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.

What you actually see

• 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.

Honest expectations

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.