On my way home from up north I stopped at Gamla Uppsala to see the famous burial mounds. The morning was fantastic for a photo shoot with a lazy sun rising after one of the first frosty nights of the autumn. Orange leaves falling from the trees, frosty cobwebs and the fields were steaming as the sun gained power.
Gamla Uppsala is the place of rich Iron Age and Viking Age settlements, famously described by Adam of Bremen as a heathen cult where human sacrifices were performed. It is unlikely that he ever visited Uppsala himself, however. Eventually even the people of Uppsala converted to Christianity and the site is also home to a very early stone church. Due to changing waterways the city moved further south (the spire of the medieval Cathedral is clearly visible in the horizon) which means that the land has been left mostly undeveloped and we can enjoy a historical site as a pocket in time.
Today the site is cultural heritage and a popular tourist destination with a museum telling the story of the site and of Viking Age Scandinavia. The museum was closed when I came by but I have visited before and the sights I wanted to explore was the burial mounds on this magic moment.
