Uppsala history tour

Uppsala is Sweden's fourth largest city, and has been a cultural centre since the Viking Age, and the cradle of the Swedish nation. This is a walking tour through the highlights of Uppsala's centre.

Understand

This walking tour includes Uppsala's central locations, omitting Old Uppsala and the Uppsala countryside. The Uppland history tour is a lengthy journey best made by car or bicycle.

Prepare

Get in

Uppsala is walkable. The grounds around the palace are a bit steep, and wheeled equipment might have to take detours.

Go

  • 🌍 Upplandsmuseet (The Uppland Museum), S:t Eriks torg 10. The county museum has various exhibition on the region's prehistory and history. It is hosted by a watermill building from 1768. Free. OSM directions target=_blank
  • 🌍 Uppsala Cathedral (Domkyrkan), Domkyrkoplan 2. The seat of Sweden's archbishop opened in 1435. Free. OSM directions target=_blank
  • 🌍 Helga Trefaldighets kyrka (Church of Holy Trinity), Odinslund 4 (just south of the Cathedral). A 14th century church, dwarfed by the cathedral. OSM directions target=_blank
  • 🌍 Uppsala Castle (Uppsala Slott). OSM directions target=_blank
  • 🌍 Gustavianum (The University Museum), Akademigatan 3. Under renovation. Opens spring 2024.. Uppsala University's previous main building, built in the 1620s. Today it is the university museum, with many artifacts from the Nordic Iron Age. OSM directions target=_blank
  • 🌍 Universitetshuset (The University Hall), Biskopsgatan 3. The auditorium entrance carries the aphorism "TĂ€nka fritt Ă€r stort men tĂ€nka rĂ€tt Ă€r större" ("Thinking free is great, but thinking right is greater"), attributed to the 18th century philosophy professor Thomas Thorild. The phrase "thinking right" has been misunderstood as "think as the authorities do". Thorild was however a radical for his time; his aphorism should be read as "think reasonably". OSM directions target=_blank
  • 🌍 Carolina Rediviva, Dag Hammarskjölds vĂ€g 1. OSM directions target=_blank
  • 🌍 Pelle Svanslös lekplats. OSM directions target=_blank
  • 🌍 Botaniska trĂ€dgĂ„rden (The Botanical Garden), VillavĂ€gen 6-8. OSM directions target=_blank
  • 🌍 Uppsala Gamla KyrkogĂ„rd (Uppsala Old Cemetery), VillavĂ€gen 1. Opened in the late 18th century, with graves of celebrities such as poet Gustaf Fröding, painter Bruno Liljefors, UN secretary general Dag Hammarskjöld, and medical educator Hans Rosling. OSM directions target=_blank
  • 🌍 Biotopia, Vasagatan 4. Free. OSM directions target=_blank
  • 🌍 Flustret, FlustergrĂ€nd 5. OSM directions target=_blank

Stay safe

Go next