Stora Torget

Stora Torget is a square that was built in the second half of the 17th century as part of the large so-called city planning in Uppsala, which was to modernize the city and give it a Renaissance-style street grid. The square was originally called Nya Torget and replaced the former central trade and administrative forum, Gamla Torget. The entire square was designed with closed corner buildings on all four sides, which was and is unusual for Swedish cities. Main streets from the sides of the square were drawn in straight lines towards the city limits, and visual axes ensured that the place functioned as the city’s unifying center.

Since its construction, Stora Torget has had several functions, and there have been both markets and public gatherings here. In the early 17th century, the square was used for trials, and beheadings and other corporal punishments were carried out in the square in public. In the early 1900s, the square became a central point for the city’s tram network and later for bus and car traffic. Around the middle of the 1900s, part of the traffic flow was diverted, and today a large part of Stora Torget is a pedestrian area.

In 2023, Stora Torget underwent a major renovation to make the square more accessible and usable for the public. A new surface was installed, trees were planted and new seating was established, so that people can now enjoy the city space. Around the square today, you can see a mix of older and more modern buildings, which have however been maintained as closed corner buildings.

Uppsala Town Hall
Uppsala Rådhus

Uppsala Town Hall is centrally located on Stora Torget and has been the city’s administrative and legal center since its construction in the mid-18th century. The building was built between 1737 and 1741 according to drawings by architect Carl Hårleman in neo-Renaissance architecture. The town hall was built to replace earlier town hall buildings that had been destroyed in the Great Fire of 1702, and it was used for this purpose from 1710. The current appearance was created by architects Herman Holmgren and Carl August Kihlberg in the 1880s during a renovation of the building.

Inside, the town hall was originally furnished with a courtroom, mayor’s office, meeting rooms and detention rooms in the basement, which had been preserved from the previous 17th-century building, which was originally a private residence palace. The courtroom on the first floor has preserved ceilings and decorative panels that testify to both Baroque and Classicist features. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the building was expanded with extensions towards the courtyard to create space for additional administrative functions.

As the city developed, the town hall became too small to house the city administration, and the 18th-century building was gradually moved out. In 1964, the city’s new town hall was inaugurated, and the last municipal administrations moved from the address in 2008. Since then, the beautiful building has been decorated with shops and restaurants.

Old Market Square
Gamla Torget

Gamla Torget is a small square located along the northern bank of the Fyrisån River by Dombron, and it is the original medieval square in Uppsala. From the Middle Ages until 1643, the square served as the city’s main square, and the city’s town hall and court were located here. In 1643, a new city regulation was adopted, where the name Gamla Torget was officially used, when the new square called Stora Torget was given the status of the city’s central square. The town hall building on Gamla Torget was destroyed by fire in 1702, after which the city’s town hall functions were moved to other buildings.

Along Gamla Torget are several historic buildings from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, including the Theatrum Œconomicum on the northern side of the square, which was built in 1651 and is today used by Uppsala University’s Department of Political Science. There are also older homes and office buildings. It can also be seen that newer buildings have been built to match the older architecture in order to preserve the visual environment, which is characterized by slightly lower floors and less facade decoration than is the case at Stora Torget, for example.

Gamla Torget has lost its administrative importance, but continues to function as a cultural and architectural memory of Uppsala before the great fires and urban regulations. The square is part of the University of Uppsala’s campus area, Campus Gamla Torget, and is used for small gatherings and as a historical reference for the city’s original street plan and building patterns. Its location at Dombron also makes the square one of the most central places in Uppsala.

Uppsala Cathedral
Uppsala Domkyrka

Uppsala Cathedral is Sweden’s largest church and the tallest church building in the Nordic countries, with towers reaching 118.7 meters. Construction began around 1270 and lasted more than 150 years before the church was consecrated in 1435. It was built as a Gothic cathedral in brick, inspired by French cathedrals such as Amiens and Reims, but adapted to Nordic materials and construction techniques. The ground plan is a three-aisled basilica with a transept, polygonal choir end and a long nave. The church was initially the seat of the archbishop of the Swedish ecclesiastical province and the center of the Catholic Church in the country. After the Reformation, it became the main church of the Swedish state church and later the national cathedral.

