The Uppsala Domkyrka is the seat of the Archbishop of the Church of Sweden, and the tallest church…read morein the Nordic countries. Begun in 1272, it is a notable example of the reintroduction of brick into important European buildings. It is a must-see on any visit to the region.
The original cathedral was in Gamla (old) Uppsala, but after a fire in 1204, permission was sought from the Pope to move the church to a better and more spacious location. This permission came in 1258, and construction began on the current site in 1272. The architects were French, and it was designed in the Gothic style. Progress was slow, interrupted by the weather (in particular the cold Swedish winters) and plague. Although consecrated in 1435, it was still incomplete, with the towers finally added in 1470-89. The tall spires (118.7 m (389 ft) were not added until the end of the 19th Century, replacing lower turrets dating from 1735, which had themselves replaced the original gothic spires after a fire in 1702.
The cathedral plan itself is in the Latin Cross style, with a seven-bay nave with aisles and aisle chapels, a four-bay chancel, also aisled, and an ambulatory with seven chapels. Although primarily built of brick, the interior contains piers and detailing in Gotland limestone. A notable feature is the brilliant French-style rose window in the north transept.
As well as the chapels and an impressive baroque style pulpit, it is notable for containing the burials of several Swedish Kings, including Gustav Vasa and John III, and contains the relics of the 12th century Saint Eric, King and Martyr, and of Saint Bridget of Sweden. For me, it is also notable as the burial place of Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), the physician and notable botanist who formalised the system of binomial nomenclature for living organisms.
The cathedral is open every day, and hosts concerts as well as regular services. There is also a small gift shop on site.
