Gröna Lund is an amusement park in Stockholm, Sweden. Located on the seaward side of Djurgården Island, within the Royal National City Park. It was founded in 1883 by James Schultheiss. In the park there are about thirty rides, including 7 roller coasters, haunted houses, most games and wheel of fortune, snacks and fast food kiosks as well as restaurants and bars. There are also two stages and a dance floor and annually over 60 concerts and also many dance evenings are held.

Gröna Lund, a magical world where the impossible becomes possible. A visit to Gröna Lund always means happy howls, tingling in the stomach, excitement and entertainment for the whole family. Lots of laughter awaits here and the park is packed with attractions for both big and small, brave and less brave.

The park’s location is unique in the sense that most of the buildings are old residential and commercial structures from the 19th century. The buildings were not built for the park; instead, the park was built around the buildings. The park has three different entertainment venues: Dansbanan (Lilla Scenen), Gröna Lundsteatern and Stora Scenen. Gröna Lund features most attractions common to amusement parks, such as a tunnel of love, a funhouse and seven roller coasters.

The 3.8 ha amusement park it is relatively small compared to other amusement parks, the request to increase the size of the land has been rejected many times, mainly because it is located in the city center. The smaller scale does not limit the development of the amusement park. On the contrary, the designer makes more reasonable use of every space, some entertainment facilities even be built between the other two facilities. The talented design makes the amusement park more abundant without making the space crowded.

The main entrance from Allmänna gränd, which divides Gröna Lund into two sections: the old and the new area. A small bridge building called the Spanish Steps connects both sides. Within the area is also Restaurant Tyrol. Gröna Lund also has a building permit to expand the park in the current car park on the other side of Allmänna gränd, where the old Amusement Park was previously located.

Gröna Lund is also known for its rock and pop music concerts. On the dance floor, dance bands play several days a week, and children’s performances of various kinds are also held here. On the Big Stage, national and international entertainers guest perform. Here, among others, Europe, The Hives, Ramones, Louis Armstrong, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Paul McCartney, David Cassidy, Sweet, Jussi Björling, Damian Marley, Nas, Abba, Troye Sivan, The 1975, Lady Gaga, Bryan Adams, Alexander Rybak, Kiss,Alice Cooper and Sator performed. The capacity record is held by Bob Marley, who attracted 32,000 people in 1980.

Gröna Lund is open to the public from the end of April to the end of September. Business hours will also change depending on the length of the daytime. Since 2017, the park has also been open during Halloween from mid-October to early November. In addition to the usual attractions, several new haunted houses have been built during Halloween, and the park has been decorated with pumpkins, scarecrows and cobwebs. In the years 2005-2008, the park was open from the end of November until Christmas (Thursdays through Sundays) for a Christmas market and some rides. In 2009, however, it was decided not to implement one.

History
Gröna Lund’s roots are in the 1880s, making it Sweden’s oldest amusement park. However the area has been used for similar purposes since the early 18th century. In 1883, a German by the name of Jacob Schultheiss rented the area to erect “carousels and other amusements”. Until 2001, descendants of Schultheiss ran Gröna Lund. Before the amusement park came into being, Gröna Lund was the name of a small park.

Gröna Lund as a place for entertainment is older than amusement park. In the 18th century, there have been entertainment establishments in the area for today’s Gröna Lund, which was sung by Bellman, among others. Gröna lunden was originally the name of a large garden plot in Djurgårdsstaden. Later there was a tavern between Mjölnargården and Bellmanshuset in Djurgårdsstaden. This inn, which in the 18th century was located next to Djurgårdsstaden’s only garden.

The area where the amusement park Gröna Lund later arose is located just west of Djurgårdsstaden and was bounded on the north by Allmänna gränden. It led to Djurgården’s fence and at today’s Djurgårdsvägen there was a gate or gate, where you had to pay an entrance fee to enter the Royal Djurgården. Most of the plot was occupied by the city’s iron wave, which was moved here in 1865 from Järngraven on Södermalm. Towards Allmänna gränden, the older neighborhood name Trädgården reminded me of the garden that gave Grönan its name. Here, the area was built with simple sheds and Djurgården’s first fire stationwhich was established in 1876 in the former railway house, the building still remains.

