Evening star., 1927-05-30
OLD PAGAN CAPITAL
DRAWS SPOTLIGHT
Christian Church Dedicated
on Site Where Temple of
UpsaIa Stood.

"Old J-psala one time pagan Caplal
Of Sweden, recently came into the
spotlight, after centuries of siumber,
when a Christian church which IS
more than 500 years old was rededt-
Gated" says a bulletin from the Ma
tionaI Geographic Society
1.-THE church stands on the same site
formerly occupied by the famous
golden pagan temple of Upsala, where
worship of the Morse gods, Odin, Thor
and Frey, drenched the sacred build
ing with the blood Of human sacrifice.
"Tradition has it that King Donald
was slain at UpSala as sacrifice to
the pagan gods to end a famine, after
the people had offered other human
beings and an OK without success
continues the bulletin.
King Aun, another early Swedish
King. was promised additional years Of
life by the gods if he would offer up
his sons. He lived to sacrifice nine,
but was stopped by his subjects before
he attempted to slay the tenth and
last. The old King is said to have
died shortly after he failed TO comply
with the gods commands.
TOn1bs OF Gods Remain.
"Visitors to Old Upsala today who
are not familiar with its history would
not be apprised of its ancient glory.
Except for three huge mounds, the
traditional tombs of the three gods
and a natural amphitheater where the
ancient assemblies of Sweden were
held, few suggestions OF the old cap
ital remain.
"Ostra Aros, miles south OF the
capital on the Fyrisa River. was the
royal landing place. otherwise it was
insignificant compared with the royal
town But when the first Christian
cathedral was destroyed by fire in the
thirteenth century the arshbishopric
was moved to the port city, and short
~ afterward the royal household mi
grated to Stockholm. Old Upsala was
soon deserted when stripped of its
royal and religious leadership. and
Ostra Aros even usurped its name. The
old capital later became known as
Gamla Cpsala.
Modern Upsala, now a city of
nearly 10000 inhabitants, is about 40
miles north of Stockholm with which
it is connected by both water and rail
transportation. Its principal industry
is education, for Upsala University
is the largest state educational insti.
tuition in Sweden. The university was
founded in 1477.
Growing the highest point in the
city is the Upsala Castle. founded by
King GuStavus EaSa nearly 400 years
ago. It was the scene of Queen Chris
tina's abdication.
0verlooks college Town"
"The castle windows afford a
splendid view Of the college town.
The Fyrisa, crossed by eight bridges,
xzHetly flows southwark toward Lake
Ma&ren. The city is spread out on
both banks. The east bank, save for
a few houses, and streets that are
laid out in checkerboard fashion, is
the site of numerous university build
ings. campuseS and gardens. One of
the gardens was laid out by Linnaeus,
the founder Of modern botany, who
became professor at Upsala in 1741.
Emanuel Swedenborg, mystic philoso-
pher and founder of the religious sect
called the Swedenborgians was grad
uated from the university in ITO.
wherever seen, Upsala students
are distinguished by their white velvet
caps. Each of the some 1000 students
are obliged to become members of the
student unions known as nations
There are no Greek letter fraternities.
Members are chosen by accident of
birth for each nation represents one
or more Swedish lans, or provinces.
The nations have their own houses
and conduct their own affairs.
THE university library is, perhaps,
the most important in the country,
containing more than $4,000 printed
volumes and $4,000 valuable manu-
scripts. The chief treasure is the
famous CodeX Argenteus. fourth
century translation of the four gospels
into Moeso-Gothic. The work includes
1877 leaves of parchment in gold and
silver letters on a red ground. There
is also a collection Of letters of
Luther, Linnaeus, Mozart and Goethe.
''Upsala Cathedral might be proper.
" called Little Notre Dame, although
1t is the largest in Sweden. The
cathedral is situated in the center of
the city. its close adjoining the uni
yersity campus. Here the graduation
exercises of the university are held.
In its burial vaults lie the remains OF
some Of Sweden's foremost educators,
among whom are King Gustavus
Vasa, Linnaeus and Swedenborg. One
of Notre Danes architects, Etienne
de Bonneuil drew the plans of the
cathedral which accounts for its
resemblance to the Paris church. Con-
struction began in 1887 and it was $50
years before the building was COM
pleted."