arrow All projects

Rosendal Palace Gardens

Client

The Royal Djurgården Administration

Project group

Jonas Berglund, Christiaan Smits, Linnea Lundström

Year

2018 – ongoing

Location

Södra Djurgården, Stockholm

Photo

Nivå landskapsarkitektur, where not otherwise stated

Slideshow

Se bilder

Beneath the grounds surrounding the Royal summer palace of Rosendal on Södra Djurgården lies a 19th-century park in fossilised condition. In collaboration with the Royal Djurgården Administration, work is underway to restore the promenade park and the defined cultural landscape that surrounded Karl XIV Johan’s royal pleasance. The park was further developed in a more horticultural direction under King Oscar I and Queen Josefina, as well as King Oscar II and Queen Sofia. Between 1861 and 1911, the Swedish Horticultural Society trained gardeners on Rosendal’s property. The royal pleasance palace has significant architectural, park, and societal historical values.

In depth analysis

Landscape history

Extensive knowledge has been gathered as a basis for the restoration work. The work has involved a large number of competencies and has included the analysis of old map materials and engravings, watercolours and photographs.

The Bernadotte park at Rosendal consists of a core group of curated promenade parks that surround the palace. The park’s backbone is made up of an adorned pasture landscape with old oaks. Along the driving routes created by Karl Johan, avenues of lime trees have been planted. To the west, an arboretum and an orangery were built by Oscar I and Josefina. The orangery is a remnant of a once extensive greenhouse cultivation. The site was leased by the Swedish Horticultural Society from 1861 and is now operated by the Rosendal Garden Foundation. To the east follows a beech forest with meadows and heathland dominated by old oak trees. The palace stable is also located in this area. In the southeast, a mighty landform called Utsigten  rises, dominated by rocky pine forest. South of the palace building, a sequence of open meadowy landscape spaces open up to Lusthusparken (the pavilion park) in the south.

1805

1819

1826

Field verification

An important part of the knowledge base lies in the verification of old maps and images. Based on this material, some sub-areas have been selected for in-depth investigation together with building conservators, archaeologists, archaeobotanists, and technicians. Overgrown walkway systems have been located through terrestrial laser scanning and georadar surveys. Design, structure, and locations for foundations, plantings, and walkways have been documented through probing and archaeological investigation. During the excavation, finds in the form of potsherds and compost residues have also contributed to in-depth knowledge of the park’s extent, form, and technical structure.

Preserved gravel paths hidden underground. The footpath reinforced with sealing clay layers and light coloured gravel as the wearing course. The footpath system is designed in 2 and 3 cubits width.

Maintenance program and maintenance plan

The compiled knowledge base is the foundation for the design of a maintenance program and maintenance plan. The maintenance program depicts the historic growth and values of the 19th-century Bernadotte park and also the current use of park facilities and landscape. The maintenance plan provides a basis for restoration and guidelines for the park’s care. The plan aims to concretise the work of recreating the Bernadotte park, taking into account different historical layers of the park. The document takes a ten-year perspective where landscape restoration and vitalisation through historically anchored additions are prioritised.

Low intensive care over the years has led to the vegetation hiding the view of the pleasure palace.

The photomontage examines the effect of crown raising and other pruning measures.

Sculpture program

In the footsteps of Karl XIV Johan, Rosendal is now evolving as a royal sculpture park through Princess Estelle’s Cultural Foundation (PREKS). Karl Johan’s grand porphyry urn and bronze sculptures are today followed by international contemporary art in harmony with the meadow and pasture landscape. A long-term plan for the development of the sculpture park is currently being created in collaboration with the Royal Djurgården Administration and PREKS.

Despite the restrictions that natural and cultural values present, there are still excellent opportunities for the development of Rosendal as a sculpture park. The starting point is the Bernadotte tradition, a sensitive approach to the Djurgården landscape, and a site-specific holistic approach. The goal is to create unique encounters between a historical landscape and contemporary art.

The sculpture Hoop-La of Alice Aycock by Folke Bernadottes bridge marks the northern entrance to the pleasure park. Photo: Robin Hayes

Landscape maintenance

The significant historical values and continuity in land use also bring high natural value. The maintenance program and plan work, leads to a landscape restoration of the so-called promenade park northwest of the palace, which began in 2020. In the first phase, the historical park’s backbone of old oaks, larch, and balsam poplar is freed up through clearing and cutting of brushwood. This work is followed by continuous measures to keep the landscape open, including sheep grazing. The historical paths will initially be made visible through mowing.

Engraving of an emblematic building in the palace gardens, the icehouse by C.J. Billmark in 1834. Source: Kungliga Biblioteket

Photo taken before landscape maintenance, the icehouse hidden behind dense brushwood.

The icehouse has been made visible through landscape maintenance. Photo: Robin Hayes

Aerial photo showing the location of the Rosendalsängen footpath system through trimmed grass paths. Photo: Robin Hayes

Similar projects