| Page Views: 7,638 Last Visit to Uppsala: January, 2005 | Uppsala by Maline by Maline - last update: Jul 5, 2005 |
Just a trainride away! | The pride of Uppsala - its cathedral! |
Uppsala. My home for over 20 years. If you visit Stockholm, don't forget to make the detour to Uppsala, 40 minutes away by train.
It is well worth a visit, being one of the most historical places in Sweden.
The town was once called "Östra Aros" and was the religious and commercial center of the Vikings. And ever since that time, Uppsala has been central in the formation of Sweden as it is today.
Today it is dominated by the university, which has around 30.000 students and researchers. That's a lot in a town of 150.000 inhabitants...
The university is spread out, geographically, but the old university building is right in the center of town.
The silhouette of the town is dominated by the big Cathedral and the Castle. It is an expressed wish of the local politicians and city planners to keep it this way, so in the center, the buildings mustn't be higher than, say 7 storeys.
Much of down-town Uppsala was torn down in the late 60s and early 70s, and the buildings that replaced the old ones were built according to the aestetics of the present, which - sadly - means that the houses are grey, concrete and ugly. But here and there, you see a more beautiful edifice, and when you cross the river Fyrisån and walk towards the Cathedral part of town, much more of the old buildings remain.
Some 15 minutes by bus north of town are the burial sites from the Viking days known as Gamla Uppsala Högar (the Hills of Old Uppsala). Also, all around the countryside are other Viking remnants. We had a rune stone just outside my high school.
I lived in Uppsala town for over 20 years, so if you have any questions, don't hesitate to mail me. Enjoy your virtual trip!
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Remnants from the viking days can be found in and around the city. This is a rune-stone, a grave monument, although this one is found centrally in town, and not whrer it originally stood. More about rune stones and viking history in my tip section.
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The river Fyrisan runs right through town, dividing it into two parts. The western side of the river was traditionally the academic side, and the other was the merchants' place.
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| Pros: | "History, charm, atmosphere" | | Cons: | "Ugly central square, not great shopping possibilities" | | In A Nutshell: | "Come to the cradle of present-day Sweden!" |
Maline's Uppsala Travel Tips
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 Comments for Maline about Uppsala | | | | |
angiebabe Wed Aug 6, 2008 02:09 UTC
Im picking up a rental car here so I can see old Uppsala while here - looking good so far!Thanks for your enthusiastic tips and pics. | sihi Fri Jun 1, 2007 19:17 UTC
Nice page about Uppsala, good tips!! greetz:) | SURFIN7TH Thu Apr 6, 2006 19:19 UTC
Still one of my favorite towns in Sverige. | VijithFdo Thu Apr 6, 2006 18:33 UTC
dear what really does it means uppsala. looks like a sanskrit word |
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