Stockholm City Hall

A landmark on the water

Stockholm City Hall (Stadshuset) is the seat of Stockholm's municipal government and one of the city's most recognisable buildings. This monumental brick structure from 1923, with its 106-metre tower topped by the Three Crowns of Sweden, stands prominently on the waterfront of the island of Kungsholmen – a favourite photo spot, especially from the Old Town across the water.

Despite the name, City Hall isn't a museum but a working town hall: the city council meets here, and it's also used for civil weddings and official receptions. That's why the lavish interiors can only be seen on a guided tour.

The Nobel Banquet and the Golden Hall

City Hall is world-famous as the setting for the Nobel Banquet on 10 December. After the prize ceremony, the Nobel laureates and their guests dine in the Blue Hall (Blå hallen); dancing then follows a floor up in the Golden Hall (Gyllene salen).

The Golden Hall is the showpiece: its walls are covered in more than 18 million mosaic tiles, made between 1921 and 1923 to designs by Einar Forseth at the Puhl & Wagner workshop in Berlin, using around ten kilograms of gold. At its centre sits the "Mälardrottningen", the Queen of Lake Mälaren, an allegorical figure representing Stockholm.

What the guided tour covers

The tour lasts around 45 minutes and takes in the main rooms: the vast Blue Hall, the shimmering Golden Hall, the wood-panelled Council Chamber with its roof construction reminiscent of a Viking hall, and the Prince's Gallery. Tours run daily in Swedish and English; the interior can only be visited this way.

If you'd like to stay a little longer, the restaurant Stadshuskällaren on the floor below has been serving since 1922 – reportedly the only restaurant in the world that still serves every Nobel Banquet menu since 1901 on the original Nobel porcelain.

The tower

The tower is a separate climb and only open in summer (June to August). The ascent covers around 365 steps and ramps; a lift takes you roughly halfway, with the rest on foot. At the top, you're rewarded with sweeping views over the island city, Gamla Stan and the water.

Only a limited number of tickets are issued per time slot, with slots running between roughly 09:00 and 16:20, and the climb taking around 35 minutes. The tower is not wheelchair accessible. The main building is reachable via a ramp in the courtyard for the guided tour. Note that the tower is expected to close to visitors for renovation in 2027–2028 – if climbing it matters to you, plan your visit accordingly.

Tickets, prices and getting there

The interior is only accessible by guided tour: 150 SEK for adults, 130 SEK for seniors and students, 60 SEK for young people aged 7 to 18, and free for children up to 6. The tower costs an extra 100 SEK (free for children up to 11). Tickets are booked officially through stadshuset.stockholm, with guided tour tickets available up to around a week ahead and day tickets sold at the City Hall Shop (opens 08:30). Current times and prices are listed on stadshuset.stockholm.

Stockholm City Hall sits on the eastern shore of Kungsholmen right on the water, an easy walk from the Old Town: across the bridges you'll reach Gamla Stan and Riddarholmen Church within a few minutes. The nearest Tunnelbana (metro) station is Rådhuset, and it's also an easy walk from T-Centralen. For more on the neighbourhood, see the overview Kungsholmen, and to work out whether Stockholm City Hall belongs on your list, check the guide Attractions in Stockholm.