Skoklosters slott
Originally uploaded by Björn Sahlberg.
This was one of the organised visits we made. Due to the coldness of the winters here, the fact that the house has been little occupied throughout its history and that the tides of war have never swept over this part of the world, what can be seen is a time capsule. The upper floors do not have electricity and the curtains are kept drawn to preserve the colours of the textiles.
There is a most magnificent collection of largely seventeenth century artefacts including paintings, tapestries, furniture and weapons.
Strangely, there is also an English long case clock with a brass and silvered dial and case in the Chinese style.
Such palaces were no doubt not so unusual in Europe before the First World War, but now one has to come to Sweden to see this kind of thing.
The Swedes have a minimally-invasive approach to conservation and avoid the over-restoration seen elsewhere. But it does mean that that things can appear dull, and flaking paint is tolerated. The same can be seen in the Gävle railway museum.
Small areas are sometimes restored so that visitors can gain an impression of the original appearance.
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