Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Philatelic Photographs: Parliament Building (Riksdag) - Stockholm, Sweden


Interesting Places I've Photographed
Parliament Building (Riksdag)
Stockholm, Sweden
Topic: Philatelic Photographs


GPS: N59° 19.670; E018° 04.141

Quick Description:

The Riksdag, Swedish Parliament Building, is located on Helgeandsholmen island in the Gamla Stan (Old City) of Stockholm.

Long Description:

The parliament of Sweden was established in 1865. originally the parliament building was located at the Birger Jarls Torg on Riddarholmen Island in Gamla Stan. When the legislature outgrew the building, plan were made for a construction of new building on the nearby island of Helgeandsholmen.

In 1889 Vafrid Karlson, won a design competition with a plan for a monumental, domed neoclassical building. However, the design was later shelved by Helgo Zettervall, professor of the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts. Zettervall subsequently resigned from the project and the work was taken up by architect, Aron Johansson. Construction began in 1897 and completed in 1905.

The Riksdag has a long north-east facing façade. It contains a neo-Baroque center flanked by two neoclassical wings containing Corinthian columns. The Swedish coat of arms is located above the central doorway and on top is a sculpture of Mother Svea, an allegorical representation of Sweden.

The stamp was issued by Sweden on 27 August 1992 to commemorate the 88th Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference held in Stockholm that year. It shows the north-east facing façade of the building with the Norrbro Bridge in the foreground.

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