Birka was a commercial town and a centre of the King's power. The name of the king who founded the town in the late 8th century is still unknown and so is the reason why it was abandoned 200 years later. What remains are almost 3,000 burial mounds and numerous myths and tales of life in the town.
Visitors can walk across the island and visit various excavation sites. In addition, there is a small museum featuring miniature models, archaeological finds and reconstructions.
The Birka World Heritage Site is located on the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren and open from May through September. It can only be reached by ferry (daily links from Stockholm and Hovgården on Adelsö Island during the summer) or private boat (guest harbour on Ångholmen). http://www.raa.se/birka_eng/
The open air museum Gunnes gård is a reconstruction of a Viking Age farmstead from the 10th century. http://www.upplandsvasby.se/gunnes (Website in Swedish only)
The Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm covers Swedish cultural history and art from the Stone Age to the 16th century.
Its Viking exhibition displays objects that tell the visitor about daily life, battles, trade and faith. It includes, amongst other things, the Mästermyr find.
A further attraction is the Gold Room, of which a virtual tour is offered on the website. http://www.historiska.se/
The Historical Museum in Lund, founded 1805, is the second largest museum of archaeology in Sweden. The collections, which contain many unique objects, show the development of man and society from antiquity to the Middle Ages. http://www.luhm.lu.se/
In the museum you will meet 8 000 yers of the island`s rich history - from the Stone Age to the Viking Age, from the Medieval Period to present day. The exhibition on Natural history invites you to explore the unique nature of Gotland, with its rich flora and fauna, from limestone and fossils to the shores and the environmental threat to the Baltic Sea. http://www.lansmuseetgotland.se/ (Webshop in Swedish only)
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Page last modified: 22 February 2009
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