Located outside Uppsala in Sweden, Gamla Uppsala served as a significant religious, economic, and political center from the 3rd century AD and the 4th century AD. Despite claims that the temple here was built completely of gold and that three gods were worshipped, these assertions are not substantiated by the source material. The village's name, Gamla Uppsala, means 'Old Uppsala' in English.
Gamla Uppsala was the central settlement for the Swedes. According to the oldest Scandinavian sources like Ynglingatal, the Westrogothic law, and the Gutasaga, the King of the Swedes (Suiones) was the 'King at Uppsala.' It was the site of the Thing of all Swedes, a general assembly that was held from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages, typically at the end of February or early March. Gamla Uppsala is situated on Fyris Wolds, a cultivated plain in the valley of the River Fyris.
Today, visitors can explore a variety of ancient monuments and burial mounds, which are believed to be linked to the village's history and the Yngling dynasty. The most notable among these are the three Royal Mounds, often thought to be the burial sites of Yngling kings Idun, Yngve, and Adils. While the Ynglingatal mentions these kings being buried under the mounds, their exact connection to the mounds remains unclear.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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