One Sketch 341) Queen Christina of Sweden

Christina the Queen was a lass
At whom one would not make a pass
She ruled as a king
But then, here's the thing
She gave it all up for the Mass.

Okay, the prompt today on Sketching Every Day was Famous Women from History. Now, I already knew a bit about Queen Christina of Sweden, but I learned quite a bit more about here while I was in Stockholm. Giving you the edited highlights version, she was the only surviving child of King Gustavus II Adolphus the Great, and he made it clear that he wanted her to succeed him. He had her educated exactly the same way that he would have had a son educated. She became queen (although she was actually given the title of king) when her father was killed in battle when she was 14. As she became older, Christina became more and more interested in Catholicism, which was not really what 17th century Lutheran Sweden was looking for in a monarch, and in the end she abdicated so that she could convert.

Just as a point I want to note - we are now in March, dearly beloved, and by the end of the month I will have completed my one sketch a day challenge. Woa.

One Sketch 340) (Thursday 28th February) Looking across to Slussen

Farewell, then Stockholm
I'll miss your spires
But not your cold wind

This is the last sketch that I made in Sweden. Instead of staying on Gamla Stan on Thursday I carried on walking across the bridge towards the area called Slussen. I saw this view as I was crossing the bridge and thought - I bet I can sketch this quickly before my hands get too cold. Sadly that bloody wind was blowing again, and so I lost; by the time I got this far with the sketch my fingers were numb, so that was that,

Enjoyed you Stockholm. Beautiful place.

One Sketch 339) (Wednesday 27th February) STockholm Gamla Stan

Island of spires
and narrow streets
Freezing wind
Aching Feet

The Gamla Stan is the island with the oldest part of Stockholm - Gamla Stan actually means old town, I think. Loads of very nice tall and narrow streets - which are fantastic to look at, but do act a little bit like wind tunnels, and on this particular day it clouded over early, and this lazy wind which went right through you because it couldn't be bothered to go round you began blowing.

One Sketch 338) (Tuesday 26th February) Riddarholmen Island Stockholm - The Vasa

Stockholm
City of Islands
And Bridges
And Ice.

Yes, even though I was lucky enough to visit Stockholm at the end of February in a little window of mild weather, it was still noticeable just how much ice there is in the sea. I made this sitting opposite the small Riddarholmen island - Stockholm actually spreads over no fewer than 14 islands. They do a very good line in spires in Stockholm, and the one in this is the Riddarholmkirke - in which you can find the tomb of Gustavus Adolphus. He was the one whom the warship the Vasa was built for (see below.)

Basically the king had it built for his ongoing war with Poland. It was made too tall, and too narrow, with not enough ballast, and it sank in Stockholm harbour on it's maiden voyage. Efforts to salvage it were unsuccessful, until it was rediscovered in the late `1950s, and salvaged in 1961. It now lives in its own museum, and over 90% of the ship is original. It is quite simply possibly the most breathtaking museum exhibit I have ever seen.

One Sketch 337) (Monday 25th Feb) Stockholm Tram

Sweden's capital
Is where I am
Can't see me here?
I'm on the tram

Ouch. That's bloody awful. On Monday I flew to Stockholm early doors, and flew back late on Thursday. Yes, I know, this was my 4th European trip since I started my one sketch a day challenge - but rest assured I have no plans to go on another before the challenge to make one sketch a day every day for a year is up. Now, you know me well enough by now. One of my priorities when I go to a new city is to find out if they have trams, and if so, to use them. I will be honest, I only found one tram route right in the middle of Stockholm - the number 7, but it's a good 'un, and I made sure that I rode it before even thinking about checking in at my hotel.