84-530: Gamla Uppsala ( Swedish: [ˈɡâmːla ˈɵ̂pːˌsɑːla] , Old Uppsala ) is a parish and a village outside Uppsala in Sweden . It had 17,973 inhabitants in 2016. As early as the 3rd century AD and the 4th century AD and onwards, it was an important religious, economic and political centre. Early written sources show that already during prehistory, Gamla Uppsala was widely famous in Northern Europe as
168-470: A Norse religious celebration called Dísablót . The Law of Uppland says that it was at this assembly that the king proclaimed that the fleet levy would be summoned for warfare during the summer, and all the crews, rowers, commanders and ships were decided. It was not only the Norse cultic centre, it also became Sweden's archbishopric in 1164. Gamla Uppsala lies on Fyris Wolds , a cultivated plain in
252-405: A scramasax , but according to another interpretation, they were part of a belt. The dead was also given several glass beakers, a tafl game , a comb and a hone . Most scholars agree that the mound was either raised for a woman or for a young man and a woman as the remains of a woman and boy were found. Hildebrand reburied most of the remains, so a new excavation will need to be undertaken before
336-628: A bit, with all months receiving less than 40 mm (1.6 in) on average. Annual precipitation is 576 mm (22.7 in). Rainfall can occur all year round, although it is less common in January and February. Snowfall mainly occurs between November and March. Snowfall in October and April can happen from time to time, but not every year. During the night between 30 April and 1 May 2014, approximately 15 cm (5.9 in) of snow fell in Uppsala,
420-456: A grove which is adjacent to the temple. This grove is so sacred to the people that the separate trees in it are believed to be holy because of the death or putrefaction of the sacrificial victims. There even dogs and horses hang beside human beings. (A certain Christian told me that he had seen seventy-two of their bodies hanging up together.) The incantations, however, which are usually sung in
504-587: A human being alive. As long as his body is not found, the request of the people will be fulfilled. A golden chain encircles that temple and hangs over the gables of the building. Those who approach see its gleam from afar off because the shrine, which is located on a plain, is encircled by mountains so situated as to give the effect of a theatre. For nine days feasts and sacrifices of this kind are celebrated. Every day they sacrifice one human being in addition to other animals, so that in nine days there are 72 victims which are sacrificed. This sacrifice takes place about
588-868: A perfectly preserved 17th-century anatomical theatre (used in its time for public dissections). Next to Gustavianum is the 18th century Archbishop's Palace , the official residence of the Lutheran Archbishop of Uppsala and the primate of the Church of Sweden. Across the street from the Gustavianum in the University Park stands the University Hall , erected in 1879–86 in Italian renaissance style . The Uppsala University Coin Cabinet
672-514: Is Fyrishov and is Sweden's fourth most visited, specialized in swimming, sports events, meetings and recreation. The facility includes areas for indoor sports, summer sport and a generous waterpark with waterslides, 50-meter pool, training pool, relaxation area and a large outdoor swimming pool. Accommodation is offered at the Fyrishov cabin area, and at the resort restaurants a good lunch or dinner can be enjoyed. Fyrishov AB's business also includes
756-573: Is also said to have founded two of the central institutions of Iron Age Sweden, the Uppsala öd and the Temple at Uppsala : Frey took the kingdom after Njord, and was called drot by the Swedes, and they paid taxes to him. He was, like his father, fortunate in friends and in good seasons. Frey built a great temple at Uppsala, made it his chief seat, and gave it all his taxes, his land, and goods. Then began
840-686: Is characterized by having an almost exactly equal amount of daylight and night across most latitudes on Earth. The Babylonian calendar began with the first new moon after the March equinox, the day after the return of the Sumerian goddess Inanna (later known as Ishtar ) from the underworld, in the Akitu ceremony, with parades through the Ishtar Gate to the Eanna temple and the ritual re-enactment of
924-479: Is home to Scandinavia's largest cathedral – Uppsala Cathedral , which was the frequent site of the coronation of the Swedish monarch until the late 19th century. Uppsala Castle , built by King Gustav Vasa , served as one of the royal residences of the Swedish monarchs, and was expanded several times over its history, making Uppsala the secondary capital of Sweden during its greatest extent . Today, it serves as
