STENINGE PALACE AND CULTURAL CENTRE Celebrating the 300 Year Jubilee Steninge Palace, “Sweden’s most beautiful and perfect baroque building”. For those interested in history and architectural design there is no more pleasant way to recapture the past than visually – by visiting the magnificent Steninge Palace – renowned as being the finest, indeed perfect cultural pearl in the Carolingian manor life in Sweden. The palace is beautifully situated by the well-known Lake Mälaren south-east of Sweden’s oldest town, Sigtuna. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Figures of the Swedish past have lived with drama, romance and style in Steninge palace. Steninge Palace’s history stretches back to the 13th century, and although it has had countless owners, the periods that the Gyllenstierna (1649-1735) and von Fersen (1736-1839) families owned the palace have been the most significant in the history of Steninge and of Sweden. In 1667, Carl Gyllenstierna 1649-1723, inherited the Steninge estate from his mother. His close relationship with the queen facilitated his work and he was able to realise his vision of developing the Steninge estate and the beautiful areas around Mälaren. THE ARCHITECT In 1680 the well-known architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger was asked to design the Palace and two wings that were finally completed in 1705. Tessin was strongly inspired by the Baroque architectural style of Italian and French castles. He designed Steninge Palace as an elegant blend of an Italian villa, a French maison de plaisance and a classical Swedish manor. It is said that he later regarded Steninge Palace as his masterpiece. In 1735 the von Fersen family bought Steninge and the palace became the home of Axel von Fersen 1755-1810. He is best known for his great love for the French queen Marie-Antoinette, and also for his own, deeply tragic death in 1810. In 1789 the French Revolution broke out. Gustav III appointed von Fersen as his secret minister for communication with the French royal couple, and once again Axel von Fersen travelled to Paris, where Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI were being held captive. Axel von Fersen was later described as the leader behind the couple’s unsuccessful attempt at escape in 1791. The botched attempt was a tragedy for Axel von Fersen. On 21 January 1793 Louis XVI was executed and von Fersen made desperate attempts at saving Marie-Antoinette and her children. On 16 October 1793, aged only 39 years old, Marie-Antoinette was led to the guillotine. Parallel to these events, his patron Gustav III was killed at the famous masquerade ball at home in Sweden in 1792. AXEL VON FERSEN’S DEATH AND THE DEPTHS OF THE SWEDISH DISGRACE In 1809 Karl XIII became king of Sweden and Prince Karl August was chosen to be the country’s crown prince. Crown Prince Karl August suffered from poor health and during a military exercise he collapsed and died. Axel von Fersen and his sister Sophie Piper stood at the top of the list of “Gustavians” who were accused of having poisoned the crown prince. Von Fersen, Marshal of the realm at the time, attended the funeral on 20 June 1810, and he was attacked and brutally killed by the crowd, on suspicion that he was guilty of Karl August’s murder. After his death, Sophie Piper took her dead brother to Steninge Palace where she hid him for 4 months, while she waited for a court martial to acquit him so that she could give him a decent funeral. STENINGE GLASS WORKS Swedish glass design and glass production is among the most appreciated in the world today. The glassworks of Steninge are produced according to old handicraft traditions, and the Palace has inspired artists from Sweden and the Nordic Countries, among others, to develop the unique glass collection of Steninge. THE UNIQUE CARL GYLLENSTIERNA GLASS COLLECTION His unique, cultural-historical collection, created for the magnificent 3-day celebration marking the completion of Steninge Palace in 1705, is one of the first known examples of a glass dinner service, and has few counterparts in contemporary Sweden. THE CULTURAL CENTRE Open all year round. Mon-Sat 10am to 5pm. Sun 11am to 5pm THE PALACE Guided tours in English must be booked in advance (min.15 p) Jan 1 and Apr 24, Oct 1 and Dec 30 entry only at 2pm Apr 30 - Sep 25 entry only 1 - 3pm June 27 - Aug 5 entry only 11am to 4pm DIRECTIONS www.steningeslott.com Tel: +46 (0) 8 592 595 00 Fax: +46 (0) 8 592 595 10 E-post: steningenslott@steningenslott.com By car: From Stockholm take the E4 to Märsta, turn off to Valsta in the Märsta tournaround, and thereafter follow the signs to Steninge Slott By public transport: You can get to the Palace with your Stockholm travel card. From Stockholm Central Station take the commuter train to Märsta station and then you can take a taxi for abut 100 SEK to Steninge How to celebrate Steninge Palace 300 Year Jubilee STENINGE WORLD EXHIBITION OF ART GLASS 2005 May 7 - September 25 Internationally known glass artists from the world over will be on exhibition, including Brian Hirst (Australia), Josh Simpson (USA), Toots Zynsky (USA), Lino Tagliapietra (Italy), Keiko Mukaide (Japan), Ramon Orlina (Philippines), Palo Macho (Slovakia), Yan Zoritchak (France), Rait Prääts (Estonia), Auli Rautiainen (Finland), Marianne Buus (Denmark), Ulla-Mari Brantenberg (Norway), and from Sweden Peter Åström, Paula Bartron, Hanna Grill, Lars Sestervik, Ulla Forsell, and Per Sundberg. CHILDREN’S WEEKEND June 4 - 6 Celebrate Sweden’s National Day with activities the whole family will enjoy HISTORICAL WEEKEND August 6 - 7 Celebrate Steninge Palace’s glorious legacy with activities focused on the palace’s history as well as its 300-Year Jubilee GLASS WEEKEND September 24 - 25 Learn more about the craft of glassblowing from the glassblowers in our workshop. This is also the closing weekend for Steninge World Exhibition of Art Glass 2005, so don’t miss your chance to view this memorable exhibition CHRISTMAS MARKET 19 November - 23 December The Cultural Centre offers an indoor market with handicrafts, candle making, glassblowing, presents, etc. © 2006, Swedish Bulletin. All rights reserved