Temple at Uppsala

The Temple at Uppsala was a Temple in Gamla Uppsala (Old Uppsala), near modern Uppsala, Sweden, created to worship the Norse gods of ancient times.

Heimskringla

Snorri Sturluson relates that the Temple was built by the god Frey, who settled at Uppsala:

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:Odin took up his residence at the Maelare lake (Mälaren), at the place now called Old Sigtun. There he erected a large temple, where there were sacrifices according to the customs of the Asaland people. He appropriated to himself the whole of that district, and called it Sigtun (by some suggested to be the same as Tacitus's Sitones). To the temple priests he gave also domains. Njord dwelt in Noatun, Frey in Upsal, Heimdal in the Himinbergs, Thor in Thrudvang, Balder in Breidablik; to all of them he gave good estates.http://www.northvegr.org/lore/heim/001_01.php

Related Topics:
Odin - Mälaren - Old Sigtun - Tacitus - Sitones - Njord - Noatun - Heimdal - Himinbergs - Thor - Thrudvang - Balder - Breidablik

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:Frey built a great temple at Upsal, made it his chief seat, and gave it all his taxes, his land, and goods. Then began the Upsal domains, which have remained ever since.http://www.northvegr.org/lore/heim/000_02.php

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:But after Frey was buried under a cairn at Upsala, many chiefs raised cairns, as commonly as stones, to the memory of their relatives.http://www.northvegr.org/lore/heim/000_02.php

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He also relates that there were human sacrifices:

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:Domald took the heritage after his father Visbur, and ruled over the land. As in his time there was great famine and distress, the Swedes made great offerings of sacrifice at Upsal. The first autumn they sacrificed oxen, but the succeeding season was not improved thereby. The following autumn they sacrificed men, but the succeeding year was rather worse. The third autumn, when the offer of sacrifices should begin, a great multitude of Swedes came to Upsal; and now the chiefs held consultations with each other, and all agreed that the times of scarcity were on account of their king Domald, and they resolved to offer him for good seasons, and to assault and kill him, and sprinkle the stalle of the gods with his blood. And they did so. http://www.northvegr.org/lore/heim/001_03.php

Related Topics:
Domald - Visbur

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:After Ole's fall, On returned to Upsal, and ruled the kingdom for twenty-five years. Then he made a great sacrifice again for long life, in which he sacrificed his second son, and received the answer from Odin, that he should live as long as he gave him one of his sons every tenth year, and also that he should name one of the districts of his country after the number of sons he should offer to Odin.http://www.northvegr.org/lore/heim/001_05.php

Related Topics:
Ole - On

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Moreover, he relates that many people gathered there for the sacrifices:

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:Onund's district-kings were at that time spread widely over Sweden, and Svipdag the Blind ruled over Tiundaland, in which Upsal is situated, and where all the Swedish Things are held. There also were held the mid-winter sacrifices, at which many kings attended. One year at midwinter there was a great assembly of people at Upsal, and King Yngvar had also come there with his sons. Alf, King Yngvar's son, and Ingjald, King Onund's son, were there -- both about six years old. They amused themselves with child's play, in which each should be leading on his army.http://www.northvegr.org/lore/heim/001_07.php

Related Topics:
Onund - Tiundaland - Things - Mid-winter sacrifices - Ingjald

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According to Snorri, there was a main blót at the Temple at Uppsala in February, and they sacrificed for peace and for the victories of the king. Then the Ting of all Swedes was conducted and there was a grand fair, and this continued even after Sweden had been Christianized. The Dísablót was performed to see how large the next harvest would be.

Related Topics:
Snorri - February - Ting - Dísablót

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