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#17327722878861008-635: Is located in the university main building. Not far from the university stands the Uppsala University Library ( Carolina Rediviva ), the largest library in Sweden, with over 5 million volumes and some 60,000 manuscripts. The building was built in 1820–41. On a circa 35-metre high hill to the southwest of the University Library stands Uppsala Castle . Its construction was initiated in 1549 by King Gustav Vasa , founder of
1092-435: Is one of the busiest train stations in Sweden, with around 45 000 passengers per day. The station is served by several different train operators, with Mälartåg , SJ and SL being the primary ones, while Vy operates night trains to Narvik . Trains depart Uppsala Central Station in three directions. There are trains to the south, Arlanda , Stockholm and Linköping , to the northwest, Dalarna and Sala , and to
1176-443: Is required of everyone. Kings and their subjects, collectively and individually, send their gifts to Uppsala; and – a thing more cruel than any punishment – those who have already adopted Christianity buy themselves off from these ceremonies. The sacrifice is as follows: Of every kind of male creature, nine victims are offered. By the blood of these creatures it is the custom to appease the gods. Their bodies, moreover, are hanged in
1260-731: Is the equinox on the Earth when the subsolar point appears to leave the Southern Hemisphere and cross the celestial equator , heading northward as seen from Earth. The March equinox is known as the vernal equinox (spring equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and as the autumnal equinox (autumn equinox or fall equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere. On the Gregorian calendar at 0° longitude ,
1344-521: Is the capital of Uppsala County and the fourth-largest city in Sweden , after Stockholm , Gothenburg , and Malmö . It had 177,074 inhabitants in 2019. Located 71 km (44 mi) north of the capital Stockholm, it is also the seat of Uppsala Municipality . Since 1164, Uppsala has been the ecclesiastical centre of Sweden, being the seat of the Archbishop of the Church of Sweden . Uppsala
1428-731: Is the name of the three large barrows located in Gamla Uppsala. According to folklore, the three gods Thor , Odin and Freyr would be at rest in Kungshögarna or Uppsala högar (from the Old Norse word Haugr meaning mound or barrow; cognate English Howe ). In the 19th and 20th centuries, they were speculated to hold the remains of three kings of the semi-legendary House of Ynglings and were thus known as Aun 's Mound , Adils 's Mound and Egil 's Mound . Today their geographical locations are used instead and they are called
1512-403: Is −33.1 °C (−27.6 °F), which makes the record one of the hardest to beat, due to the fact that temperatures in Uppsala nowadays rarely goes below −30 °C (−22 °F). The difference between the two records is 76.9 °C (138.4 °F). The warmest month ever recorded is July 2018, with a daily mean of 22.0 °C (71.6 °F). Since 2002 Uppsala has experienced 7 months where
1596-404: Is −8.6 °C (16.5 °F). The warmest year ever recorded was 2014, with an average temperature of 8.1 °C (46.6 °F). The second warmest is 2018, with 8.0 °C (46.4 °F). Since 1991, Uppsala has recorded 15 years with an average temperature of 7 °C (45 °F) or warmer. The coldest year ever recorded was 1867, with an average temperature of 2.5 °C (36.5 °F). 1987
1680-399: The 60th parallel north and has a humid continental climate ( Dfb ), with cold winters and warm summers. Due to its northerly location, Uppsala experiences over 18 hours of visible sunshine during the summer solstice , and under 6 hours of sunshine during the winter solstice . Despite Uppsala's northerly location, the winter is not as cold as other cities at similar latitudes, mainly due to
1764-461: The Eastern Mound , Middle Mound and Western Mound . They are dated to the 5th and 6th centuries. As Sweden's oldest national symbols they are even depicted on the covers of books about the Swedish national identity. In the 6th century, Gamla Uppsala was the location of royal burials. The location was chosen carefully and in order to make them majestic. The tumuli were constructed on top of