In the middle of the 19th century and onwards, a number of inns and taverns and establishments were built on Djurgårdsslätten, as well as establishments where comedians, musicians and owners of viewing cabinets, picture and casper theaters were located. Famous places included Stockholm’s Tivoli with the popular revue theater Kristallsalongen which was located a bit north of Skansen’s current main entrance and Mothander’s manege which was replaced in 1890 by Cirkus.

Tivolit Grön Lund emerged during the 1880s. In 1883, the carpenter Jacob Schultheis, who had moved from Berlin, leased the area. At first he and his brother Johan started a variety show in Gothenburg. But Jacob continued to Stockholm to arrange “Carousels and other entertainment facilities” in the Gröna Lund area.

The inauguration of Tivoli Gröna Lund took place in 1883, making it Sweden’s oldest existing amusement park. After Schultheis’ death in 1914, the widow Edla Schultheis and her son Gustaf Nilsson took over the amusement park. Under the new management, major modernizations and expansions of Gröna Lund were carried out in collaboration with the architect Arvid Klosterborg. In 1924, the company faced competition from a touring amusement park called Nöjesfältet, also called Nöjet, which settled opposite Gröna Lund on the north side of Allmänna gränd.

During Gustaf Nilsson’s time, Gröna Lund was hit by a severe fire, which could have almost wiped out the entire amusement park. On the night between March 22 and 23, 1935, the fire broke out in a shed, and spread rapidly in the area. Grönan’s new attraction from 1932, Skräckexpressen, was completely destroyed, as was Skrattsalongen. Part of the old roller coaster also disappeared in the fire. The horror express resurfaced later that year under the name Blue Train. After Gustaf Nilsson’s death in 1940, the management was taken over by his wife Nadeschda Nilsson, who was the daughter of the cellar master at nearby Novilla.

The pleasure was run by Johan Lindgren and during the competitive war between these two fun fairs, love arose between Johan Lindgren’s son John Lindgren and Gustaf Nilsson’s daughter Ninni, but only after both Johan Lindgren and Gustaf Nilsson passed away in 1940, did they dare to publicize their love.

John and Ninni married in 1942, and then ran the Amusement Park together until it closed in 1957. After this, the couple ran Gröna Lund. His son John Lindgren Jr. became managing director in 1981 and his daughter Nadja Bergén was amusement park manager until 2001, when the facility was incorporated into the amusement park group Parks & Resorts Scandinavia, which includes Kolmårdens Djurpark and Skara Sommarland.

Facilities

Monster
In 2021, Gröna Lund inaugurated one of Europe’s coolest roller coasters, an adrenaline-boosting inverted roller coaster, where riders hang under the rails. In June 2021, it was finally premiered for Monster – King of Roller Coasters. During the ride, you fly forward at a speed of 90 km / h, you are 34 meters up in the air and exposed to a full 4.5 G forces – all while hanging under the track with your legs free in the air.

To ride, you must step into the underground to reach the roller coaster platform. From there, you will be thrown up above ground and, among other things, be up and down four times during the ride and end up in a weightless state several times.

Jetline
A classic roller coaster full of steep slopes and sharp curves that make about a million skiers rejoice (or just shout) every season. Jetline is a classic steel track designed by the legendary roller coaster designer Schwartzkopf. A real Grönan icon, which has been on the funfair since 1988.

Insane
In this ride, you hang with your legs dangling freely – and experience both wild spins and crazy G-forces! This is the ride for the bravest. You are lifted 35 meters into the air and then thrown out on a screaming ride – which is unique every time. The seats rotate freely around their own axis, so depending on what the passengers weigh, each ride becomes more or less spinning.

Free Fall & Free Fall Tilt
Free Fall is one of the highest free falls in all of Europe. A breathtaking journey from an altitude of 80 meters where you plunge towards the ground at 100 km / h. Slowly you are lifted up and see the ground disappear under your feet. At the top, the view is lovely, but you soon forget it and scream instead so that the whole town can hear you.

