Uppsala

: If you're searching for the Uppsala of Norse mythology, see Gamla Uppsala.

Geography

Situated on the fertile Uppsalaslätten flatlands of muddy soil, the city is dominated by the river Fyrisån flowing through the landscape surrounded by lush vegetation. Parallel to the river runs the glacial ridge of Uppsalaåsen, at an elevation of circa 30 metres the site of Uppsala's castle from which large parts of the town can be seen. The central park Stadsskogen streches from the south far into town, with opportunities for recreation for many residential areas within walking distance.

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Only some 70 kilometers or 40 minutes by train from the capital, many Uppsala residents tend to work in Stockholm. The train to Arlanda airport takes only 17 minutes, rending the city easily accessible by air.

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The commercial centre of Uppsala can best be described as quite compact: While many beautiful buildings remain in the periphery of the central core, especially on the less intensively built western river bank around the cathedral, castle and university, retail commercial activity is geographically focused, if not restricted, to a minor number of blocks around the pedestrianized streets and main square, an area which was subject to large-scale post-WW2 metamorphosis during the economically booming years in the 1960s in particular. During recent decades, a significant part of the retail commercial activity has been relocated to shopping malls and stores situated in the outskirts of the city. Alongside with this, the built up areas have expanded in a quite extensive way, and a certain suburbanization has taken place.

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