Introducing Stockholm
It’s certainly not all meatballs, ABBA and IKEA!
Trying to find words to describe all that Stockholm has to offer is no easy task.
Founded in the 13th century, Stockholm is built across 14 islands and is often called the Venice of the North. With more foreign visitors than any other city in Scandinavia, Stockholm is a vibrant, modern city, famous for sleek designs, edgy fashion, innovative theatre and world-class nightclubs.
The City centre is a multicultural buzzing metropolis where the shops and restaurants can hold their own against just about any capital city in the World. For a dose of the City’s history, head into Gamla Stan (Old Town) a compact maze of cobblestone streets weaving through a network of stunning heritage buildings.
As water covers one third of the city area, life in, on and around the water is a vital part of any Stockholmer’s life. The water is so clean that you can drink it and even catch salmon in the middle of the City should you feel inclined! The climate varies from a ‘fresh’ minus 30C in the winter through to beautifully warm summer days when the city population decants into the spectacular 24,000 islands of the Swedish archipelago.
Stockholmers themselves are lovely people (!), always willing to point you in the right direction and almost all speak better English than the English! We are sure you will find the City as diverse and fascinating as we do. In the words of one visitor ‘it’s certainly not all meatballs, ABBA and IKEA!’.
Cultural Heritage
Richness and Diversity
As for Sweden’s cultural heritage, this is best summarised by Sweden’s official website www.sweden.se
‘Sweden’s cultural heritage can be described as largely based on a skillful reshaping of impulses borrowed from other, larger cultures. But deep down there is a uniquely Swedish poetic tone, characterized by simplicity, but also wit and sensitivity to new impressions, as well as an ever-present love—and respect—for our Nordic natural scenery, which is evident in great Swedish artists like August Strindberg, Ingmar Bergman and Astrid Lindgren.
International observers are often amazed at the richness and diversity of the Swedish cultural heritage. Many foreign visitors can hardly believe that Swedish culture is too young to have experienced such epochs as classical antiquity and the Renaissance. Swedish culture is characterized by a constant longing for greatness and a refusal to be content with the role of a small backwater far from the main highway. This applies to literature, design, art, cinema, dance, opera and theater, classic and modern music, architecture, art handicrafts and many other cultural expressions.
During the past decade, Swedish creative culture has undergone a rebirth and opened its doors wide to other countries. The phenomenon of contemporary Swedish creativity has attracted attention internationally, in traditional cultural genres such as literature and art, and especially in more recently recognized art forms such as design, fashion, pop music and gastronomy’.
Useful Info
Discover
Should you wish to receive further information about Stockholm please explore the links below or alternatively get in touch with the Stoff team: info@stockholmfringe.com
With support from Stockholms Stads Kulturförvaltning
Stoff 2012 principal partner is Kulturhuset Stockholm
Partners: Studiefrämjandet, Supermarket Art Fair and more partners to be announced soon
© Stockholm Fringe Fest (Stoff)