Uppsala
|
|
This article is about the modern city of Uppsala. If you're searching for the Uppsala of Norse mythology, see Gamla Uppsala.
Uppsala [˘ɵpsɑːla] (older spelling Upsala) is a City and a Municipality of Sweden, located about 70 km north of Stockholm. It is the fourth largest city in Sweden and the administrative centre for Uppsala County (Uppsala län).
| Missing image Uppsala_in_Sweden.png See also:Municipalities of Sweden | Coat of arms
| |
| Seat | Uppsala | |
| County | Uppsala County | |
| Province | Uplandia | |
| Area Rank | 2,189 km² 39th of 290 | |
| Population Rank | 182,324 (Q1 2005) 4th of 290 | |
| Density | 83/km² | |
History
Main article: History of Uppsala
Uppsala has been an important city since pre-historic times. Legend has it that it was the main heathen centre of Sweden, with the Temple at Uppsala containing idols of the Aesir gods. After Christianization in the 11th century, the city withstood the Christian forces for an additional 50 years, but was finally conquered in ? leading to the demolishion of the temple. On its place, it is believed the towering Uppsala cathedral was built in the 13th century. As a replacement for the heathen gods, Uppsala was made into a strong Christian centre. A bishop quickly took seat there, and in 1164 the monk from Alvastra, Stefan, was ordained as the first Archbishop of Sweden, with his diocese centred in Uppsala.
Uppsala is the site of the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. Carolus Linnaeus, one of the renowned scholars of the university, lived in the city for many years, and both his house and garden can still be visited. Uppsala Cathedral is built in the Gothic style and is one of the largest in northern Europe, with towers reaching 119 metres. Uppsala is also the site of a 16th century royal castle.
The city was severely damaged by a fire in 1702. Historical and cultural treasures were also lost, as in many Swedish cities, from demolitions during the 1960s and 1970s. Despite the lack of understanding of the value of the older buildings at that time, many historic buildings remain, especially in the western part of the city.
Politics
Main article: Politics of Uppsala
Historically, Uppsala has been a centre both of conservatism and liberalism, both receiving their ideological nourishment from the University. Today, the city is evenly divided between left and right and has since 1994 been governed by a coalition of the Social Democrats, the Left Party and the Green Party.
Geography
Main article: Geography of Uppsala
1702_fire_in_Uppsala.jpg
Economy
Main article: Economy of Uppsala
Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.
- Pharmacia
- Fresenius
- Slotts
- Lindvalls kaffe
Universities
Main article: Universities in Sweden
Heraldry
Main article: Heraldry of Uppsala
Sites of interest
Notable natives
- Olaus Rudbeckius
- Carolus Linnaeus
- Anders Celsius
- Jöns Jakob Berzelius
- Anders Jonas Ångström
- Dag Hammarskjöld
- Ingmar Bergman
- Arvid Carlsson
- Hans Blix
See also
- Gamla Uppsala Ol Uppsala in Norse mythology
- Temple at Uppsala The Temple of Old Uppsala in Norse Mythology
- Upsala Nya Tidning Uppsala newspaper
External links
- Uppsala (http://www.uppsala.se/) - Official site
- Upsala Nya Tidning (http://www.unt.se/) - Newspaperda:Uppsala
de:Uppsala eo:Upsalo fr:Uppsala it:Uppsala la:Upsalia nl:Uppsala pl:Uppsala (miasto) ro:Uppsala fi:Uppsala sv:Uppsala