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| Riddarholmen Church | |
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Riddarholmskyrkan | |
 Riddarholmen Church is one of the oldest buildings in Stockholm | |
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| Location | Riddarholmen,Stockholm |
| Country | Sweden |
| Denomination | Church of Sweden |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Riddarholmen (up to 1807) |
Riddarholmen Church (Swedish:Riddarholmskyrkan) is thechurch of the former medievalGreyfriars Monastery in Stockholm, Sweden. The church serves as the final resting place of mostSwedish monarchs.[1]
Riddarholmen Church is located on the island ofRiddarholmen, close to theRoyal Palace in Stockholm,Sweden. The congregation was dissolved in 1807 and today the church is used only for burial and commemorative purposes. Swedish monarchs fromGustavus Adolphus (d. 1632AD) toGustaf V (d. 1950) are entombed here (with only one exception: QueenChristina who is buried withinSt. Peter's Basilica in Rome), as well as the earlier monarchsMagnus III (d. 1290) andCharles VIII (d. 1470). It has been discontinued as a royal burial site in favour of theRoyal Cemetery and today is run by departments of the Swedish Government and Royal Court.[2][3]
The Church's age can be seen in its architecture, which is eclectic from various eras. Most of the church is a Northern EuropeanGothic style, but parts of the church are alsobaroque.
It is one of the oldest buildings in Stockholm, parts of it dating to the late-13th century, when it was built as agreyfriarsmonastery. After theProtestant Reformation, the monastery was closed and the building became aLutheran church. A spire designed by Flemish architectWillem Boy (1520–1592) was added during the reign ofJohn III, but it was destroyed by alightning strike on 28 July 1835, after which it was replaced with the present cast-iron spire.[4]
Traditionally, the armorial plates depiciting thearms of deceased knights of theRoyal Order of the Seraphim are affixed to the walls of the church. When a knight of the Order dies, his coat of arms is carried from the royal palace and rehung in the church, and when the funeral takes place the church's bells are rung without pause from 12:00 to 13:00.[5]
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59°19′29″N18°03′53″E / 59.32472°N 18.06472°E /59.32472; 18.06472
