In December 1994, the Swedish Parliament unanimously decided to establish a large area covering 27 square kilometres between Ulriksdal, Haga-Brunnsviken and Djurgården, in Greater Stockholm, as a National Urban Park. The first National Urban Park in the world, it has been seen as an innovative way of protecting an important cultural landscape that also contains important ecological areas and is of significance as a recreation area. This note illuminates the decision, the legislation and its implementation.