Gamla Uppsala (Ancient Uppsala)

My daughter, Josie and I have passed the sign board to Ancient Uppsala many times on our way to play discgolf at the courses in the north-eastern part of Uppsala, but somehow never found the time to visit. Finally on this warm and clear summer’s day we finally made it. Ancient Uppsala is a mystical and majestic site, dominated by three large royal burial mounds created on an esker, which means they are visible from a long distance, dominating the landscape. These are the graves of kings and powerful people dating back to the sixth century. Ancient Uppsala was a very prominent settlement and economic centre in the Viking era. It was located in an area with good agriculture and access via waterways to the rest of Mälardalen and the Baltic Sea. 

One of the first churches in Sweden was built in Ancient Uppsala. It was also the first cathedral in the Uppsala area and residence of the first Archbishop in Sweden. The current church dates from the 12th century and is located close to the burial mounds. Gamla Uppsala museum was inaugurated in the year 2,000 by the Swedish King Carl Gustaf XIV and contains objects from the archaeological excavations undertaken in the area. There is a beautiful view of the royal burial mounds through the large windows of the museum. Josie took a picture of our replica Helgö Buddha figure in front of the royal mounds which were created during the same period when the figure was made in the Swat Valley in northern India in the sixth century. 

Helgö Buddha replica and the royal mounds at Gamla Uppsala.

There is also an illustrated time line display of the history of Ancient Uppsala. Helgö is mentioned as a centre for gold, silver and bronze smithing that was closely connected to Ancient Uppsala and that supplied jewellery and metal objects to the king and important people there.