It is believed to have been a citadel that Birger Jarl built into a royal castle in the middle of the 13th century.

The name "Tre Kronor" is believed to have been given to the castle during the reign of King Magnus Eriksson in the middle of the 14th century.

Most of Sweden's national library and royal archives were destroyed[1] when the castle burned down in 1697, making the country's early history unusually difficult to document.

On 7 May 1697, a large fire broke out in Tre Kronor that completely demolished the majority of the castle.

[citation needed] The royal court concluded that the fire marshal had used the soldier for his and his wife's private errands.

The death sentences were both later commuted to running the gauntlet and six years of forced labour at Carlsten fortress.

[5] A 1/3rd scale replica of Tre Kronor was created as part of The General Art and Industrial Exposition of Stockholm (1897) (Swedish: Allmänna konst- och industriutställningen) also known as "Stockholm World's Fair" (Stockholmsutställningen).