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#17327722878861848-481: The Fjärdingen neighbourhood on the river's western shore, somewhat separated from the rest of the city, and the ensemble of cathedral, castle and university buildings has remained mostly undisturbed to this day. While some historic buildings remain on the periphery of the central core, retail commercial activity is geographically focused on a small number of blocks around the pedestrianized streets and main square on
1932-536: The Gulf Stream . For example, in January Uppsala has a daily mean of −2.7 °C (27.1 °F). In Canada , at the same latitude, Fort Smith experiences a daily mean of −22.4 °C (−8.3 °F). With respect to record temperatures, the difference between the highest and lowest is relatively large. Uppsala's highest recorded temperature was 37.4 °C (99.3 °F), recorded on 9 July 1933. On
2016-533: The History Channel's Canadian-Irish TV series Vikings , Uppsala is visited by Ragnar Lothbrok and his entourage to worship the Aesir gods and offer a human sacrifice to appease them. In that visit Lothbrok meets Uppsala's King Horik. The episode was criticised for its poorly researched depiction of Uppsala, which was shown as being located in a mountainous region, as well as of its heathen temple, which in
2100-689: The Vasa royal dynasty . Today the castle holds several museums, among them the regional art museum, and is the residence of the Uppsala County Governor ( landshövding ). There are several botanical museums in Uppsala related to the world-famous 18th century botanist and zoologist Carl Linnaeus; the Botanic Garden next to the castle, the Linnaean Garden in the city centre, and Linnaeus Hammarby , Linnaeus' summer house in
2184-610: The precession of the equinoxes , this point is no longer in the constellation Aries , but rather in Pisces . By the year 2600 it will be in Aquarius . The Earth's axis causes the First Point of Aries to travel westwards across the sky at a rate of roughly one degree every 72 years. Based on the modern constellation boundaries , the northward equinox passed from Taurus into Aries in the year −1865 (1866 BC), passed into Pisces in
2268-421: The 1080s the Christian king Ingi was exiled for refusing to perform the sacrifices. Instead Blot-Sweyn was elected, but he was killed by Ingi who could then reclaim his throne. Its great importance in Swedish tradition led to the location of Sweden's first Archbishopric in Gamla Uppsala in 1164. In practice, however, it had lost its strategic importance when it gradually lost ready access to navigable waters as
2352-422: The 12th century. The stone building may have been preceded by a wooden church and probably by the large Temple at Uppsala . After a fire in 1240, the nave and transepts of the cathedral were removed, leaving only the choir and central tower, and with the addition of the sacristy and the porch gave the church its present outer appearance. In the 15th century, vaults were added as well as chalk paintings. Among
2436-611: The 13th century and can be seen from a long distance outside the city, other tall buildings being rare. Facing the west end of the cathedral is the Gustavianum , built in 1625 to be the main building of the university, and served as such through most of the 19th century. It contains the Museum of Nordic Antiquities, the Victoria Museum (of Egyptian antiquities) and the university's cultural history collections. It also houses
2520-661: The 1960s and 1970s, but many historic buildings remain, especially in the western part of the city. The arms bearing the lion can be traced to 1737 and have been modernised several times, most recently in 1986. The meaning of the lion is uncertain, but is likely connected to the royal lion, also depicted on the Coat of Arms of Sweden . In ecclesiastical terms, the place has always belonged to Uppsala parish, from 1961 called Uppsala cathedral parish. The incorporated parts of Uppsala belong to Gamla Uppsala parish, Helga Trefaldighets parish and Vaksala parish. After parish break-up in 1974, parts of
2604-542: The Middle East which were probably part of a casket. The finds show the distant contacts of the people of Uppland in the 6th century. Gamla Uppsala Church ( Gamla Uppsala kyrka ) was the seat of the Archbishopric of Sweden prior to 1273, when the seat was moved to Östra Aros (Östra Aros was then renamed Uppsala due to a papal request). The old cathedral was probably built in the 11th century, but finished in
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2688-505: The Swedish basketball league. There are also athletic club Uppsala, Uppsala, fencing club, Uppsala Judo Club, Sweden's oldest judo club, Uppsala volleyball companion, Upsala weightlifting club and Upsala Simsällskap , one of the world's oldest swimmingclubs. The sport that draws the most audience is floorball. Uppsala's two teams in the Swedish Super League, Storvreta IBK and IK Sirius IBK, have Fyrishov as their home. One of
