Gamla Uppsala

Gamla Uppsala, Old Uppsala, was the ceremonial heart of pagan Sweden, where the great royal burial mounds of the Ynglinga kings still rise from the plain and a famous heathen temple once stood. A place of sagas and sacrifice, it later became an early Christian centre, and its mounds and museum tell the story of the transition.

Background

Gamla Uppsala is a parish and village just outside Uppsala, with 17,973 inhabitants in 2016. From the 3rd and 4th centuries AD it was a major religious and economic centre, and in the Middle Ages it was the largest village in Uppland. A great fair called Disting was held here at the end of February or in early March, together with the Norse celebration of Dísablót. In 1164 it became the seat of Sweden's first archbishopric. People have buried their dead here for 2,000 years, since the land rose from the water. Between 2,000 and 3,000 mounds once stood in the area, but only 250 barrows survive, and the parish holds more than 1,000 preserved archaeological remains.

Source: Wikipedia, "Gamla Uppsala"

Highlights

• The royal mounds - the three great grassy burial mounds of the early kings.
• The old church - the medieval church built where the pagan temple stood.
• The museum - the finds and the story of pagan and early Christian Uppsala.
• The saga landscape - the plain steeped in Norse myth and history.

When to go

The snow-free months for walking the mounds; a clear day suits the open plain. It is an easy trip from Uppsala or Stockholm.

What to expect

The mounds are grassy hills, so the drama is their age and meaning rather than a built spectacle - the museum gives the context that makes them come alive. It is a short visit. The famous temple is long gone, known only from old accounts.

Nearby

Uppsala with its great cathedral and university is just south; Stockholm is an hour away.

Key facts