The building has undergone several extensive reconstructions and restorations. After a major fire in 1702, much of the interior was destroyed, and the church was given new spires and a facade in a partly Baroque style. In the late 19th century, a thorough restoration was led by Helgo Zettervall, who recreated an idealized Gothic expression with high spires, pointed windows, brick arches and buttresses. Many medieval elements were reconstructed, but some changes were criticized for removing parts of the original character. Inside are a number of chapels, including the shrine of Erik the Holy, which has been a place of pilgrimage since the Middle Ages, and the Vasaborg burial chapel, where several members of the Vasa family are buried.

The interior of the cathedral is rich in historical and artistic monuments. Among the most significant are the tomb of Gustav Vasa from 1560, the tomb of Carl von Linné and the tomb of Nathan Söderblom. The church also contains an extensive collection of frescoes, altarpieces, epitaphs and textiles, as well as a large church organ with over 6,000 pipes. Uppsala Cathedral continues to be used for church services, episcopal ordinations, concerts and national ceremonies such as university services and events involving the Swedish royal family. The building is state property and is managed by the Swedish National Property Board as one of Sweden’s most important architectural and historical monuments.

The Treasury
Skattkammaren

The Treasury in Uppsala Cathedral was established as the cathedral’s museum and archive for the church’s valuables in the late 17th century. The purpose was to preserve liturgical objects, relics, silver and textiles that were used in ceremonies and solemn church services. The Treasury today contains over 3,000 objects, including crosses, crucifixes, statues of saints and reliquaries. The collection documents both the development of the church from the Middle Ages to the present day and the development of Swedish church art with crafts, ornamentation and metalwork.

The building is located in the cathedral’s northern tower. The interior is adapted for exhibitions with glass cases and preserved medieval furnishings, combining functionality with historical authenticity. The exhibitions are divided thematically, focusing on the ceremonial life of the church, the cult of the saints, the development of church art and the historical events that took place in the cathedral.

Visitors can see treasures such as the relic of Erik the Holy, a coronation chalice from the Middle Ages and various works made by local goldsmiths. It is also here that the golden dress of Danish Queen Margrethe I, a unique piece of medieval textile, is kept. The Danish dress was taken as a spoil of war by Swedish soldiers in 1659 during the Danish-Swedish War and has since been kept in Sweden. It is considered to be the world’s only preserved party dress from the Middle Ages.

Uppsala Concert & Congress (UKK)
Uppsala Konsert & Kongress (UKK)

Uppsala Concert & Congress Centre, often abbreviated as UKK, is centrally located in Uppsala and was inaugurated in 2007 as the city’s modern concert hall and congress centre. The building was designed by the architectural firm Henning Larsen Architects in collaboration with Swedish architects, and it combines functionality, modern design and technological solutions with a focus on acoustics and flexibility. The building’s exterior is characterized by a glass facade and steel structures, which provide a transparent view of the foyer and visually integrate the building with the city’s street environment.

The concert hall in UKK has space for approximately 1,100 spectators and was built with special acoustics for classical concerts, operas and modern music. The hall is built with wooden panels, sound-absorbing materials and adjustable sound surfaces, ensuring an optimal sound experience regardless of the type of event. In addition, there is a smaller hall for approximately 200 people, which is used for lectures, seminars and smaller music events. The building also houses congress facilities with meeting rooms, auditoriums and flexible conference rooms, making UKK both a cultural and business centre in the city.

UKK serves as Uppsala’s cultural flagship and is home to the Uppsala Chamber Orchestra, the Uppsala Jazz Festival and major national concerts. The building is used for everything from classical concerts, rock and jazz to conferences, seminars and business events. The architecture, with its transparent glass facades, staircases and open foyers, supports the experience of the interaction between city and culture, where the audience can observe activities inside while passing the street outside.

Uppsala Castle
Uppsala Slott

Uppsala Castle is located on Kasåsen south of the city centre, and is one of Sweden’s most significant Renaissance castles. Construction began in 1549 under King Gustav Vasa, who wanted a centre of power in central Sweden. The castle was designed by architect Willem Boy in a classical Renaissance style with a four-winged plan around a courtyard. The outer walls were built of stone and plastered, and the building was given round corner towers, which became a characteristic feature of Swedish castle architecture in the 16th century. The castle served as both a residence and an administrative center, hosting council meetings, court hearings, and royal events.

In 1567, the so-called Sture Murder took place at the castle, where King Erik XIV had three members of the noble Sture family executed. It was an event of great political significance. The castle was partially destroyed in the fire of Uppsala in 1702, and large parts of the roof and interior were lost. Reconstruction did not begin until around 1740, and the work was led by Carl Hårleman, who transformed the castle in the Baroque style with smoother facades, lower towers, and new staircases. In the 19th century, the castle took on its current form when parts of the northern wing were removed and the building was adapted as the residence of the governor of Uppsala County.