2772-518: The Temple at Uppsala are described by Adam of Bremen : At this point I shall say a few words about the religious beliefs of the Swedes. That nation has a magnificent temple, which is called Uppsala, located not far from the city of Sigtuna. In this temple, built entirely of gold, the people worship the statues of three gods. A general festival for all the provinces of Sweden is customarily held at Uppsala every nine years. Participation in this festival
2856-514: The Upsal domains, which have remained ever since. Saxo Grammaticus adds that Freyr began the human sacrifices at Gamla Uppsala: Also Frey, the regent of the gods, took his abode not far from Uppsala, where he exchanged for a ghastly and infamous sin-offering the old custom of prayer by sacrifice, which had been used by so many ages and generations. For he paid to the gods abominable offerings, by beginning to slaughter human victims. The sacrifices at
2940-845: The area was settled during the Nordic Bronze Age , but most of the grave fields are from the Iron Age and the Viking Age . The great grave field south of the Royal Mounds is from the Roman Iron Age and the Germanic Iron Age . Near the vicarage, a few unburnt graves from the Viking Age have been excavated. Under the present church in Gamla Uppsala have been found the remains of one or several large wooden buildings. Some archaeologists believe that they are
3024-422: 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. For men of consequence a mound should be raised to their memory, and for all other warriors who had been distinguished for manhood a standing stone; which custom remained long after Odin's time. [...] It
3108-467: The capital, many Uppsala residents work in Stockholm. The train to Stockholm-Arlanda Airport takes 17 minutes, rendering the city easily accessible by air. Just like Stockholm, Uppsala is located on Sweden's east coast at the 59th parallel north. The commercial centre of Uppsala is quite compact. The city has a distinct town and gown divide with clergy, royalty, and academia historically residing in
3192-492: The city. County buses, are instead meant for journeys within the wider municipality and county . The type of bus line can be seen by its colour, as city buses are painted green while county buses are painted yellow. Three city buses, 30, 31, and 32, are known as mjuka linjer , literally "soft lines", which are fitted for the elderly and disabled , by having stops closer to places like hospitals and pharmacys , in order to reduce walking distance. Uppsala Central Station
3276-412: The controversy can be settled. What is quite certain is that the dead belonged to a royal dynasty. In 1874, Hildebrand started an excavation of the western mound and opened an enormous shaft right into the cairn in the centre of the mound. Under the cobble stones, there were the charred remains of the funeral fire. In the western mound were found the remains of a man and animals, probably for food during
3360-600: The core of the complex of properties belonging to the Swedish Crown, the so-called Uppsala öd , of which the western part consisted of the royal estate itself, kungsgården . It was also the location of the Thing of all Swedes which was a thing (general assembly) held from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages , at the end of February or early March. It was held in conjunction with a great fair called Disting , and
3444-458: The countryside village of Danmarks Hammarby south of the city. 5 kilometres (3 miles) north of Uppsala city lies Gamla Uppsala (Old Uppsala), the location of the pre-Christian settlement of Uppsala which later provided the new name for the medieval settlement further south. There are few remains, with the exception of several huge burial mounds of pre-Christian monarchs and the previous cathedral from 1164 A.D., traditionally said to be built over
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3528-453: The daily mean was 20 °C (68 °F) or warmer, the most recent in July 2021 when the daily mean was 20.7 °C (69.3 °F). The coldest month ever recorded is January 1814, when the daily mean was −14.9 °C (5.2 °F). Between January 1814 and January 1987, Uppsala experienced 23 months that were colder than −10 °C (14 °F). Since February 1987, the coldest month recorded
