With over 600 rooms, Stockholm Palace is one of the largest royal palaces in Europe and still serves as the official residence of the Swedish monarch. The current Baroque building, designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger, rose from the ashes of the medieval Tre Kronor castle after a devastating fire in 1697. Visitors can tour the Royal Apartments, the Treasury with its crown jewels, and the Tre Kronor Museum documenting the original castle. The daily changing of the guard in the outer courtyard draws crowds, especially on summer days when the full ceremony includes a military band. The palace's waterfront position in Gamla Stan makes it a natural anchor point for exploring the old town.