Today, Uppsala Castle houses several institutions and places to visit, such as the Uppsala Art Museum, the Governor’s Residence and the Ceremonial Hall of Uppsala University. The castle is part of a historic urban environment with Slottsbacken, the Botanical Garden and Carolina Rediviva, all of which are interesting to see on a trip to the area. The building is a central example of the Swedish transition from medieval castle architecture to royal Renaissance architecture and has been in continuous use since the time of Gustav Vasa.

Uppsala Art Museum
Uppsala Konstmuseum

Uppsala Art Museum is located in the southern wing of Uppsala Castle and was established in 1995 as an institution under Uppsala Municipality. The museum was located in the former administration and residential premises, which were adapted for museum use through an architectural renovation led by Carl Nyrén. The interior design follows the castle’s historical basic structure, but with modern lighting, whitewashed walls and flexible exhibition spaces, so that the original Renaissance architecture is still evident. The southern wing, where the museum is located, is one of the oldest preserved parts of the castle from the 16th century, with thick walls, vaulted ceilings and simple details.

The museum’s collection consists of around 5,000 works, with a focus on Swedish art from the 20th century to the present day. Among the older works are paintings by Bror Hjorth, Helene Schjerfbeck, Einar Jolin, Isaac Grünewald and Sigrid Hjertén, while newer collections include works by Lars Englund, Ulla Wiggen, Ann Edholm and Karin Mamma Andersson. The museum also works with contemporary art in the form of installations, video and performance. A significant part of the exhibition program focuses on the relationship between science, art and society, a theme with historical ties to Uppsala as a university city.

In addition to permanent exhibitions, temporary exhibitions are arranged with both Swedish and international artists. The museum has three main halls and a gallery for experimental contemporary art. In the castle’s old prison tower there is an exhibition room focusing on installations, and here the raw wall surfaces are deliberately used as a contrast to modern media.

Vasa Castle
Vasaborgen

Vasaborgen is the oldest preserved part of Uppsala Castle and is the remains of the original Renaissance castle, which was built under Gustav Vasa in the mid-16th century. It is located in the southern part of the castle complex and consists of masonry, cellars, vaulted rooms and foundations from the earliest construction phases. Vasaborg was severely damaged during the great fire that ravaged Uppsala in 1702, and the ruins then stood unused for over 200 years. It was not until the 20th century that parts of the complex were stabilized and made accessible, and today the area functions as a historical visitor center and museum focusing on the architecture, court life and politics of the Vasa era.

Architecturally, Vasaborg is a clear example of the transition from medieval defensive architecture to the representative castle type of the Renaissance. The preserved walls are built of brick and boulders, and in the cellars there are remains of original bullet holes, fireplaces and defensive structures. The eastern part of the ruin shows traces of tower foundations and walls that supported the original corner towers, which were removed during later renovations. Architectural archaeological investigations have revealed several construction phases, where older medieval walls from a former bishop’s palace were reused in Vasa’s new facilities.

Today, Vasaborgen is used for historical tours, theatre performances and exhibitions that convey 16th-century court culture, the history of the Vasa dynasty and the castle’s role in Swedish central power. The exhibitions include reconstructions of rooms, interactive models and archaeological finds from the site. Vasaborgen also functions as a research site for architectural history and Renaissance archaeology.

Botanical Garden
Botaniska Trädgården

The Botanical Garden was founded in 1655 by Olaus Rudbeck the Elder as part of Uppsala University. The garden is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the Nordic countries. It is beautifully located on the southwestern flank of Uppsala Castle and is planned for both research purposes and recreational use for the city’s citizens. The garden consists of systematic beds with plants arranged by kinship, exotic greenhouses and open landscape sections with native and rare plants. Many of the plants were originally collected during scientific expeditions to various parts of Europe, Africa and Asia.

The garden today contains over 8,000 species and varieties, including trees, shrubs, flowers, herbs and rare alpine plants. Among the best-known collections are the Linnaean Arboretum, where Carl von Linné’s plant classification is studied, and the greenhouses with tropical and subtropical plants, which show the botany of different climate zones. The Botanical Garden functions as both a research station and a teaching environment for the university’s biological and botanical faculties and is used for field teaching, botanical research and dissemination.