3612-435: The eastern side of the river, an area that was subject to a large-scale metamorphosis during the economically booming years in the 1960s in particular. During recent decades, a significant part of retail commercial activity has shifted to shopping malls and stores situated in the outskirts of the city. Meanwhile, the built-up areas have expanded greatly, and some suburbanization has taken place. Uppsala lies immediately south of
3696-525: The end of astronomical summer in the Southern Hemisphere. In astronomy , the March equinox is the zero point of sidereal time and, consequently, the right ascension and ecliptic longitude . It also serves as a reference for calendars and celebrations in many cultures and religions. The point where the Sun crosses the celestial equator northwards is called the First Point of Aries . However, due to
3780-448: The first recorded snowfall in May since 1981. Uppsala has an annual average snow cover around 100 days. Uppsala has economic development in many sectors. Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognised for its leading position in biotechnology . The Fyris river (Fyrisån) neatly divides the city into two different parts: the historic quarter to the west of the river and
3864-563: The history of the site itself. The European route E4 highway passes to the east of the city and provides the main connection by road to Uppsala. Several other smaller roads, such as Riksväg 72 and 55 , connects the city with cities such as Enköping and Sala . Buses within Uppsala Municipality and county are operated by UL . Bus lines in Uppsala go under two categories: city buses, and county buses. City bus lines, of which there are 15, are meant for journeys within
3948-478: The honour, which was false, of godhead, but used more continually to sojourn at Uppsala; and in this spot, either from the sloth of the inhabitants or from its own pleasantness, he vouchsafed to dwell with somewhat especial constancy. This tradition was also known by the Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson , who, however had Odin reside in nearby Fornsigtuna , whereas the god Freyr lived in Gamla Uppsala. Freyr
4032-469: The intercalary month with an intercalary day to be added every four years to February. It was based on a length for the year of 365 days and 6 hours (365.25 d), while the mean tropical year is about 11 minutes and 15 seconds less than that. This had the effect of adding about three quarters of an hour every four years. The effect accumulated from inception in 45 BC until the 16th century, when the northern vernal equinox fell on 10 or 11 March. The date in 1452
4116-437: The journey. The remains of a warrior's equipment were found. Luxurious weapons and other objects, both domestic and imported, show that the buried man was very powerful. These remains include a Frankish sword adorned with gold and garnets and a board game with Roman pawns of ivory . He was dressed in a costly suit made of Frankish cloth with golden threads, and he wore a belt with a sumptuous buckle. There were four cameos from
4200-479: The land rose owing to the constant post-glacial rebound . People have been buried in Gamla Uppsala for 2,000 years, since the area rose above water. Originally there were between 2,000 and 3,000 mounds in the area but most have become farmland, gardens and quarries. Today only 250 barrows remain. In the parish there are more than 1,000 preserved archaeological remains, but many more have been removed by agriculture. There are cairns of splintered stone that reveal that
4284-490: The landscape surrounded by lush vegetation. Parallel to the river runs the glacial ridge of Uppsalaåsen at an elevation around 30 m (98 ft), the site of Uppsala's castle, from which large parts of the town can be seen. The central park Stadsskogen (literally "City Forest") stretches from the south far into town, with opportunities for recreation for many residential areas within walking distance. Located approximately 70 km (43 mi) or 40 minutes by train from
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#17327722878864368-482: The latter parts of the 19th century. Winter normally arrives in late November, and lasts until the middle of March when spring arrives. Summer usually arrives in the middle of May, and lasts until late September when autumn arrives. Precipitation is most common between June and November, in all these months it falls 50 mm (2.0 in) or more on average. August receives most precipitation with 74 mm (2.9 in). Between January and May precipitation levels fall
