Logårdstrappan, Stockholm

Logårdstrappan is a historic stairway in central Stockholm, Sweden, located on the eastern side of the Royal Palace (Kungliga slottet) in the borough of Gamla stan. The stairway connects Slottsbacken with Skeppsbron and the waterfront area along the Baltic Sea, forming an important pedestrian link between the elevated palace grounds and the quay below. Its name derives from “Logården,” the former royal kitchen garden that once occupied parts of the area adjacent to the palace.

The present stone staircase dates largely from the 18th century, when the Royal Palace was rebuilt following the devastating Tre Kronor castle fire of 1697. The palace, designed primarily by architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger, was constructed in the Baroque style, and Logårdstrappan reflects the formal architectural character of the surrounding complex. The stairway is integrated into the palace’s eastern façade and aligns with the Logården courtyard, which today is used for official ceremonies and military parades.

Logårdstrappan has historically provided access between the royal residence and the harbor, where ships once docked close to the palace. Today, it remains both a functional pedestrian route and a vantage point offering views of Skeppsholmen, Kastellholmen, and Stockholm’s inner archipelago.