Stockholm

the capital city of Sweden. It is situated on a group of islands in Lake Malar, an inlet of the Baltic. It is sometimes called the Venice of the North. The islands are connected by numerous bridges and frequent steam ferries. Miles of wharves accommodate a large outgoing trade in woven goods, beet sugar, tobacco, iron ware, machinery, porcelain, pottery, iron ore, copper, tar, and lumber. Wine, salt, and fruit are imported. One of the most noticeable buildings is the Royal Palace. It is a symmetrical, flat-topped, three-story building occupying a block or two. The street front is adorned with Corinthian pillars. The Church of St. Nicholas, in which Swedish kings are crowned, dates from 1264. Of similar historic interest is the Old Church, known as the Riddarsholm Kyrka, the Westminster Abbey of Stockholm, in which generations of royal personages have been laid away. Other buildings are the National Library containing a quarter of a million bound volumes and several thousand priceless manuscripts; the National Museum with a rich store of coins and antiquities; Houses of Parliament; and various government buildings including the mint, arsenal, and barracks. An exchange and a town hall relate to city life. Pleasure finds expression in theaters, an opera house, delightful promenades, excursion crafts, and recreation gardens. There are numerous societies,--medical, musical, artistic, scientific, and horticultural. The Ethnographical Museum contains a fine collection of Scandinavian antiquities--ancient boats, coins, weapons, and utensils. Zoo-logical gardens are maintained on some small islands. The home station of the Swedish navy is here. The approach to the city is defended by heavy artillery. The population in 1902 was 305,819. See Sweden; Baltic; Upsala