4452-454: The main regional centre, and when the cathedral of Gamla Uppsala burnt down, the archbishopric and the relics of Saint Eric were moved to Östra Aros, where the present-day Uppsala Cathedral was erected; it was inaugurated in 1435. The cathedral is built in the Gothic style and is one of the largest in northern Europe, with towers reaching 118.70 metres (389.4 ft). The city is the site of
4536-458: The marriage to Tammuz , or Sumerian Dummuzi . The Persian calendar begins each year at the northward equinox, observationally determined at Tehran . The Indian national calendar starts the year on the day next to the vernal equinox on 22 March (21 March in leap years) with a 30-day month (31 days in leap years), then has 5 months of 31 days followed by 6 months of 30 days. The Julian calendar reform lengthened seven months and replaced
4620-612: The medieval wooden sculptures there are three crucifixes from the 12th, 13th and 15th centuries. Archbishop Valerius was buried here. King Eric IX of Sweden was as well, before being moved to Uppsala Cathedral . Astronomer, physicist and mathematician Anders Celsius (1701–1744) was also buried at Gamla Uppsala Church next to his grandfather Magnus Celsius (1621–1679). 59°53′49″N 17°37′44″E / 59.897°N 17.629°E / 59.897; 17.629 Uppsala Uppsala ( Swedish pronunciation: [ˈɵ̂pːˌsɑːla] ; archaically spelled Upsala )
4704-549: The modern administrative, residential and commercial city centre to the east. Most of the historical sights and university buildings are in the western part, with a medieval street layout, river views and parks and dominated by the cathedral. The most outstanding building in Uppsala is the Domkyrka ( Uppsala Cathedral ), Scandinavia's largest church building (118.70 m (389.44 ft) high). Together with Uppsala Castle it has dominated Uppsala's skyline since its construction in
4788-711: The most classical sports events, the Swedish bandy final , took place at Studenternas IP 1991–2012. After being played indoors in Stockholm 2013–2017, from 2018 it is again played in Uppsala. It usually attracts a spectator crowd of more than 20,000. Once every year, the Uppsala Union of Science and Engineering Students arrange a river rafting in the Fyris river with rafts built from styrofoam. Other sports clubs located in Uppsala include: (* = born in Uppsala) In
4872-447: The most pronouncing increase in temperature, with each month increasing 1.5 °C or more. The only month that did not get warmer is June, which got 0.3 °C colder. During the 20th century, Uppsala has warmed drastically, especially the winter. If compared to the period 1861–1890, the annual increase in temperature is 1.8 °C. March is the month with the biggest increase, where the temperature has increased more than 3 °C since
4956-403: The name SM-town Uppsala in 2007 but was expanded to include international events and competitions at high national level. The project aims to develop Uppsala, a leading sports town in Sweden. In 2009 there were 24 SM-competitions and major national and international competitions in Uppsala. At Fyrishov the city's basketball team Uppsala Basket also plays, former KFUM Uppsala, their home games in
5040-464: The north Gävle , Sundsvall , Östersund and to the northern half of Sweden as well as sleeper trains to Narvik in Norway. While Uppsala has no civilian airport of its own, Arlanda Airport is located about 30 km south of Uppsala. Ärna Air Base north of Uppsala has been proposed for development as a commercial airport, but as of 2024 remains exclusively military. The largest arena in Uppsala
5124-400: The northward equinox can occur as early as 19 March (which happened most recently in 1796, and will happen next in 2044). And it can occur as late as 21 March (which happened most recently in 2007, and will happen next in 2102). For a common year the computed time slippage is about 5 hours 49 minutes later than the previous year, and for a leap year about 18 hours 11 minutes earlier than
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#17327722878865208-620: The old heathen temple (and recent archaeological investigations seems to support this notion). The site was a major religious centre in Scandinavia in pre-Christian times. After the old cathedral church burned down around 1240 it was only partially restored to a more modest size as it no longer was the seat of the Archbishop. The Gamla Uppsala Museum exhibits archeological finds made during excavations in Gamla Uppsala and related finds from other parts of Uppland , as well as exhibitions on
5292-486: The oldest university in Scandinavia , founded in 1477, and is where Carl Linnaeus , one of the renowned scholars of Uppsala University , lived for many years; both his house and garden can still be visited. Uppsala is also the site of the 16th-century Uppsala Castle . The city was severely damaged by a fire in 1702. Historical and cultural treasures were also lost, as in many Swedish cities, from demolitions during