Twister
Twister is a wonderfully twisted roller coaster in wood that offers a riding experience beyond the ordinary. A twisted wooden roller coaster that offers the highest tickle-in-the-stomach factor. With dizzying turns and nine solid slopes, Twister provides a super nice ride with weightlessness in the hilltop and magnificent tingling in the stomach.

Eclipse
At 121 meters, the Eclipse is one of the world’s tallest StarFlyers. With a magical pull, it lifts all those afraid of heights and turns around them at 70 km per hour high in the air. 910 tons of steel and concrete, 80,000 bolts, 8 meter long chains and a breathtaking view of Stockholm make Eclipse a skyrocketing adventure.

The broom
A magical roller coaster where you hang under the rails with your legs dangling freely. Your legs dangle freely in the air when Kvasten makes sharp throws past House of Nightmares and teases the evil troll. Join and dive to the ground to soar over the treetops in the second.

Pop-Expressen
Pop-Expressen is a rotating machine, disco spin with the music at the highest volume. Spin around to your favorite song and the latest hits and feel the G-forces while you dance in the seat. The music is at the highest volume and the disco lights are on.

Wild Mouse
Wild Mouse is a wild roller coaster. In Vilda Musen you fly forward and turn here and there past, below, or over the other roller coasters in the area.

Ikaros
Ikaros is a 95 meter high attraction, where you fall freely towards the ground at a 90 degree angle. Ikaros is the second of its kind in the world and is completely unique in design and layout. You are high above Stockholm, sitting in a chair, dangling with your legs and fastened with a stirrup over your shoulders. As you begin to approach the top, the chair suddenly angles in, and you are now completely lying at a 90 degree angle with your face towards the ground. It is an unforgettable swoop experience

Catapults
In Catapults, you can enjoy the heartbeat brought by instant acceleration, thrown 55 meters into the air, turn around and plunge down to the ground, and then up again. Join a thrilling ride where you are thrown up and down with a view of the whole of Stockholm.

The chain pilot
Chain pilot is a classic throwing swing where you fly over the water. These are the swinging swings that make you feel free as a bird when you float over the water. Feel the summer breeze around your legs and enjoy the tingling in your stomach.This classic has hand-painted details and has been on amusement park for more than 20 years.

Flying Carpet
Fly away on magic carpet and feel a strong suction in the pit of your stomach.

O-tour
O-tour is a parent-child project. A love researcher has dropped a foreign substance into the water that has transformed the entire Love Tunnel.

The mummy elephants
The mummy elephants is suitable for children to play alone. Join a flight you decide whether the elephant should fly high in the air or closer to the ground – all you have to do is press the button in front of you. Fly as high as you want.

The circus carousel
The circus carousel is a old tivoli classic more than 100 year. On the classic Circus Carousel you can ride around, around just like in a circus, on a white runner or a stately lion. You who are extra brave may venture high up on the giraffe. The animals on the carousel are both hand-carved and hand-painted with care. The circus carousel has been at Gröna Lund since 1892, and is truly a fun fair classic that never goes out of style.

The octopus
Let the octopus spin out over the water until you peek with laughter. This wet beast has lots of arms that spin and turn you around so that your stomach tickles and your head spins.

The lantern
Experience free fall with a spin from a height of 12 meters. Up to the treetops and then free fall straight down – with extra spin! The lantern is both tingling and dizzying at the same time, and is suitable for both large and small. For all the brave – both children and adults.

Spider Girl
Spider Girl is a cool roller coaster for the smaller funfair visitors. A small roller coaster that tickles well in both large and small stomachs and also the only attraction at Gröna Lund that runs three laps in a row.

Blue Train
Blue Train is a scary train ride among ghosts and dragons. Dare to go into the Blue Train’s tunnels, where both ghosts and dragons live.

Rock-Jet
A spinning classic that takes you on a rolling ride back and forth to thumping music. Rock-Jet spins forwards and backwards on undulating slopes at breakneck speed, and has time for 10 revolutions in one minute. This whirling ride offers both rock music and wonderful tingling in the stomach.