The garden has undergone several changes and expansions since its founding. In the 19th century, the garden was reorganized with systematic beds, gravel paths and ornamental trees. In the 20th century, modern greenhouses for tropical plants were established, and some areas were designed for recreational purposes with flower beds, water features and lawns.

Uppsala University
Uppsala Universitet

Founded in 1477, Uppsala University is Sweden’s oldest university, with a continuous academic tradition spanning more than five centuries. The university’s origins lie in the city’s medieval social and cultural movement, which originated among lower-ranking officials, clerks and scribes, but was formalized as an academic institution under papal and royal confirmation in the late 15th century. The university has played a central role in the development of Swedish science, education and social life, including reforms in theology, medicine, natural sciences and law.

The university campus consists of several historic buildings with different architectural styles. The University Hall is the main building, and was built in 1887–1889 according to designs by Isak Gustaf Clason. The University Hall is an example of neo-Renaissance with a granite and stone facade with richly decorated window frames and symmetrical building division. Other important buildings include Carolina Rediviva, the old library from 1841–1845, which was designed by Carl Fredrik Sundvall with a classicist facade, colonnades and spacious reading rooms.

The university’s buildings are generally located around open courtyards and park areas, reflecting the 19th-century ideals of air, light and order in academic institutions. This also allows for some nice walks if you want to experience the university’s grounds and buildings. The university has historically been important for research and culture. Famous professors and alumni include Carl von Linné, Anders Celsius, Olof Rudbeck and Svante Arrhenius. In addition to teaching, the university houses several museums, including Museum Gustavianum, botanical collections and natural history collections.

Museum Gustavianum

Museum Gustavianum is Uppsala University’s oldest museum building and was built between 1622 and 1625 under the direction of Olof Rudbeck the Elder. The building was originally built as a university auditorium with large meeting rooms and associated banquet halls. Gustavianum was named after Gustav II Adolf and has served as a teaching room, auditorium and museum throughout its history. The building’s facade is classicist, and you can still see old decorations in the large halls where teaching and exhibitions were held.

The museum houses several important collections, such as anatomy, medicine, ethnography, ancient art and archaeology. Among the most famous objects are Olof Rudbeck’s anatomical models, the auditorium’s original star chamber, where astronomical instruments were used for teaching, and an extensive collection of ancient statues and coins. The museum organizes permanent and temporary exhibitions focusing on natural sciences, cultural history and the history of the university. Visitors can experience the original auditorium with vaulted ceilings, antique collections and reconstructed teaching models from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Carolina Rediviva

Carolina Rediviva is Uppsala University’s main library and one of Sweden’s most important cultural institutions. The building was built between 1818 and 1841 according to designs by the architect Carl Fredrik Sundvall, who used classicist principles with colonnades, symmetrical facades and high windows. The library has large reading rooms, which were originally furnished with high bookshelves, panels and auditoriums for lectures.

The library’s collections are extensive and number millions of books, manuscripts, maps and prints. Among the most famous objects are the Codex Argenteus, the Gothic Bible manuscript from the 6th century, and original works by Carl Linnaeus, which document the development of botanical science. Carolina Rediviva also houses historical maps, manuscripts and rare prints, covering everything from the Middle Ages to modern research. The collections have been the subject of continuous expansion and renovation to ensure preservation and access for researchers and the public.

Old Uppsala
Gamla Uppsala

Gamla Uppsala is located about five kilometers north of the center of Uppsala and is one of Sweden’s most important archaeological and historical areas. The area was a political and religious center for eastern Swedish kings and communities during the Iron Age and Viking Age. There are three large burial mounds, known as Kungshögarna, which measure up to 75 meters in diameter and 12 meters in height, and are believed to be burial places for royal or high-ranking leaders. The area also has remains of ancient sanctuaries and traces of Viking Age buildings, making it a central place for the study of early Swedish culture and religion.

The area is laid out as a cultural environment, where archaeology, nature and landscape are preserved while also being communicated to the public. Several burial mounds are open to visitors, and paths lead through the area with information signs describing the age, function and significance of the mounds. The Gamla Uppsala Museum is located nearby, and here the history of the area is conveyed with reconstructions, finds from excavations and interactive exhibitions.

Gamla Uppsala also shows traces of early medieval church building with remains of the Gamla Uppsala Kyrka, which was built in the 12th century and partly replaced by the present church. The combination of burial mounds, church building practices and Viking Age finds makes the area a unique historical entity. It is used both as a research area for archaeologists and historians and as a tourist destination, where visitors can experience early Swedish kingship, religious practices and landscape design from before the Middle Ages.