5376-452: The operation of Gottsundabadet in which there is a 25-metre pool, a 10-metre children's pool and gym. The entire facility is open all year round and a large number of meetings and various events are held here annually. In addition to activities within the arena Fyrishov AB runs Tävlingsstaden Uppsala in a collaboration between the sports organizers, Fyrishov AB, Uppsala, Uppsala Tourism and hotel business. Co-founded in 2006 by Fyrishov AB under
5460-415: The performance of a libation of this kind are numerous and disgraceful, and it is better not to speak of them. In the scolia , there is an additional description: Near that temple is a very large tree with widespread branches which are always green both in winter and summer. What kind of tree it is nobody knows. There is also a spring there where the pagan are accustomed to perform sacrifices and to immerse
5544-471: The previous year. Balancing the increases of the common years against the losses of the leap years keeps the calendar date of the March equinox from drifting more than one day from 20 March each year. The March equinox may be taken to mark the beginning of astronomical spring and the end of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere but marks the beginning of astronomical autumn and
5628-517: The remains of the Temple of Uppsala , while others hold that comes from an early Christian wooden church. Churches were often built on pre-Christian sacred sites, though. Adjacent to the present church there is a plateau of clay, the Plateau of the Royal Estate ( Kungsgårdsplatån ), on which archaeologists have found the remains of a large hall . The Royal Mounds (Swedish: Kungshögarna )
5712-582: The remains of the charred grave offerings. Among the most important finds in the eastern mound were many fragments of decorated bronze panels with a dancing warrior carrying a spear. These panels have probably adorned a helmet of the Vendel Age type, common in Uppland (the only foreign examples being the Sutton Hoo and Staffordshire helmets). There were also finds of gold which probably had adorned
5796-624: The residence of Swedish kings of the legendary Yngling dynasty. In fact, the oldest Scandinavian sources, such as Ynglingatal , the Westrogothic law and the Gutasaga talk of the King of the Swedes (Suiones) as the "King at Uppsala". It was the main centre of the Swedes. During the Middle Ages , it was the largest village of Uppland , the eastern part of which probably originally formed
5880-606: The residence of the Governor of Uppsala County . Founded in 1477, Uppsala University is the oldest centre of higher education in Scandinavia . Among the many scholars associated with the city are Anders Celsius , inventor of the centigrade temperature scale that now bears his name, and Carl Linnaeus , the father of taxonomy . Other Uppsala residents include filmmaker Ingmar Bergman , diplomat Dag Hammarskjöld , chemists Jöns Jacob Berzelius and Svante Arrhenius , actress Viveca Lindfors , and singer Malena Ernman . Uppsala
5964-407: The ridge. By burning the dead king and his armour, he was moved to Valhalla by the consuming force of the fire. The fire could reach temperatures of 1500 °C. The remains were covered with cobblestones and then a layer of gravel and sand and finally a thin layer of turf. Thus he (Odin) established by law that all dead men should be burned, and their belongings laid with them upon the pile, and
6048-531: The river south of Uppsala have been identified as a possible match for Fyrisvellir , the site of the Battle of Fyrisvellir in the 980s. The present-day Uppsala was at that time a port town of Gamla Uppsala . In 1160, King Eric Jedvardsson was attacked and killed outside the church of Östra Aros, and later became venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church . In 1274, Östra Aros overtook Gamla Uppsala as
6132-588: The same day Ultuna , which lies a few kilometres south of the centre of Uppsala, recorded a temperature of 38 °C (100.4 °F). This is the highest temperature ever recorded in the Scandinavian Peninsula , although the same temperature was recorded in Målilla , Sweden, 14 years later. Uppsala's lowest temperature was recorded on 24 January 1875, when the temperature dropped to −39.5 °C (−39.1 °F). The second-lowest temperature recorded
