Northern European Seats of Government

The European Union is an affiliation of about 25 member states, and this building in Brussels is its headquarters. From this angle, you can only see half of the cross-shaped design, in which four wings extend from a central core. 

The building has 18 floors, a TV studio, a 900-seat cafeteria and underground parking for 1,100 vehicles. First built in the 1960s, its design was meant to convey lightness and transparency. Does it convey those qualities to you?   

Robert Schuman (1886-1963) was a founder of the European Union. The text on the four sides of the stone is in French, Dutch, German, and Italian. Schuman is also memorialized Schuman Station on the metro. 

Built in a neoclassical style from 1779 to 1783, the Palace of the Nation in Brussels houses the two-part parliament of Belgium: the Senate and the Chamber of Representatives. 

The palace sits at one end of the Parc de Bruxelles, directly opposite the Royal Palace at the other end. 

Together, the two buildings symbolize the duality of Belgium’s constitutional monarchy, a form of government that combines democratic rule based on a constitution with a king or queen as head of state.

 Iron fences such as this one are common around government buildings. The gold finials at the top are not only decorative, they also provide a level of protection against intruders when the gates and the buildings are closed.

Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark, houses all 3 branches (executive, legislative and judicial) of Denmark’s government—the only European capital building to do so. This is the third Christiansborg Palace on this site—the first was built in 1167. 

Located on the tiny island of Slotsholmen, the palace has interesting architectural details and some prized contents, including the Queen’s Tapestries, a gift from the Danish business community to Queen Margrethe II in 1990.

This welcoming statue depicts King Christian IX who reigned from 1863 to 1906. Denmark became a constitutional monarchy in 1849, and King Christian often battled with Parliament, but he remained a popular monarch. 

Built in the 13th century as a castle for Dutch royalty, this complex of buildings in The Hague, Netherlands, became the meeting place of the newly-formed parliament of the Dutch Republic in 1584. It is the oldest House of Parliament in the world that has been in continual use. 

Today, the Binnenhof is the seat of both houses of parliament—the House of Representatives and the Senate—as well as the Ministry of General Affairs and the office of the Prime Minister.

This wing, with its green shuttered windows, currently houses the meeting chambers of the ‘Eerste Kamer’ (the First Chamber), or the upper house of the Dutch parliament. It has about 75 elected seats. 

Completed in 1931, this imposing building in Helsinki, Finland, reflects a blend of neoclassical forms and 20th century modernism. The exterior is pink granite from Kalvola, and the façade features 14 majestic Corinthian columns. 

The building has 5 floors connected by white marble staircases, an open main lobby, a large reception hall, a library annex, plenary chambers with galleries for the public, committee rooms, and a restaurant. Finland’s unicameral 200-seat parliament meets here. 

The four floors of this contemporary art museum opened in 1998. Internationally famous architects submitted designs and the American Steven Holl was selected from more than 500 competitors. Its collections include works by more than 4,000 artists. 

The parliament of Iceland was founded in 1845. Its 63 members are elected every 4 years from 6 constituencies, or areas defined for voting purposes. For most of its history, the parliament was bicameral, but it became unicameral in 1991.

Parliament House in Iceland’s capitol Reykjavik was constructed in 1881 of dolerite, an Icelandic volcanic rock. In its history, it has housed the National Gallery, the University of Iceland, and the office of the President of Iceland.

From about 1380, Iceland was part of the kingdom of Denmark. Iceland won home rule in 1904 and its independence in 1944. The crown and symbol of the Danish king still sit atop the Parliament Building, testifying to this history.

Located on the small island of Helgeandsholmen in central Stockholm, the Riksdagshuset houses Sweden’s 349-seat unicameral parliament, the Riksdag. (The parliament was bicameral until 1971). The building was erected between 1897 and 1905. 

Designed by Aron Johansson, the Riksdagshuset originally housed both the parliament and the Swedish National Bank, but the bank was relocated. The neoclassical building is open to anyone who wants to listen to debates, votes, hearings, and seminars. 

A top the Riksdagshuset sits a statue of Mother Svea, the female personification of Sweden.  She is a powerful warrior, often shown with a shield or a lion. She has appeared on many Swedish banknotes for over 70 years.