Photos: Nicola Sap De Mitri, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 ArildV, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Guillaume Baviere from Uppsala, Sweden, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo credits
Photos: Nicola Sap De Mitri, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 ArildV, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Guillaume Baviere from Uppsala, Sweden, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
The royal mounds at Gamla Uppsala
Your local guide
Henrik Sandberg
View profile
Highlights
- Royal mounds older than the Viking Age
- Archaeology separated from legend
- Dozens of smaller mounds explained
- A church built on a temple site
- A burial ground centuries in the making
About this tour
This session walks the field of mounds at Gamla Uppsala, from the three great royal burials to the dozens of smaller mounds around them, ending at the church built on the older temple site. You see the scale of the site properly from ground level. I explain the archaeology plainly, separating what has been found from what has only been claimed.
We move slowly across the field, since the mounds only make sense in relation to each other and the land around them. I take part in digs here most summers and bring that directly into the questions people ask. The call runs a little longer to give the site room.
This suits anyone with a serious interest in Viking-era history who wants the archaeology explained accurately rather than romanticised. It also works well before or after a visit to the cathedral in the city itself.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 6 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Uppsala before heading out.
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The three royal mounds 17 min
You see the largest burial mounds, raised before the Viking Age. I explain what excavation has actually found inside them, which does not always match the older stories told about the site.
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The smaller field mounds 17 min
The camera moves across dozens of smaller mounds surrounding the main three. I describe how this whole area functioned as a burial ground over several centuries.
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Gamla Uppsala church 17 min
I stop at the church built beside the mounds, raised on the site of an earlier pagan temple, and explain what continuity the two structures actually share.
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Your questions 11 min
Time to ask anything about Uppsala: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 5 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Meatballs (köttbullar) and Fjärdingen, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Stockholm time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 8 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Uppsala, showing you The three royal mounds and The smaller field mounds live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk the field of mounds live with my phone.
Times shown in Stockholm time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Fri 6 Nov · 8 seats left From 26,00 €
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