Those who often pass by the Royal Palace of Stockholm have by now become familiar with scaffolding, protective sheeting, and temporary structures. The question many people keep asking is always the same: what have they been restoring for such a long time?
The answer is surprising: the largest conservation and restoration project ever carried out in Sweden in the modern era is currently underway, a project that began in 2011 and, according to current estimates, will be completed around 2050.
The Royal Palace as we know it today was built between the late seventeenth century and the early eighteenth century, when Sweden was a major European power. Architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger envisioned an imposing palace inspired by Roman Baroque models. Its façades, decorated with statues, reliefs, medallions, and hundreds of details carved in Gotland sandstone, made the building one of the masterpieces of European Baroque architecture. However, as early as the eighteenth century, it became clear that this visually striking stone had a major drawback: it was extremely porous and highly susceptible to weathering. Its gradual erosion accompanied the entire history of the palace, culminating in a 2005 incident when one of the balustrades detached and fell from the roof. This was a serious wake-up call, leading to a thorough inspection and the decision to launch a radical restoration project, one never before attempted on this scale.
The original choice to use Gotland sandstone was no coincidence. This sandstone, quarried on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea, was highly valued for its workability and its warm color, capable of reflecting Nordic light with a distinctive softness. It is a sedimentary rock composed of quartz grains bound together by a natural cement. Yet it is precisely this composition, which made it ideal for Baroque sculpture and for the richly modeled surfaces of the palace that also constitutes its vulnerability: the stone readily absorbs water and moisture, and over the centuries frost, rain, and pollution have accelerated its deterioration. The history of the Royal Palace is therefore also the history of a beautiful but delicate material, one that has required constant care since its very beginnings.
Roof balustrade before the restoration in 2015.
Roof balustrade after the restoration in 2018.
Since 2011, the Royal Palace has been the site of a slow and complex undertaking, divided into twenty-two phases carried out one after another. Every section of the façade, covering a total area of thirty thousand square meters, requires meticulous attention. The most severely damaged stones are replaced, others are newly hand-carved and reinstalled. The most valuable sculptures are restored and consolidated through carefully targeted conservation treatments. The main challenge lies in the fact that each element is unique: there are no standardized or mass-producible pieces. Every stone must be measured, shaped, and worked individually.
Initially, it was hoped that Gotland sandstone could continue to be used, in keeping with historical and material consistency. However, current production on the island is not sufficient to meet the required quantity. Compatible quarries have therefore been identified in Germany, Poland, and Switzerland. The blocks follow a surprisingly complex route: they are quarried, worked at a specialized stone-processing center near Copenhagen, transferred to a storage facility in Kumla, Sweden, and finally installed on the façade in Stockholm. It is truly an international journey to put every single piece back in its place!
Behind the scaffolding in 2017. The new window volutes are crafted using traditional artisanal methods.
Detail of the Caryatid overlooking the outer courtyard, after the restoration in 2021.
In recent years, the restoration work has brought new life to many of the palace’s most visible sections. On the western façade, the large five-meter-tall caryatids and the medallions bearing portraits of the monarchs are once again clearly visible.
The restoration has also involved an important study of the original colors, leading to the choice of the current warm pink tone, which is closer to the shade the palace had in the eighteenth century.
One might wonder why this project takes so long. There are many reasons, but one stands out above all: this is a handcrafted endeavor, in which modern technology assists but does not replace the human hand. Every detail must be reconstructed with precision, respecting the techniques, proportions, and spirit of the original building. Moreover, the Royal Palace is not only a monument but also a venue for official functions, a workplace, and a destination visited every year by hundreds of thousands of people. The restoration must therefore coexist with the palace’s daily life, adapting to its rhythms.
There is something deeply fascinating about this almost never-ending project. It tells the story of a particular way of caring for heritage: an unhurried approach that takes the time needed to do things well, that places cultural value above speed of results. When walking along Slottsbacken, the street in Gamla Stan that leads toward the palace, and lifting one’s gaze to the façade, it is easy to see only scaffolding and construction work. Yet it takes just a moment of pause to grasp what is really happening: a monumental restoration that connects the present to three centuries of history carved into the palace’s stone.
The images used in this article are published with the kind permission of photographer Peder Lindbom and the firm AIX Arkitekter AB.