The witch’s cauldron
The witch’s cauldron is a witch has taken over the Teacups in the Little Area. Take a seat among cups and jugs in this giant tea set. This is the most whimsical tea party you will experience.

The children’s radio cars
A cool car ride for the little ones. Accelerate, skid, reverse, drive to catch up – no driving license is required here to get behind the wheel.

Tuff-Tuff the fog
The first roller coaster for most little ones. The smallest roller coaster for all little tough guys.

The vintage cars
Take a trip and pretend to be from the 19th century. Do not worry about steering, the cars are on rails. No driver’s license is required to drive a car. The nice old cars are handmade in sheet metal and have been around for a long time. The vintage cars actually premiered as early as 1963.

The Little Ferris Wheel
Feel like a giant in this Miniature Ferris Wheel. Perfect for the person afraid of heights because this wheel spins at a perfectly ok height but still gives a wonderful view of Grönan.

Pettson and Findus Haunted House
Venture through Pettson and Findus’ house which has been haunted by evil ghosts.

House of Nightmares
Dare to enter Dr. Morphio’s House of Nightmares and face your worst nightmares. You are standing in front of a desolate and abandoned house. No one knows what’s waiting in there, but one thing’s for sure – something evil lurks in the dark. The nightmare experiments that were once performed by the mythical Dr. Morphio has come to life and haunts every corner of the house.

Gröna Lund 2024
Gröna Lund is planing to transform the parking lot into a new amusement park area in the future. There is a vision 2024 for a new area with restaurants, games, attractions and greenery. Although this seems to be a helpless move that has been unable to request additional land. However, even if without the parking lot, it will not cause inconvenience to reach the theme park in the city center. In fact, this move is more in line with the sustainable travel mode advocated by the city of Stockholm.

The lot of the current parking lot has also been used as a playground in history. It was just over 40 years later, in 1924, that Djurgården became the obvious gathering place for everyone who was interested in funfair in Stockholm. That was the year that the competitor Nöjesfältet, which had previously been touring, moved into the plot Skeppsholmsviken opposite Gröna Lund. In the years that followed, Nöjesfältet and Gröna Lund were angry competitors, but when the children of Gröna Lund and Nöjesfältet’s owners fell in love and got married, a cohesive amusement park area emerged.

The plan 2024 is to create a cohesive amusement park area on both sides of the public alley for both amusement park visitors and zoo strollers. To create a new and inviting public promenade on a piled bridge in the water outside Gröna Lund, a small-scale and vibrant Djurgårdskvarter that connects to existing architecture, a public square area to create larger areas by Djurgårdsfärjan and a completely new amusement area with both games, restaurants and attractions for all ages.

Surrounded by new zoo neighborhoods and overlooking the sparkling Saltsjön, Gröna Lund create a new amusement park area for guests of all ages. Games, restaurants, ice cream parlors, trees and greenery should be combined with attractions that are both nerve-wracking and child-friendly, a varied amusement park area in harmony with the surroundings.

Greenery is important for many reasons and at least 25 percent of land and roof surfaces must be designed with trees and vegetation. The area closest to the water should have a more park-like character, where new trees are planted and low shed-like houses are placed sparsely behind the trees, so that the area forms a green park-like front towards Saltsjön and the promenade.

Gröna Lund 2024 is planning to build a wide and inviting public bridge promenade that is placed in the water just outside the amusement park area. Here, the public will be able to walk all the way from Djurgårdsbron to the ferry terminal Allmänna Gränd, with benches and areas on the pier that invite you to stop and enjoy the view.

With small-scale architecture similar to that in Djurgårdsstaden and the nearby Wasahamnen, we create an inviting Djurgårdskvarter that encloses the new amusement park area. The buildings will borrow architectural elements from historic buildings in and around the area. The house on the corner of Falkenbergsgatan / Allmänna gränd, for example, is clearly inspired by the building that stood on the site during the second half of the 19th century.

Towards Falkenbergsgatan, there are opportunities to bring the street to life with cafés and shops that are open all year round for both zoo walkers and the residents in the area. An airy bridge over Allmänna gränd connects Gröna Lund’s existing area with the new amusement park area and a new entrance is built towards Allmänna gränd.