H.K.H. Prins Daniels tal invigningen av Cristina Iglesias skulptur i Prinsessan Estelles skulpturpark
Rosendal, Kungl. Djurgården, Stockholm
(Det talade ordet gäller)
Your Royal Highnesses,
Your Excellency,
Dear Cristina Iglesias,
Dear friends of Princess Estelle's Cultural Foundation,
Ladies and gentlemen,
There are places where time seems to slow down – places that invite us to pause, to breathe, and to be fully present.
Royal Djurgården is such a place.
Even though we are standing in the heart of Stockholm, here on the highest hill in Rosendal, the rhythm of the city feels distant – almost as it belongs to another world.
And perhaps, that is why we are drawn here.
Today, we gather here in Princess Estelle's Sculpture Park to celebrate a new work.
Aurora Borealis Star Dome by Cristina Iglesias – the seventh permanent sculpture in this unique landscape.
This place carries layers of history.
More than 500 years ago, Djurgården became a royal hunting ground. In 1680, King Karl XI established a hunting star at this very spot – twelve sightlines extending outward through the landscape, creating perspective, order, and vision.
But history did not stop there.
Nearly two centuries later, Karl XIV Johan, the first Bernadotte, removed the hunting fences and Djurgården became accessible to everyone.
That transformation feels deeply important even today. Human beings have always searched for places like this. Places where nature, silence, memory, and imagination come together.
If anyone is wondering what it is like to bring your 10-year-old son here, to sit on the rock in this fantastic sculpture, watch the sunlight reflect the colours, and enjoy a really good moment together, I can only say that it is a wonderful experience and something I highly recommend.
Cristina, thank you for adding a new chapter to the story of Djurgården and Rosendal. And for creating a place where people, today and for generations to come, can meet, reflect, and be inspired.
I would also like to extend my warmest thanks to our donors, Louise and Carl-Henric, whose generosity has made it possible for all of us to experience this remarkable new work.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is with great pleasure that I hearby declare Aurora Borealis Star Dome inagurated.
