Parliament House of Sweden (Riksdagshuset)

The Parliament House stands on Helgeandsholmen island in Stockholm’s old town. Designed by Aron Johansson, it mixes Neoclassical lines with a Baroque Revival front. Built between 1897 and 1905, it replaced the older Riksdag building on nearby Riddarholmen. Two semicircular wings once housed the parliament and the national bank. After the bank moved out in 1971, the bank wing was rebuilt to hold the new single-chamber assembly hall. During that work the parliament sat temporarily in Kulturhuset near Sergels Torg. Inside, the Assembly Hall seats 349 members under a high coffered ceiling. Outside, the stone façade rises above the water with wide steps leading to the entrance. The Right Livelihood Award ceremony takes place here each year. Established in 1980, the award now honours 149 laureates from 62 countries. The hall’s semicircular form echoes the original bank building’s shape. Visitors approach across the bridge from Gamla stan. The façade’s columns frame views of the Norrström river and the Royal Palace beyond. Inside, guided tours show the hall and committee rooms. The stonework and bronze details show Johansson’s careful craft. The island itself offers quiet walks along the waterfront. From the steps, the city’s skyline appears framed by the arches.