Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ing a vast golden temple in Gamla Uppsala in the 10th century. Allegedly, animal and hu-
man sacrifices were strung up in a sacred grove outside.
When Christianity arrived around 1090, Thor, Odin and the other Viking gods began to
fade. From 1164, the archbishop of Uppsala had his seat in a cathedral on the site of the
present church.
If you feel like a stroll or a bicycle ride,
Eriksleden
is a 6km 'pilgrims path' between
the cathedral in Uppsala and the church in Gamla Uppsala. Its namesake, Erik the Holy,
was king of Sweden from around 1150 until the Danes beheaded him 10 years later. The
story is that his head rolled down the hill, and where it stopped a spring came up. The
main trail also provides access to a ridged wilderness area called
Tunåsen
, with a panor-
amic viewpoint (follow signs along Eriksleden just south of Gamla Uppsala to '
ut-
siktsleden
').
Gamla Uppsala Museum
MUSEUM
(
www.raa.se/gamlauppsala
; adult/child Skr70/free;
11am-5pm Apr-Sep, noon-4pm Mon, Wed, Sat
& Sun rest of year; )
Gamla Uppsala Museum contains finds from the cremation mounds, a poignant mix of
charred and melted beads, bones and buckles. More intact pieces come from various
boat
graves
in and around the site. The museum is arranged as a timeline - useful for re-creat-
ing the history of the area.
mission free, guided tours Skr30; 10am-5pm Jun-Aug, tours 1pm)
, a 19th-century farming vil-
lage turned open-air museum consisting of 26 timber buildings and a platform stage that
serves as the focal point for Uppsala's Midsummer celebrations.
018-32 35 25;
www.odinsborg.nu
;
dagens lunch Skr85, mains Skr90, waffles Skr45; 10am-6pm)
,
a restaurant known for its horns of mead and Viking feasts (although daintier refreshments
are offered at the summer cafe downstairs).
Uppsala Slott
CASTLE
tours in English 1pm & 3pm Tue-Sun late Jun-Sep)
