Drottninggatan is a major pedestrian street in Stockholm

Stockholm

Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...

, Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

. It stretches north from the bridge Riksbron

Riksbron

Riksbron is an arch bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden leading from Drottninggatan on Norrmalm 44 metres over to Riksgatan on Helgeandsholmen....

 at Norrström

Norrström

Norrström in central Stockholm connects Lake Mälaren with the Baltic Sea. It runs from Riddarfjärden, north of Gamla stan, to Saltsjön. Two islands lie within it, Strömsborg and Helgeandsholmen. It is one of two natural waterways between Mälaren and the Baltic sea, the other being Söderström south...

, in the district of Norrmalm

Norrmalm (proper)

Norrmalm is a city district in Stockholm, part of the larger Norrmalm borough.The southern part of the district, Lower Norrmalm , also known as City, constitutes the most central part of Stockholm, while Upper Norrmalm is more residential.The name Norrmalm is first mentioned in 1288...

, to Observatorielunden

Observatorielunden

Observatorielunden is a park in Stockholm's Vasastaden district. It stretches over the steep hill Observatoriekullen, one of the last remnants of Brunkebergsåsen, the esker that once reached across much of Norrmalm but was mostly levelled during the development of that district...

 in the district of Vasastaden

Vasastaden, Stockholm

Vasastaden, or colloquially Vasastan, is a 3.00 km² large city district in central Stockholm, Sweden. With 51,661 inhabitants it is the second most populous, as well as the second most densely populated district in Stockholm.The major parks in Vasastaden are Vasaparken and Observatorielunden...

.

Forming a parallel street to Vasagatan

Vasagatan, Stockholm

Vasagatan is a major street in central Stockholm named after King Gustav Vasa.In its southern end it is connected to the old town Gamla Stan by the bridge Vasabron, from where it stretches north to the public square Norra Bantorget. It passes in front of the Stockholm Central Station and is...

 and Sveavägen

Sveavägen

Sveavägen is a major street in Stockholm, Sweden. The street starts at Sergels torg in the city center and goes north out of the city towards the Haga Park. It is often known as the busiest road in Sweden....

, Drottningsgatan is intersected by (south to north) Fredsgatan, Jakobsgatan, Herkulesgatan, Vattugatan, Klarabergsgatan, Mäster Samuelsgatan, Bryggargatan, Gamla Brogatan, Kungsgatan

Kungsgatan, Stockholm

Kungsgatan is a street in central Stockholm.At its western end it is connected to Kungsholmen by Kungsbron bridge, from where it stretches east to Stureplan public square. It is intercepted by the streets Vasagatan, Drottninggatan, and Sveavägen...

, Apelbergsgatan, Olof Palmes Gata, Barnhusgatan, Adolf Fredriks Kyrkogata, Wallingatan, Kammakargatan, Tegnérgatan, Rådmansgatan

Rådmansgatan

Rådmansgatan Stockholm Metro station is located in Vasastaden, by the Sveavägen street and the Rådmansgatan street. The station was opened in 1952.The station is decorated with yellow tiles, and the theme in some of the artwork is August Strindberg....

, Kungstensgatan and Observatoriegatan.

The major part of the street is car-free and lined-up with numerous stores and shops, one of the largest being the Åhléns City

Åhléns

Åhléns is a Swedish chain of department stores, located in almost every city in the country, and with several stores in the major cities, including 18 stores in Stockholm alone . Åhléns also has business operations in Norway. It is one of Sweden’s leading retailers in a number of fields...

 department store. During summer, the street is often crowded with tourists.

History

The street was laid out in the 1630s and 1640s when the surrounding area was built on a rectilinear grid plan, a significant innovation in Stockholm's urban environment. It was originally named Stora Konungsgatan ("Great King's Street") and was later renamed as Drottninggatan in honour of Queen Christina, who ruled from 1632 to 1654.

On 11 December 2010, Drottninggatan was the site of the 2010 Stockholm bombings

2010 Stockholm bombings

The 2010 Stockholm bombings occurred on 11 December 2010 when two bombs exploded in central Stockholm, Sweden, killing the bomber and injuring two people. Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt and the Swedish Security Service described the bombings as acts of terrorism.Taimour Abdulwahab...

. Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly, an Iraqi-born Swedish citizen, was killed by one of his own bombs and two other people were injured. The incident was Sweden's first suicide bombing.

Famous residents

The playwright, novelist and essayist August Strindberg

August Strindberg

Johan August Strindberg was a Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist and painter. A prolific writer who often drew directly on his personal experience, Strindberg's career spanned four decades, during which time he wrote over 60 plays and more than 30 works of fiction, autobiography,...

 lived at Blå tornet

Blå tornet

Blå tornet is a house in Stockholm, built in 1907 that was the last residence of August Strindberg, . Located at Drottninggatan 85, it is today the Strindberg Museum. At the ground floor is a Strindberg themed bar called "Inferno".-External links:* official website*...

 (Drottninggatan 85) for the last four years of his life. The building is now the site of the Strindberg Museum

Strindberg Museum

The Strindberg Museum is a museum in Stockholm, Sweden, dedicated to the writer August Strindberg and located in his last dwelling, in the house he nicknamed the "Blå tornet" on 85, Drottninggatan, at the corner of Drottninggatan and Tegnérgatan on Norrmalm, Stockholm...

.

Another famous resident was the 19th century banker and newspaper tycoon André Oscar Wallenberg, whose lived with his family at Drottninggatan 66 until 1876.