Riddarholmen Church, Stockholm, Sweden

The Riddarholmen Church (Riddarholmskyrkan) is the burial church of the Swedish monarchs. The congregation was dissolved in 1807 and today the church is used only for burial and commemorative purposes. Swedish monarchs from Gustavus Adolphus (d. 1632 AD) to Gustaf V (d. 1950) are entombed here (with exceptions such as Queen Christina who is buried within St. Peter's Basilica in Rome), as well as the earlier monarchs Magnus III (d. 1290) and Charles VIII (d. 1470).

Riddarholmen church is one of the oldest buildings in Stockholm, parts of it dating to the late 13th century, when it was built as a greyfriars monastery. After the Protestant Reformation, the monastery was closed and the building transformed into a Protestant church. A spire designed by Willem Boy was added during the reign of John III, but it was destroyed by a strike of lightning on July 28, 1835 after which it was replaced with the present cast iron spire.

Coats of arms of knights of the Order of the Seraphim are in the walls of the church. When a knight of the Order dies, his coat of arms is hung in the church and when the funeral takes place the church bells are rung constantly from 12:00 to 13:00.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Eileen Weed (2 years ago)
I actually took a wrong turn on Rick Steves "Gamla Stan (Old Town) Walking tour" in August 2019 (in his invaluable guidebook, "Scandinavian & Northern European Cruise Ports Guidebook" - highly recommended) and ended up at this church instead. It is extraordinarily beautiful outside, though simple inside (free entry), and highly meaningful because it is the final resting place of most of Sweden's rulers for the last few hundred years. I would definitely recommend stepping in for a few minutes if you are nearby. The area is also picturesque with the Stenbock Palace (now Court of Appeal) and other old buildings, plus a pier nearby.

Melissa Prostrollo (2 years ago)
We didn't hit the right time to visit the inside, but the architectural details on the outside alone were worth stopping by. There are historical models outside to help explain the history, which we liked a lot. It was chilly out the day we went and the were doing some construction (looked like public works stuff) right by the one end of the church, so we didn't spend as much time in the area of the church as we might have, but it was definitely worth the walk over there.

Lukasz Graniczek (Lukegeetravels) (3 years ago)
Breathtaking church! The pictures do not do it justice but this church is MASSIVE! Very beautiful cobblestone all around it with a beautiful plaza around. It was closed at the time I arrived but the pipe organ is a must see if you are able to come here! Also this church is old, dating back to the 13th century!

Joy Buettner (3 years ago)
The architecture of this old church is spectacular and a must to see is the old pipe organ. More spectacular is hearing it being played. Breathtaking

Svenja O (3 years ago)
A very beautiful church with many helpful explanations. Also available are texts in various different languages explaining the church. All the coats of arms are displayed very beautifully. You can really feel the historic vibes around here.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Luiyo

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Lorca Castle

Castle of Lorca (Castillo de Lorca) is a fortress of medieval origin constructed between the 9th and 15th centuries. It consists of a series of defensive structures that, during the Middle Ages, made the town and the fortress an impregnable point in the southeast part of the Iberian Peninsula. Lorca Castle was a key strategic point of contention between Christians and Muslims during the Reconquista.

Archaeological excavations have revealed that the site of the castle has been inhabited since Neolithic times.

Muslim Era

It has not been determined exactly when a castle or fortress was first built on the hill. The first written documentation referring to a castle at Lorca is of Muslim origin, which in the 9th century, indicates that the city of Lurqa was an important town in the area ruled by Theudimer (Tudmir). During Muslim rule, Lorca Castle was an impregnable fortress and its interior was divided into two sections by the Espaldón Wall. In the western part, there was an area used to protect livestock and grain in times of danger. The eastern part had a neighbourhood called the barrio de Alcalá.

After Reconquista

Lorca was conquered by the Castilian Infante Don Alfonso, the future Alfonso X, in 1244, and the fortress became a key defensive point against the Kingdom of Granada. For 250 years, Lorca Castle was a watchpoint on the border between the Christian kingdom of Murcia and the Muslim state of Granada.

Alfonso X ordered the construction of the towers known as the Alfonsina and Espolón Towers, and strengthened and fixed the walls. Hardly a trace of the Muslim fortress remained due to this reconstruction. Muslim traces remain in the foundation stones and the wall known as the muro del Espaldón.

The Jewish Quarter was found within the alcazaba, the Moorish fortification, separated from the rest of the city by its walls. The physical separation had the purpose of protecting the Jewish people in the town from harm, but also had the result of keeping Christians and Jews separate, with the Christians inhabiting the lower part of town.

The remains of the Jewish Quarter extended over an area of 5,700 square m, and 12 homes and a synagogue have been found; the synagogue dates from the 14th century and is the only one found in the Murcia. The streets of the town had an irregular layout, adapted to the landscape, and is divided into four terraces. The synagogue was in the central location, and around it were the homes. The homes were of rectangular shape, with various compartmentalized rooms. The living quarters were elevated and a common feature was benches attached to the walls, kitchens, stand for earthenware jars, or cupboards.

Modern history

With the disappearance of the frontier after the conquest of Granada in 1492, Lorca Castle no longer became as important as before. With the expulsion of the Jews by order of Ferdinand and Isabella, Lorca Castle was also depopulated as a result. The castle was abandoned completely, and was almost a complete ruin by the 18th century. In the 19th century, the castle was refurbished due to the War of Spanish Independence. The walls and structures were repaired or modified and its medieval look changed. A battery of cannons was installed, for example, during this time. In 1931 Lorca Castle was declared a National Historic Monument.

Currently, a parador (luxury hotel) has been built within the castle. As a result, archaeological discoveries have been found, including the Jewish Quarter.

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