though, at the two best-known – Storkyrkan (the cathedral, adults 120 SEK, audio guide included) and Riddarholmen Church (royal tombs, adults 65 SEK; combined ticket with the Royal Palace 270 SEK). At Storkyrkan this is the standard price throughout opening hours, not an occasional fee.

Opening hours are worth checking closely, since not every church is open at all times. Only Storkyrkan and Katarina kyrka reliably open daily. Riddarholmen Church opens only during the summer months (officially June to September) and stays closed the rest of the year, though the island itself is open year-round. The German Church keeps limited visiting hours that change with the season – best to check the parish website in advance. The Finnish Church has no fixed tourist visiting hours at all and is mainly accessible inside for services and summer concerts, though its courtyard with the Järnpojken statue is open at any time. Adolf Fredriks kyrka opens daily, but with gaps for prayers and services that vary from day to day.