I have always been a fan of history. As a child, I used to have dinosaur toys by my bed (my favourite was Spinosaurus by the way!). And as a teen, reading history was my bedtime habit. One cannot simply come from the Pharaohs’ land and not read history! 😀

So, as a history geek, I feel blessed being in Uppsala. There are lots of historical spots that you can visit, and in this blog post, I am going to talk about three of them. I will keep it brief, so I don’t spoil the experience for you! 😊

1) Gamla Uppsala

This is where the oldest settlements in Uppsala are located. It’s an archaeological site with three distinct places you can visit: the burial mounds, the church, and the museum.

The burial mounds are basically where some of the earliest Swedish kings are buried, along with some of their belongings (this is why I named them the Swedish pyramids!). It’s interesting to see up close, and there’s a beautiful hiking trail that you can walk on. Don’t forget to read the signs along the way, they include a little bit of history!

The church in Gamla Uppsala is the oldest church (yes, older than the famous central cathedral!). It was built right over the site of an old pagan temple.

The museum is full of amazing historical relics from the Viking era, each with its own story! I won’t spoil what’s inside but just know that it’s worth your time! For your information, the museum has a student discount, and they offer guided tours on the weekend. There’s also a kids’ area where children get to role-play as Vikings, so if you have children, bring them with you!

2) Museum of Evolution: Palaeontology

One of the most interesting museums I have ever visited! It’s full of REAL dinosaur skeletons and bones from the Jurassic era and earlier! While I couldn’t see my favourite dinosaur, there was A LOT that made me forget about it altogether! The most impressive one was a complete skeleton of a huge herbivorous dinosaur: Euhelopus zdanskyi. From what I recall, it was first discovered in China somewhere around the 1920s. And of course, who could forget the famous T. rex! Right when you enter the museum, you will see a skull greeting you! There were lots of other interesting exhibits like the famous flying reptile, Pterodactylus, but I won’t spoil the experience for you! This museum is a must-visit. And the best thing is, I entered FOR FREE! Uppsala University students can enter for free, just don’t forget your campus card!

3) Museum of Evolution: Zoology

Located in front of the Palaeontology museum, the Zoology museum has real preserved specimens of birds, animals, and marine life that are interesting to see! They are mostly from Sweden’s wildlife, but I recall seeing exhibits from other areas too. I also recall a massive whale skeleton hanging overhead! So, if you are going to the Palaeontology museum, don’t forget to visit this one too! And yes, it’s also free for students!


I hope you’ll enjoy visiting these places as much as I did!