Gamla Uppsala
A graceful wooden belfry and church now stand where human
sacrifices were once made by Swedish kings. Photo: Katrina.
Path to the church of Gamla Uppsala. Photo: Katrina.
Royal burial mounds in August. Photo: Greg Emel.
Royal Mounds in the snow, early March. Photo: Pablo Gavilan.
An early 20th-century painting depicting the mid-winter festival at the
Gamla Uppsala temple. Artist: Carl Larsson.
Gamla Uppsala church (Jenn); 11th-century rune stone. (Photo: Madieta).
Gamla Uppsala (Old Uppsala) is a small village 5km north of Uppsala, Sweden. Before the arrival of Christianity, this was one of the most important sacred sites in Scandinavia, hosting regular sacrifical rites and the fiery burials of royalty. Gamla Uppsala was such an important ceremonial site that the first Swedish cathedral was built over the pagan temple in the 11th century.
History
Before the arrival of Christianity in Sweden, Gamla Uppsala was the seat of Swedish kings and a ceremonial site known all over northern Europe. The settlement was home to royal palaces, a royal burial ground, and a great pagan temple.
The Swedish kings and their royal families were given elaborate funerals and rich burials in barrows near the temple. According to Norse pagan belief, burning the body in a great fire served to transfer the soul to Valhalla, the afterlife. As with many ancient burials found in northern Europe, rich grave goods were buried with the body for use in the afterlife.
Thus Odin established by law that all dead men should be burned, and their belongings laid with them upon the pile, and the ashes be cast into the sea or buried in the earth. Thus, said he, every one will come to Valhalla with the riches he had with him upon the pile; and he would also enjoy whatever he himself had buried in the earth... the higher the smoke arose in the air, the higher he would be raised whose pile it was; and the richer he would be, the more property that was consumed with him. (Yngling Saga, 9th cent.)
The Uppsala temple, which was described in detail by Adam of Bremen in the 1070s, housed wooden statues of the Norse gods Odin, Thor and Freyr. A golden chain hung across its gables and the inside was richly decorated with gold. The temple had priests, who sacrificed to the gods according to the needs of the people. The great god Thor governed weather, Odin governed war and Freyr oversaw pleasure, peace and marriages.
Human sacrifice was a regular part of the rituals at Gamla Uppsala. During the festival of Fröblot, which occurred at the winter solstice every ninth year, nine people (one per day for nine days) were hanged from a tree until their corpses rotted. Because of these sacrifices, every tree in the grove was considered sacred.
Another rite involved immersing a living man in a well—if the man disappeared, the gods would answer prayers.
The pagan temple at Uppsala was probably destroyed by king Ingold I in 1087, during the last battle between the pagans and the Christians. A church was built on top of the temple ruins, and this was the cathedral of Sweden until the archbishopric moved to Uppsala in 1273.
What to See
Gamla Uppsala makes a pleasant walk or bike ride from the center of Uppsala. The main ancient site of interest are the Royal Mounds (Kungshögarna), three large burial mounds dating from the 5th and 6th centuries AD.
The Eastern Mound contained the grave of a woman or a young man and a woman, with grave goods including carved bronze panels and a comb. A man was buried in the Western Mound, along with animals and luxurious weapons.
In addition to these main mounds, you can explore a vast grave field that once comprised 2000-3000 mounds, and the remains of the houses of the Swedish kings.
The stone church of Gamla Uppsala (Gamla Uppsala kyrka), built over the pagan temple, dates from the early 12th century. Due to fire and renovations, the present church is only a remnant of the original cathedral.
The interesting interior of the church includes faded wall paintings and the tomb of Celsius, of thermometer fame. Outside, there is an 11th-century rune stone set into the wall and others can be seen nearby. Also near the church is its splendid red, wooden belfry.
Before you leave, visit the worthwhile Old Uppsala Museum, which illustrates the local myths and ancient rites at Gamla Uppsala and its era of greatness until the 13th century.
Getting There
Located 5km (2.5 miles) north of Uppsala, the flat and pleasant route makes a nice walk or bike ride. Another option is bus #2 or #210 from Vaksalagatan in Uppsala.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Galma Uppsala; Old Uppsala |
| Type of site: | Pagan temple ruins; ancient burial mounds; Christian church |
| Dates: | Mounds: 5th-6th cents. AD |
| Size: | Eastern mound: 9m tall |
| Location: | 5km north of Uppsala, Sweden |
| Website: | www.raa.se/olduppsala |
| Hours: | Church: April-Sept: daily 9-6; Oct-Mar: daily 9-4 Museum: May-Aug: daily 11-5; Sept-April: Wed, Sat, Sun noon-3pm |
| Cost: | Site entrance is free; church is free; museum: 50kr. |
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of Gamla Uppsala. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Uppsala Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- Rough Guide to Scandanavia 7 (April 2006), p. 497.
- Frommer's Sweden, 4th ed.
- Gamla Uppsala - Wikipedia
- Gamla Uppsala - Swedish National Heritage Board
- Asatru (Norse/Germanic Paganism) - ReligionFacts
- Yngling Saga - Wikipedia
- Blót - Wikipedia