6216-493: The series was built in the style of a medieval Christian stave church . The literary series Pelle Svanslös (Peter No Tail) which follows the adventures of a cat with no tail and his friends created by author Gösta Knutsson takes place in Uppsala. Umberto Eco's book The Name of the Rose includes a character of a young Scandinavian monk Benno of Uppsala. March equinox The March equinox or northward equinox
6300-428: The time of the vernal equinox . The 16th century Johannes Magnus , the Archbishop of Uppsala, asserted that the city was anciently founded by, and named for, an early Swedish king named Ubbo (Uppsala = Ubbo's Hall), who would have supposedly reigned c. 2300 BCE . However, in the absence of any corroborating evidence, Magnus' accounts no longer enjoy widespread acceptance among scholars today. It
6384-644: The town are located in Gottsunda parish. After further building expansion, some are also in Denmark-Funbo parish, before 2010 in Denmark parish. Until 1971, the town was part of the district court for Uppsala City Hall Court and has been part of the Uppsala Court since 1971. Situated on the fertile Uppsala flatlands of muddy soil, the city features the small Fyris River ( Fyrisån ) flowing through
6468-490: The valley of the River Fyris which is densely populated in its southern part, while the northern part consists of farms. Medieval Scandinavians held Gamla Uppsala as one of the oldest and most important locations in Scandinavia. The Danish chronicler Saxo Grammaticus held Odin himself to have resided in Gamla Uppsala far back in the mists of time: At this time there was one Odin, who was credited over all Europe with
6552-487: The year −67 (68 BC), will pass into Aquarius in the year 2597, and will pass into Capricornus in the year 4312. It passed by (but not into) a 'corner' of Cetus at 0°10′ distance in the year 1489. In its apparent motion on the day of an equinox, the Sun's disk crosses the Earth's horizon directly to the east at sunrise ; and again, some 12 hours later, directly to the west at sunset . The March equinox, like all equinoxes,
6636-535: Was a symbolic moment when Pope John Paul II visited Scandinavia in 1989 and held an open-air mass at the royal mounds in Gamla Uppsala, as this was a Norse religion cultic centre, which became Sweden's first archbishopric in 1164. In 2000, the Swedish AsatruSociety restarted the tradition of holding blóts at Gamla Uppsala. It is a testimony to the sanctity of the location in the mindset of followers of medieval Norse religion that Gamla Uppsala
6720-505: Was given to Bror Emil Hildebrand , the director-general of the National Archives. In 1846, he undertook the excavation of the nine-metres-tall (30 ft) Eastern mound with the hope of finding the grave of a Swedish king of old. The excavation was complex and generated a lot of publicity. A 25-metre-long (82 ft) tunnel was dug into the mound, where they found a pot of clay filled with burnt bones and around it there were
6804-485: Was originally the name of a place a few kilometres north of the current city, now known as Gamla Uppsala (Old Uppsala). Today's Uppsala was then called Östra Aros (Eastern Aros, to differentiate it from Western Aros ). (Old) Uppsala was, according to medieval writer Adam of Bremen , the main pagan centre of Sweden, and the Temple at Uppsala contained magnificent idols of the Norse gods . The Kungsängen plains along
6888-464: Was the last stronghold of pre-Christian, Norse Germanic kingship . During the 1070s and 1080s there appears to have been a renaissance of Norse religion with the magnificent Temple at Uppsala described in a contested account through an eye-witness by Adam of Bremen . Adam of Bremen relates of the Uppsala of the 1070s and describes it as a pagan cult centre with the enormous Temple at Uppsala containing wooden statues of Odin, Thor and Freyr. Sometime in
6972-438: Was the last year Uppsala recorded a year with an average temperature below 5 °C (41 °F). The climate table below presents weather data from 1981 to 2010. According to ongoing measurements, the temperature has increased during 1981–2010 as compared with the 1951–1980 series. This increase is on an annual basis around 0.9 °C. Warming is most pronounced during the winter and spring. January, February, and March have had
7056-470: Was their faith that 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. In the 1830s, some scholars claimed that the mounds were pure natural formations and not barrows. This affront to ancient Swedish national symbols could not be accepted by the future Swedish king Karl XV and in order to remove any doubt, he decided to start an excavation. The task
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