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Gamla Uppsala is a perfect destination for your stay in Sweden. It is a combination of learning about the past and relaxing in the Open-Air Museum. It’s only a 1h drive from Stockholm, which makes it a perfect place to visit. Read further to find out more.
Historical information
Gamla Uppsala was an important political, religious and economical center from the 3rd century. It is also, known as the residence of old Swedish kings of the legendary Yngling dynasty in Northern Europe. These kings were referred to as the king of Uppsala, in some stories, like Beowulf. It is also known for Sweden’s first office of an archbishop in 1164. The land around Uppsala rose during this time and therefore the water coastline was disappearing, this meant that the location was not as strategic anymore. This led to a less popular destination for the future. You will find a lot of information and remains of these times in Gamla Uppsala. So read further to discover more about this place.
Highlights of Gamla Uppsala
Gamla Uppsala has lots of interesting places to explore and visit. It is perfect to relax before or after a visit to busy Stockholm. These are some things you could do in Gamla Uppsala:
- Friluftmuseet Disagården; This is a MUST-VISIT in Gamla Uppsala. It is a beautiful area with typical Swedish red wooden houses. You can take a look inside the houses and barns and notice the small doors. At the entrance, you can take a leaflet with information about each house and learn about the people that lived there. You can relax, enjoy the sun in the fields and have a picnic. It is open every day from June to August from 10am – 5pm.
- Gamla Uppsala Kyrka; This is the old church of Gamla Uppsala. It is definitely worth a visit to view the architecture. But it is also worth to see the amazing bell tower next to it. It has the deep red color of the typical houses, and it has a special architectural style.
- Old Uppsala Archeological area; This area is full of history. The hills that you can see are not just hills, those are Royal Mounds. It is speculated that they hold the remains of three kings, one in each mound. They are Swedish’s oldest national symbols. Gamla Uppsala was the center of king burials. There are signs along the area with more information about the burial mounds. Please respect the boundaries and don’t walk over the mounds.
- Uppsala Museum; Here you can find more information about the Royal mounds and archeological area. They have lots of archaeological artifacts on display and the museum contains interactive elements. The price is 100sek for adults, children until 18 years are free.
Did you know that……
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Where to park
Gamla Uppsala is a good destination for a camper. You can go to this car park of the museum, where you are allowed to stay for the night. It has a fresh water point at the public toilets. Although this wasn’t working when we were there. It also has a place to empty your chemical toilet. From here you will be able to easily walk to the mentioned highlights above. This is also a good place to park your car if you do not have a camper.
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Location of Gamla Uppsala
Gamla Uppsala is close to Stockholm, with only 1 hour of driving you are there. You can also find more adventures nearby on this interactive map!
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