The Royal Court

History, The Orangery Museum

The Orangery at Ulriksdal. Painting by David Cöln 1739. Photo: Nationalmuseum.
During the “Great Power" era in Sweden citrus fruit was an exclusive touch that embellished banquets given by the Royal Court and other nobility.

Seville oranges, lemons and oranges were grown in orangeries or pomerans houses as they were called at the time. Orangeries were often a lavish buildings located at the centre of the garden.
 
The first orangery at Ulriksdal was built according to architect Jean de la Vallée's drawings when Chancellor of the Realm Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie owned the palace, which was called Jakobsdal at the time.
 

Hedvig Eleonora


The palace was bought by Queen Dowager Hedvig Eleonora in 1669, thereby becoming royal property.  

At this time the orangery was rebuilt under the direction of architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger.

Extensive renovation took place in the 1860s during Karl XV´s time at Ulriksdal. This included a newly built suite of work rooms at the back and homes for the gardening staff.

A place for plants and sculptures


In the 1920s, when the then Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf and Louise took over Ulriksdal, they shared a great interest in plant life, a period that lasted 50 years.

The orangery has historically earned its name as a winter storage place for plants and fruit trees from the south, such as myrtles, sweet bay and orange trees that during the summer adorned the palace and palace gardens.
 
The same rare species that were earlier housed here have now found a permanent home together with a selection of sculptures from the National Museum´s collections from the 1700-1900s, thanks to His Majesty The King´s decision in 1988 to declare The Orangery as a museum of sculpture.

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