City Hall is a working building with a ticketed way in, a tower that is now shut, and the best view in town free outside. Here is how to get a tour, what you will see, and what has changed.
When you need this
You are planning a Stockholm day and want to know whether Stadshuset (City Hall) needs booking. Maybe you have read that you can climb the tower in summer, or you are in town around 10 December and wondering what you can see of the Nobel banquet. Or you are travelling with a wheelchair, a stroller or a big bag and want to know what works.
How the guided tour works
A guided tour is the only way inside. The City of Stockholm runs no self-guided entry. Tours last about 45 minutes and pass through four rooms:
| Room | Swedish name | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| The Blue Hall | Blå hallen | The great brick hall where the Nobel banquet is held |
| The Golden Hall | Gyllene salen | The mosaic hall where the Nobel ball follows the dinner |
| The Council Chamber | Rådssalen | Where Stockholm’s City Council meets |
| The Prince’s Gallery | Prinsens galleri | A reception gallery, closed on Saturdays |
Tours run in English several times on most days and in Swedish less often; the day’s times are in the ticket calendar. Groups of more than nine should book a private guided tour instead of joining a public one.
Booking and the sold-out risk
Tickets are sold on the City Hall’s official ticket site and released one week in advance. Same-day tickets are sold at the ticket office at the top of the courtyard staircase, which opens at 08:30.
Each tour has limited places, so in summer the popular times can be gone before you arrive. Book as soon as your date opens. If you are walking up, come at opening and take the earliest tour with space.
Buy from City Hall directly. Go City’s Stockholm Pass attraction list, checked on 1 October 2026, does not include City Hall, even though older reseller pages say it does. Our city cards guide explains why a pass rarely pays off anyway.
Closures: weddings, council meetings and events
City Hall is a working building, and the tour fits around it:
- Saturdays: the Prince’s Gallery is closed because of vigsel (wedding ceremonies). A weekday tour is the one that can show all four rooms.
- Council meetings, events and ceremonies can close rooms or cancel tours, sometimes at short notice.
- Dated closures are listed on the guided-tours page: some days the whole building is closed, on others only the Blue Hall and Golden Hall are shown.
- Around 10 December the Nobel banquet takes over the two great halls. Expect closures in the run-up and check the calendar.
There is no way to guarantee a specific room on your day.
The tower is closed
This is the change most guides have missed. The City Hall tower (Stadshustornet) is closed to visitors. The City of Stockholm’s tower page, updated 30 September 2026, says the tower is due for renovation; the work is planned to start in early 2027 and be finished by the end of 2028.
The tower was open as usual in summer 2026, which is why so many pages still list a May–September season and a ticket price. Those describe earlier years. During the work, tall scaffolding will cover the 106-metre tower, while weddings and the Nobel banquet are planned to continue as usual. No reopening date has been published, so check the city’s tower page before planning a climb in 2029.
For the record, the climb is about 365 steps of stairs and sloped passages, with a small tower museum halfway up. A lift serves only the first half.
The Blue Hall and the Golden Hall
Architect Ragnar Östberg won the design competition in 1903; City Hall took twelve years to build and was inaugurated on 23 June 1923.
The Blue Hall is not blue. It is a 1,500 m² hall, 50 metres long and 22 metres high, of hand-struck red brick; the whole building used about eight million bricks. Its organ, with about 10,000 pipes, is the largest in Scandinavia.
The Golden Hall is lined with about 18.5 million mosaic pieces, 11 million of them in real gold, designed by Einar Forseth. The largest figure is Mälardrottningen, the Queen of Lake Mälaren, a symbol of Stockholm.
The Nobel banquet is held in the Blue Hall on 10 December, for about 1,300 invited guests including the laureates, the royal family and about 250 students; the dance follows in the Golden Hall. It is invitation only. The tour shows you both halls. If you want the food, Stadshuskällaren, the restaurant in the City Hall cellar, serves the current year’s Nobel menu on the official Nobel porcelain, for at least two people booked five days ahead. Our guide to the Nobel Prize in Stockholm covers the rest of Nobel Week.
Free: the park and the waterfront
You do not need a ticket to enjoy the outside. Walk through the courtyard to Stadshusparken, the City Hall Park, on the water’s edge. It is open 07:30–22:00 from June to September and 07:30–19:00 from October to May.
The park has sculptures, including Christian Eriksson’s statue of Engelbrekt, and the classic view across to Riddarholmen and Södermalm. It is one of the best free things in the city; our guide to free museums in Stockholm has more. Packed lunches are fine here, though not on the tour.
