Gamla Uppsala, Uppsala

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The church in Old Uppsala started to be built in the 1050s, after Sweden had become Christian. Hundred years later it became a big cathedral, larger than the church standing there today. After a fire in 1245 some parts were torn down.
The church is built in grey stone and the bell-tower beside the church in wood.

Inside the church there are wall- and roof paintings from the 15th century. And you can see some artefacts from medieval time, for example a bishop’s seat, a wooden statue of Mary and the child and crucifixes. There are also some bridal crowns and cups, which are a few hundred years old.

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At Gamla Uppsala (Old Uppsala) you'll find 3 mounds (or tombs) from the 6th century of what it's believed to be kings. According to some myths, 3 Norse gods, Thor, Odin and Frej, are the ones supposed to be buried there.

Besides the royal mounds, there's a museum with displays of finds of the mounds and information about myths and tales, among other things. Information on the website below.

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One of Scandinavia's most famous heritage burial sites and by far the biggest religious complex, even if Anundshög mound in Västerås is higher. There are three main burial mounds and five smaller from around 500 A.D. and you can walk along paths around them as you are no longer allowed to walk ON them unless as part of a guided tour which happens some afternoons in high season. Throughout history, you have been able to walk on them and in particular, this happened in the mid 20th century when local Uppsala people used the mounds for skiing on, before having hot chocolate in nearby Odinsborg!

No one knows for sure who were buried here. The main mounds have men's names, from noble viking families, but an interesting issue is that it could in fact be female graves. The reason is that when they were dug out in the 19th century, no weapons were found amongst all sacrificial items in the graves. This is supported by the fact that women's role in society was a much bigger one in Scandinvia at viking times than after Christianisation.

When Sweden was Christianised in the 11th century, a church was built here, next to the King's Hall, which was in fact much bigger than what you can see today even if the remains of walls can still be seen here and there in the now smaller church. The church grew to become a cathedral in the very important Uppsala, before being degraded in 1270. This was because the Fyris river had started to silt up out here and the town had to move to the village of Östra Aros, three kilometres downstream. In connection with the diocese moving to Östra Aros, that village in turn had to change its name to Uppsala - the city we now know - as the Pope would otherwise not agree with the move. In the 15th century, the church left at Old Uppsala got the looks it has today after having suffered a fire just after the degradation. I found it a very pretty church and the setting makes it particularly peaceful.

The museum is of course tied to the burial mounds. Here, you find out about the digs througout centuries and who historians think are in the mounds but also how debates have taken place throughout history as to the gender of the buried. You also learn about how things were first glorified during the national-romantic era and then so well concealed in shame after WWII events that not even young Uppsalians knew what the mounds really were about when they instead skied on them in winter. There is also a general exhibition that puts the vikings in perspective to the rest of Europe's history and tells you about viking nobility and ordinary people and that the two groups worshipped different Norse gods - some noble, some nature gods. It is also interesting to read about what the religous Adam of Bremen thought of the heathen temple at Ubsola during his northern travels at the time. He describes the remains of human sacrifices hanging from trees and such, which we today do not know if it was an exaggeration to promote Christianity in Europe or if he was in fact telling the truth.
The architecture of the building itself was much debated too when it was built. Locals hated it and said it was in the way and that the design was odd. To me, it looks just like it was meant to - like some sort of viking hall. A very nice feature is the arena style seatings where you can listen to legends about Old Uppsala in earphones and which has a huge glass window, overlooking the mounds. There is also a good souvenir shop here, although you're already into viking things, you will find that it has pretty much the same items for sale as in York, Roskilde and other typical viking destinations and that the books are the only really local things.

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At the back of Old Uppsala, Disagården is a lovely little Open Air Museum, belonging to Upplands Museum, focusing on local Uppland farm architecture. Several old farmsteads have been placed here and you can walk in and out of stables, pantries and such. There are also some animal enclosures with sheep and hens as well as a stage where children can borrow toys, making it the ideal place for young children visiting Uppsala in summer which is when it is open.

To this day a Christian church stands at the spot of the old hethen temple in Gamla Uppsala. This church dates back to the 1300s so it is not exactly young itself!
The smallish church has a stone exterior and some interesting painting on the inside.
Actually, most countryside churches in Sweden were once full of paintings on the walls and ceilings, but many were chalked white some hundreds years ago. At some places the original paintings have been restaured.

While at Gamla Uppsala, also check out preserved farmhouse of Disagården. (see my travelogue named Midsummer in Sweden on my Sweden page for photos from Disagården).