Page 138 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sweden

136  SWEDEN AREA B Y AREA

Steninge Slott near Sigtuna, one of the best examples of a 17th-century Carolian country house
8 Sigtuna + Steninge Slott 0 Birka
7 km (4 miles) east of Sigtuna.
Uppland. * 44,000. k £ to Tel 08-592 595 00. Palace: Uppland. g from Stockholm during
Märsta C, then bus. @  n Stora Open Jun–Aug daily. & 8 0 = summer season only. Birkamuseet:
Gatan 33, 08-594 806 50. Tel 08-560 515 40. Open times vary;
∑ sigtuna.se check website. & 8 - 0 =
9 Enköping ∑ stromma.se/sv/Birka
Sweden’s second oldest Uppland. * 40,000. k £ @
town after Birka was founded n Rådhusgatan 3, 0171-625 040. The trading post of Birka on
in 980 and soon became a ∑ enkoping.se the island of Björkö in Lake
centre of Christianity. Ruins of Mälaren was established in
three of the original seven This centrally located town the 8th century and is thought
churches in medieval Sigtuna, on Lake Mälaren calls itself to be the oldest town in
St Per, St Lars and St Olof, still Sweden’s “nearest town”. Scandinavia. The founder was
remain. The attractive main Another name is “Horseradish the Svea king, who had his
street, Stora Gatan, is lined Town” from royal residence on
with colourful wooden the vegetable nearby Adelsö.
buildings and follows the production About 100 years
original route. Still in use today which made the later, Birka
is the 13th-century church of town known in the 19th is described by a writer as
St Maria, with its medieval century. And Enköping having “many rich merchants
paintings. It is the oldest brick- remains a city of greenery and an abundance of all
built church in Mälardalen. with its inviting parks. types of goods and a great
Sigtuna has Sweden’s Enköping was granted a deal of money and valuables”.
smallest town hall, built in town charter in 1300. It It was thought to have had
1744, and Lundströmska was a spiritual centre with 1,000 inhabitants, including
Gården, an early 20th-century three churches and a craftsmen of every kind,
home furnished in the style of monastery. Of these, only whose products
the period. There are around the largely remodelled Triumphal cross, attracted merchants
150 11th-century rune stones Vårfrukyrkan remains. Härkeberga Kyrka from distant countries.
in the surrounding region. Northeast of the town, The town was planned
The area is well-endowed the medieval church of on uncomplicated lines. People
with stately homes. These Härkeberga is a real gem. lived in modest houses which
include Skokloster (see p133) At the end of the 15th century, stood in rows overlooking
and the royal palace of its star chamber was decorated the long jetties. At these lay
Rosersberg, with some of by the master painter the ships which took the
Europe’s best-kept interiors Albertus Pictor with colourful Vikings out on trading missions
from the period 1795–1825. representations of biblical and war exped itions. In 830
East of Sigtuna is Steninge stories (see p131). the arrival of a monk named
Slott, architect Tessin the Ansgar marked the start
Younger’s Italianate Baroque R Härkeberga Kyrka of Sweden’s conversion to
masterpiece built in the 1690s. 10 km (6 miles) northeast of Christianity. But Birka’s moment
The attractive house and Enköping. Open Mar–Oct: daily. of greatness soon passed.
gardens were a popular tourist
spot, but the site is now being
transformed into a residential
area with more than 600 homes.

+ Rosersbergs Slott
15 km (9 miles) from Sigtuna.
Tel 08-590 350 39. Open for
guided tours only. & 8 May–Sep:
11am–3pm (Jun–Aug: to 4pm).
- 0
Iron Age burial ground at Birka on the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren
For hotels and restaurants in this area see p285 and pp295–6

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