Getting there and accessibility
City Hall is at Hantverkargatan 1 on Kungsholmen.
| How | Details |
|---|---|
| Metro | T-Centralen (exit Vasagatan, walk toward Tegelbacken and under the bridge) or Rådhuset (exit Hantverkargatan/Stadshuset) |
| Bus | Bus 3 stops outside, at Stadshuset |
| Car | No parking beside the building; nearest along Norr Mälarstrand |
| Bike | Bike stands outside; bikes may be parked in the courtyard |
For accessibility, a ramp with handrails in the courtyard leads to the main doors. The tour goes up a 39-step staircase in the Blue Hall, but a lift inside avoids it; ask staff. Tours are done standing throughout, though walkers are permitted, and there is an accessible toilet. Strollers are allowed on tours. More detail for wheelchair users is in our Stockholm wheelchair guide.
Practical information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Way inside | Guided tour only, about 45 minutes |
| Languages | English (several a day) and Swedish |
| Booking | Online, released one week ahead; same-day at the ticket office from 08:30 |
| Tour price (City Hall price list updated 19 Feb 2026, checked 1 Oct 2026) | Adult 150 SEK · senior/student 130 SEK · age 7–18 60 SEK · 0–6 free |
| Tower | Closed; renovation planned early 2027 to end 2028 |
| Park and waterfront | Free; 07:30–22:00 June–September, 07:30–19:00 October–May |
| Bags | One small bag (about 30 × 21 cm); cabin-size bags to the cloakroom; no large suitcases; bags may be inspected |
| Photos | Allowed, no tripods |
| Toilets | Upper right corner of the courtyard |
| Address | Hantverkargatan 1, Kungsholmen |
FAQ
Can you go inside Stockholm City Hall without a tour?
No. The City of Stockholm says a guided tour is the only way to visit the building. Tours last about 45 minutes and cover the Blue Hall, the Golden Hall, the Council Chamber and the Prince’s Gallery. Without a ticket you can still walk through the courtyard to the free City Hall Park and its waterfront promenade.
How do I book a Stockholm City Hall tour?
Buy tickets on the City Hall’s official ticket site, where they are released one week in advance. Same-day tickets are sold at the ticket office at the top of the courtyard staircase, which opens at 08:30. In summer, book as soon as your date opens, because each tour has limited places and popular times can sell out.
Are the City Hall tours in English?
Yes. Tours run in English and Swedish, with English tours several times on most days and Swedish ones less often. The day’s times are shown in the ticket calendar, which is the place to check, because council meetings, events and ceremonies can change or cancel tours. Groups larger than nine should book a private guided tour instead.
Is the Stockholm City Hall tower open?
No. The City of Stockholm’s tower page, updated 30 September 2026, says the tower is closed to visitors because it is due for renovation. The work is planned to start in early 2027 and be completed by the end of 2028. Many travel pages still show a summer season and ticket price; those describe earlier years.
Can you see the Nobel banquet at City Hall?
Not in person. The banquet on 10 December in the Blue Hall is invitation only, for about 1,300 guests including the laureates, the royal family and about 250 students; the dance follows in the Golden Hall. On a tour you see both halls. The cellar restaurant, Stadshuskällaren, serves the current Nobel menu if booked five days ahead.
Is Stockholm City Hall wheelchair accessible?
Partly. A ramp with handrails in the courtyard leads to the main doors, and a lift inside avoids the 39-step staircase in the Blue Hall. Tours are done standing throughout, though walkers are permitted, and there is an accessible toilet. The upper tower was stairs only, which matters again once it reopens. Contact City Hall ahead for special arrangements.
How do I get to Stockholm City Hall?
City Hall is at Hantverkargatan 1 on Kungsholmen. The nearest metro stations are T-Centralen, a short walk via Vasagatan and under the bridge at Tegelbacken, and Rådhuset, using the Hantverkargatan/Stadshuset exit. Bus 3 stops right outside at Stadshuset. There is no parking beside the building; the closest is along Norr Mälarstrand.
Related guides
- Stockholm travel guide — the districts and how the city fits together.
- The Royal Palace — the other big visit, just across the water in Gamla stan.
- The Nobel Prize in Stockholm — the museum and what visitors can see of Nobel Week.
- Free museums in Stockholm — more of what costs nothing in the city.
- City cards in Sweden — whether the Stockholm Pass pays off.
Facts verified 2026-10-01. Sources: the City of Stockholm (Stockholm City Hall and Stockholm växer), NobelPrize.org, Go City, Stadshuskällaren and Mitt i — full register in this topic’s source file. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.