Drottningholm Palace Theatre Opera House

Address: Drottningholm Palace Theatre, Drottningholm, 178 02 Drottningholm, Sweden

Website: https://www.kungligaslotten.se/english/royal-palaces-and-sites/drottningholm-palace-theatre.html

The Drottningholm Palace Theatre is an 18th-century court theatre on the Drottningholm Palace grounds near Stockholm, built in 1766-67. It is renowned for its original stage machinery and well-preserved 18th-century auditorium.

Commissioned as a court theatre during the reign of the Swedish monarchy, the building and its machinery have survived with unusually high historic integrity; conservation work has focused on preserving the original mechanisms and decoration. It was incorporated into the Drottningholm World Heritage property because of its outstanding state of preservation.

Located on the Drottningholm Palace island west of central Stockholm, the theatre sits within the palace park and is accessible by road or boat from the city.

• Date and status: Built in 1766-67 by architect Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz, it is one of the best-preserved 18th-century theatres in Europe and is part of the Drottningholm World Heritage site.

What to See#

• Original stage machinery: The historic stage machinery and flywork dating from the original late 18th-century installation, which remains intact and is still operable for period performances.
• Auditorium and royal boxes: The auditorium and royal boxes retain painted wooden interiors and seating layouts from the 1766-67 design, forming part of the theatre’s preserved ensemble.

From central Stockholm take bus 176 from Brommaplan to Drottningholm (alight at ‘Drottningholm slott’); Brommaplan is reachable from the city centre by metro/tram. In summer there are also sightseeing/pleasure boats from Stockholm city centre (Strömma and other operators) that land at the palace pier - the Drottningholm Theatre is then a short walk (a few hundred metres) from the bus stop or boat landing. By car it is about 10-12 km west of central Stockholm, with local roads and parking serving the palace grounds.

• Book a guided tour or, better, tickets for one of the theatre's staged performances in season-seeing the theatre in use reveals the 18th‑century stage machinery and original acoustic qualities that tours alone don't convey.
• In summer take the public boat from central Stockholm for a pleasant waterside approach; arriving by boat avoids some of the coach traffic and provides a scenic introduction to the Drottningholm grounds.
• Check the theatre's schedule and arrive at least 15 minutes before a tour or performance to hear any demonstrations of the historic machinery and to explore the adjacent palace park while it is quiet.