Old Uppsala
Location
About
Old Uppsala (Gamla Uppsala) was the religious and political center of ancient Sweden, home to the great pagan temple described by Adam of Bremen in his chronicle (c.1070 CE) as containing golden statues of Odin, Thor, and Freyr. The site has three massive royal burial mounds (the Kings' Mounds or Kungshögarna) from the 5th-6th centuries CE. The temple's sacred grove had nine heads of animals and humans hanging from its trees.
Significance
Old Uppsala was the supreme sacred site of Norse religion in Scandinavia — the 'center of Swedish paganism' and the site where the great blot (blood sacrifice) was held every nine years, with nine males of every species including humans sacrificed in a sacred grove. The temple of Uppsala and its three great burial mounds connected the living king to the ancient dynasties of the Yngling saga, giving the site a cosmic centrality in Norse sacred geography.
History & Historical Arc
The three Kings' Mounds (Aun's, Adils's, and Egil's mounds) were built in the 5th-6th centuries CE. The great pagan temp…
Archaeological Notes
Excavation of the Vendel-period burial mounds in the 20th century revealed cremated remains with gold, weapons, and gami…
Key Features & Structures
- Three Kings' Mounds (5th-6th century CE)
- Old Uppsala Church (on temple site)
Visitor Information
Open year-round. Museum on site. Uppsala is 70 km from Stockholm. Combine with Uppsala Cathedral and university.
Related Figures
In the Bible
Source References
- Adam of Bremen, History of the Archbishops of Hamburg-Bremen 4.26-27 (c.1070 CE)
- Snorri Sturluson, Ynglinga Saga