By Alaric 
If you’re a reading lover visiting the capital of Sweden then you must visit the Stockholm Public Library.
It’s a bibliophile’s paradise built in a Swedish Grace style by Gunnar Asplund and is home to over 2 million volumes.
The highlight is the spectacular Rotunda or Round Reading Room which is a delight to behold.
Here is how to visit the Stadsbiblioteket in Stockholm and what you can see and do inside!
Please note that the library is currently being renovated. Always check the website for closure details.
History of the Stockholm Public Library
Stockholm’s Stadsbiblioteket was opened to the public in 1928 by Prince Eugen of Sweden and Norway.
The library project was first discussed by a city development committee and a competition was held for the design.
The winner was the profound architect Gunnar Asplund who was a pioneer of Nordic Classicism.
It was a style called ‘Swedish Grace’, a design movement that combines elements of Art Deco, Neoclassicism and Scandinavian minimalism.
The construction took place in 1924 and took four years. The result was a building of a geometric cube encompassing a cylinder.
Asplund studied modern American library systems while working on this project and it became one of the first libraries to allow direct access to books without the help of a librarian.
But, the jewel in the crown of Asplund’s creation was the circular book hall called the Rotunda.
The Rotunda or Round Reading Room
The Rotunda is the library’s central book hall home to 40,000 volumes stacked on curved bookshelves.
It has a ground floor decorated with marble that was inspired by the Pantheon or “Temple of All Gods” in Rome.
There are two upper galleries where visitors can browse a variety of tomes in Nordic languages as well as English, German and French.
The stucco ceiling gives the feeling of a lofty sky and there is a large chandelier in the centre.
This was a gift from the publishing houses of Norstedts and Bonniers when the library first opened.
Although it has had several renovations and modern additions since its creation many of its features are original including the large Art Deco clock with Roman numerals.
Today, it’s one of the most beautiful libraries in Sweden and a very popular resource with locals.
How to visit the Stockholm Public Library
You’ll find the Stadsbiblioteket near Observatorielunden Park in the Vasastaden district.
Stockholm is very easy to explore by public transport to make your way over here.
A popular and fast way to get around the city is to use the Stockholm Metro and the nearest station would be Odenplan (green line).
It’s then just a five-minute walk to the library on Odengaten Road.
There are also lots of bus services that stop directly outside of the library such as the 2, 4 and 6.
If you prefer to approach on foot, you can walk here from Gamla Stan in around 30 minutes.
Entering the Rotunda
At first, when you approach the staircase leading to the Round Reading Room, it can feel quite intimidating as the architecture is austere.
The entrance is a high, narrow and dark staircase that descends visitors into darkness.
It makes you feel like you’re walking through a bleak tunnel towards the shining light of knowledge ahead!
The walls are adorned with black stucco reliefs and have scenes from Homer’s Iliad made by Ivar Johnsson.
You can see Achilles holding Patroclus, Prince Hector with his son Astyanax and his wife Andromache and battle scenes between the Trojans and the Achaeans.
It was written in 700 BC and is the earliest literary work of the Western world so it seems quite a fitting story to witness as you ascend the marble steps to this temple of knowledge.
Once you emerge from the darkness, you’ll be surrounded by books in a light, large and lofty room.
It was designed to give visitors the feeling of an ascension from Earth into a heavenly plain.
Exploring the Round Reading Room
The Rotunda in Stockholm Public Library is one of the prettiest reading rooms I’ve ever visited.
It’s like a portal to another realm where you can escape the busy and noisy streets of the city and enter a sanctuary of the written word!
There are rosewood bookshelves, stunning typography, and mahogany furniture.
The entire place felt magical it was a paradise for reading lovers.
What I loved is that you were free to explore the volumes at your leisure and climb to the upper floors to look down upon the book hall below.
Climbing to the upper floors
Something that I don’t think is shown often in the Round Reading Room is the complex staircases that sit behind the bookshelves.
Of course, on the surface, these curved shelves full of tomes look spectacular and would inspire anyone to read.
But, if you head behind the shelves, you’ll find a labyrinthine set of staircases that allow you to climb to the upper levels.
Anyone is allowed to climb up to the upper floors and browse the books but it did feel like a bit of a puzzle to work out how to get to the very top!
It is worth the effort as once you reach here, you’ll be rewarded with fabulous views over the Rotunda.
Other highlights of the library
Beyond the Rotunda, there are plenty of other reading rooms that you can visit in Stockholm Public Library.
Most people skip these as they aren’t as aesthetic as the other reading rooms but I think they are still worth checking out.
Of course, the Rotunda sits in the middle but there are four rectangular annexes or wings that have several galleries to visit.
These aren’t named but are called Rooms 1, 2 3, etc. They contain reading areas, study desks, computers and a colourful children’s library with a storytelling room.
There are gorgeous Swedish tapestries and Renaissance murals that decorate the walls. These tell stories of kings from medieval ballads.
You should check out the unique water fountains here too. There’s one with a four-armed brass warrior and was made by Nils Sjögren.
If you are after a pick-me-up, you can then head to the Stadsbiblioteket Café for a Fika!
Fika is a Swedish tradition of a coffee and a cinnamon bun or Kanelbulle.
Opening hours
The library is open from Monday to Friday from 10 am to 9 pm except Tuesday where it opens slightly later at noon.
On weekends, the library is open from 11 am to 5 pm. It’s completely closed on Public Holidays.
I would get here for opening time or visit later in the day for a quieter visit as it can get very busy.
There was a bit of an unexpected heatwave during my trip to Stockholm in May so it was cool and quiet.
Everyone wanted to get out and enjoy the rare spring sunshine rather than bury their head in books.
I can’t stand being sweaty in the heat so I was more than happy to hide away with the aesthetically curvy and (more importantly) air-conditioned bookshelves.
Is Stadsbiblioteket free to visit?
Yes, anyone is free to visit the Stockholm Public Library whether you’re a local to the city or a visitor.
No ticket, pass or registration is required to enter the building you can just walk right in and explore this beautiful temple of knowledge.
As much as it is a stunning photography location, remember that this is a place of study and quiet.
Always keep your voice hushed and don’t disturb those who are in the round reading room studying.
Are you looking for more things to do in Stockholm?
There are lots of beautiful places to visit in Stockholm after your visit to the Stadsbiblioteket.
One of my favourite areas of this city was Gamla Stan or the Old Town near the waterfront.
This is where you can find stunning colourful shopping streets and cafés in small winding cobbled lanes.
Plus you can visit one of the best restaurants in the city which is a Viking restaurant called Aifur.
There are many attractions here like Storkyrkan with the famous medieval statue of St George slaying the dragon.
You can take a tour of the Royal Palace which has a changing of the guard ceremony each day.
There are also lots of museums you can visit like the Nobel Prize Museum and The Royal Armoury.
Why not take a walk over to the Stockholm City Hall and take a guided tour to see their glimmering Golden Hall?
Or, a popular place is the Djurgården which is home to a plethora of museums.
You can visit the Viking Museum, ABBA Museum, Vasa Museum, Skansen Open Air Museum and Gröna Lund Amusement Park plus many others!
One of the best places to watch the sunset would be Monteliusvagen.
It’s an elevated public footpath that provides stunning views over Lake Mälaren and Riddarholmen.
Finally, no visit to Stockholm would be complete without a boat trip around the archipelago of islands that make up the capital.
I loved visiting Drottningholm Palace by paddle boat which took around an hour each way.
It’s a royal residence known as Sweden’s Versailles with elaborate gardens and a Baroque palace theatre on the grounds.
Save the Stockholm Public Library Round Reading Room for later!
