Uppsala Cathedral

Uppsala Cathedral

Uppsala Cathedral (Swedish: Uppsala domkyrka) is a cathedral in the centre of Uppsala, Sweden. It sits between the University Hall of Uppsala University and the Fyris river.

It is a church of the Church of Sweden, the national church, in the Evangelical-Lutheran tradition. It is also the seat of the Archbishop of Uppsala.

The cathedral is the burial site of King Eric IX, who became the patron saint of Sweden. It was also where new Kings of Sweden were traditionally crowned.

The cathedral was built in the late 13th century. At 118.7 metres (389 ft) tall, it is the tallest church in the Nordic countries. It was first built under Roman Catholicism and later used for coronations of Swedish monarchs after the Protestant Reformation.

Many important people, like Carl Linnaeus, are buried in its chapels.

The cathedral was designed in the French Gothic style by French architects and shaped like a cross. Most of it was built between 1272 and 1420, with the western end finished later. The building changed over the centuries, including a major redesign in the 1880s. Visitors can see ancient artwork and restored medieval paintings inside.

History

At the end of the Viking Age, a pagan temple at Gamla Uppsala was replaced by a Christian church. In 1123, Siward became Bishop of Uppsala, though it is not sure if he ever started his work.

In 1164, Sweden became an archbishopric under Lund, with Stefan of Alvastra as its first archbishop.

A fire damaged the cathedral in Gamla Uppsala in 1204. In 1258, permission was given to move it to a bigger site. In 1272, building began on a new cathedral near the Fyris River in Östra Aros. The cathedral was dedicated to Saint Lawrence, Saint Eric, and Saint Olaf when it was finished in 1435. Over time, it had fires and needed repairs, including big work in the late 1800s and again in the 1970s and 2020s.

The cathedral was used for the coronations of Swedish kings and queens until 1719. In the late 1800s, workers tried to make it look like a French High Gothic building, but later work brought back more of its original style.

In the early 1970s, the building’s structure was improved. In 2010, new fire safety tools were added, and the electrical and heating systems were updated.

Between 2019 and 2021, the cathedral’s twin spire crowns and crosses were fixed. Old cast iron parts were replaced with new, strong iron pieces to keep them safe and looking good.

Architecture

Uppsala Cathedral is the tallest church in Scandinavia, standing at 118.7 metres tall. It was built in the French High Gothic style by French architects and has a Latin cross shape. The main part of the church, called the nave, has two smaller sides called aisles. The church was built between 1270 and 1420, with the western end finished later. The towers took even longer to complete.

The church is made mostly of red brick, with a stone foundation and some limestone details. After fires in 1572 and 1702, the church was repaired many times. The current tall towers were rebuilt in the 1880s. Though designed by French architects, Uppsala Cathedral uses brick instead of stone, which was easier to find nearby. This makes its walls thicker than those of stone cathedrals.

Interior

The Coronation Vault is 27 metres above where the transept crosses the nave. Most of Sweden’s kings and queens were crowned there from the Middle Ages until 1719. In the 1880s, the ceiling and walls were painted in the Neo-Gothic style. Some paintings show Martin Luther, who made big changes in the church.

In the 1970s, many old paintings were found and fixed. The high altar is used for big church services and for naming new bishops. A silver chandelier from 1647 and a big silver and crystal cross from Orrefors were added in 1976.

Chapels

The Vasa Chapel is the largest chapel. It was first for the Virgin Mary but later became a burial place for Gustav Vasa and his family. It was finished in 1583 and shows Sweden’s national arms and old coats of arms from Sweden and Finland. The Finsta Chapel holds relics of Eric the Holy, Sweden’s patron saint. His shrine was moved to the new cathedral and later replaced with a gold-plated one with his relics and crown.

Windows

Many windows still look like they did before. The current stained-glass pictures were added in the late 1800s. Large windows above the doors show God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The rose window at the north portal is the oldest and looks the same as it did in the 1200s.

Treasury and artefacts

The Treasury Museum in the north tower shows gold and silver items used in church services. These include Queen Margaret’s golden gown and burial items of Gustav Vasa and John III. Other items are tapestries, a large pulpit designed by Nicodemus Tessin, and paintings showing events in Gustav Vasa’s life.

Interred notables

Many important people from Swedish history are buried inside Uppsala Cathedral. Some of these include:

• Gustav Vasa, a king from the 1500s, is buried there with two of his wives in a special chapel.
• John III, Gustav Vasa's son, and his wife Gunilla Bielke are also buried there. His first wife, Catherine Jagiellon, has her own small chapel nearby.
• Carl Linnaeus, a famous scientist who studied plants, has a memorial near the Chapel of Remembrance.
• Emanuel Swedenborg, a scientist and thinker from the 1700s, was moved to Uppsala Cathedral from England in 1908.
• Nathan Söderblom, an archbishop who won a Nobel Peace Prize, is buried near the main altar.

Dag Hammarskjöld memorial

The cathedral has a small memorial for Dag Hammarskjöld, a former leader of the United Nations who also won a Nobel Peace Prize. A stone there reads:

Icke jag
utan Gud i mig

Dag Hammarskjöld 1905–1961

The translation in English is "Not I, but God in me."

Open to visitors

The Uppsala Cathedral is in the center of Uppsala, Sweden, on Domkyrkoplan. It is usually open for visitors from 8 am to 6 pm most days. There is also a Treasury Museum in the north tower that is open from 10 am to 4 pm, and on Sundays it opens at 12:30 pm.