Travelogue of the Helgö Buddha in Mälardalen, Sweden

A modern replica of the original Helgö Buddha statue undertakes journeys to places which will help us understand more about the history, context and the environment during the Viking Age and contrast that with the situation today. All places visited have links and historical relevance to the Viking Age, Helgö and the Helgö Buddha statue. Naturally, we start with Helgö – the Holy Island, where the Buddha statue laid buried in the soil from the first half of the ninth century to 1956, when it was discovered during archaeological excavations. 

What was “Sweden” or more specifically “Mälardalen” like at the time when the Buddha figure, made in northern India in the 6th century, arrived through the Silk Road in Helgö? What are some of the subsequent developments and important historical monuments and traces that we can experience, appreciate and learn from? These are interesting, intriguing and impressive sites, buildings and cultural monuments just around the corner from Helgö. The places were only a couple of hours sailing with Viking era boats away from Helgö. Today, they can be reached by a short journey of less than 90 kilometres on the current road network, often in less than an hour’s travel time. All the destinations can easily be visited on day trips from any point in the region. Below is the record of these exciting exploratory journeys together with the Helgö Buddha figure, which you are cordially invited to read about here on line or undertake yourself.