Page 152 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Stockholm

150  EX CURSIONS FROM ST OCKHOLM

2 Birka
30 km (19 miles) W of Stockholm.
g May–Sep from Stadshusbron.
Birkamuseet: Tel 08-560 515 40.
Open hours vary, check website.
8 of exhibitions and excavations.
= - 0 ∑ raa.se/birka
The first town in Scandinavia
was called Birka, on the island
of Björkö in Lake Mälaren. It
was founded in the 8th century
by the king of Svea who then
reigned over the central parts
of present-day Sweden. His The 16th-century Gripsholms Slott just outside Mariefred
royal residence was on the
nearby island of Adelsö. About Sigtuna, 15 km (9 miles) to the 3 Mariefred
100 years later a contemporary north, which is now Sweden’s 65 km (40 miles) W of Stockholm.
writer gave the town this oldest town. Tel 0159–231 60. g summer from
description: “In Birka there are Today Björkö is a flourish ing Stadshusbron. £ from Central-
many rich mer chants and an island with gardens and stationen to Läggesta, then bus.
abundance of all types of goods, juniper-covered slopes. Gripsholms Slott: Open 15 May–Sep:
money and valuable items.” But, most importantly, it 10am–4pm daily; Oct & Nov: noon–
It was not a large town. There is a popular excursion desti- 3pm Sat & Sun.
were only about 700 inhabi- nation with a fascinating
tants, but they included museum and con tinuing Mariefred should ideally
craftsmen, whose work archaeo logical digs. be approached from the
attracted merchants from During the early 1990s water to get the best view of
distant countries. these excavations the magnificent Gripsholms
The town was provided a lot of Slott in all its splendour. The
planned on simple new information first fortress on this site was
lines. People lived about Birka and built in the 1380s by the Lord
in modest houses, the Vikings. Since High Chancellor, Bo Jonsson
which stood in rows then, work has Grip, who gave the castle its
overlooking the jetties continued around the name. Work on the present
where ships were old fortifi cations, building, initiated by King
moored. These vessels Birka crucifix revealing much about Gustav Vasa, started in 1537
were used by the king’s the town’s defences and but parts have been rebuilt
warriors, the Vikings, for the life of its inhabitants. The or added – most notably
their marauding expeditions. museum shows how Birka during the time of Gustav III
In 830 a monk named Ansgar looked in its heyday, along in the late 18th century. It was
came to Birka, bringing the with some of the archaeolo- during this period that the
Christian faith to Sweden. gical finds. Visitors can also see National Portrait Gallery was
In the 10th century Birka was freshly dug artifacts while established. It now contains
abandoned in favour of excavations are in progress. more than 4,000 portraits
and covers some 500 years of
artistic endeavour, from the
time of Gustav Vasa to the
present day. It also has a
collection of notable foreign
portraits, which are shown
in a separate section.
Gripsholms Slott’s well-
preserved interiors feature a
wide collection of furniture,
art and handicrafts. There are
about 60 rooms. Highlights
include Gustav III’s late
18th-century theatre and
the White Salon which is
also from the same era.
The town of Mariefred, in the
shadow of the castle, derives its
Iron Age burial ground at Birka on the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren name from a late 15th-century

150-151_EW_Stockholm.indd 150 18/11/15 2:52 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.1)
Date 5th December 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm