History The first building was in this place was a fortress with a central tower built in the thirteenth century by Birger Jarl to defend Lake M laren. The fortress grew into a palace, called Tre Kronor (Three Crowns “) in honor of the needles of the central tower. In the late sixteenth century, there were many works to transform the old fortress into a Renaissance palace under the reign of King John III. In 1690, it was decided to rebuild the palace in Baroque style after a design by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger. In 1692, work began on the north. It was completed in 1697, but much of the palace collapsed due to a fire on May 7, 1697. The palace was rebuilt by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger, with wings shaped semicircle around the western courtyard completed in 1734, the palace church completed in the 1740s, and the exterior finished in 1754.The royal family moved into the palace that had already completed construction of the wings west, southeast and northwest. The northwest wing was finished in 1760. In the north, Lejonbacken ( “Slope of the lion”) was built between 1824 and 1830. Its name comes from the sculptures in the form of a lion in there. The palace is protected by H gvakten, the royal guard consisting of members of the Swedish armed forces. This guard dates from the early sixteenth century.