|
Uppsala
|
|
|
Forty minutes train ride north of Stockholm,
UPPSALA
is regarded as the historical and religious centre of the country. It's a tranquil daytime alternative to the capital, with a delightful river-cut centre, not to mention an active student-geared nightlife. At the centre of the medieval town, a ten-minute walk from the train station, is the great
Domkyrkan
(daily 8am-6pm; free), Scandinavia's largest cathedral. The echoing interior remains impressive, particularly the French Gothic ambulatory, sided by tiny chapels, one of which contains a lively set of restored fourteenth-century wall paintings that tell the legend of St Erik, Sweden's patron saint, while another contains his relics. Poke around and you'll also find the tombs of Reformation rebel monarch Gustav Vasa and his son Johan III, and that of the great botanist Carl Von LinnA© (self styled as Carolus Linnaeus), who lived in Uppsala.
Opposite the cathedral is the
Gustavianum
(mid-May to mid-Sept daily 11am-4pm, Thurs till 9pm; mid-Sept to mid-May Wed-Sun 11am-4pm; 40kr), built in 1625 as part of the university, and much touted for its tidily preserved anatomical theatre. The same building houses a couple of small collections of Egyptian, Classical and Nordic antiquities and the
Uppsala University Museum
, which contains the glorious Augsburg Art Cabinet, an ebony treasure chest presented to Gustav II Adolf. The current
University building
(Mon-Fri 8am-4pm) is the imposing nineteenth-century Renaissance edifice over the way, among whose alumni are Anders Celsius, inventor of the temperature scale. No one will mind if you stroll in for a quick look at the extensive collection of portraits and the imposing central hall. A little way beyond is the
Carolina Rediviva
(mid-May to mid-Sept Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 11am-4pm; rest of year closed Sun; 10kr in summer, free rest of year), one of Scandinavia's largest libraries, with a collection of rare letters and other paraphernalia, including a beautiful sixth-century silver Bible and Mozart's manuscript for
The Magic Flute
. The
Castle
(summer daily 11am-4pm, also Wed 7-9pm; 40kr) has recently been made open to the public - a 1702 fire that destroyed three-quarters of the city did away with all but one side and two towers of this opulent palace. Now you can wander around the excavations and peruse the waxworks in authentic costumes. There are also guided tours in English of the opulent
State Apartments
(mid-June to mid-Aug daily 1pm & 3pm; 40kr). Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
|
Sweden,
|