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Uppsala

This article is about the modern city of Uppsala. If you're searching for the Uppsala of Norse mythology, see Gamla Uppsala.

Uppsala [˘ɵpsɑːla] (older spelling Upsala) is a City and a Municipality of Sweden, located about 70 km north of Stockholm. It is the fourth largest city in Sweden and the administrative centre for Uppsala County (Uppsala län).

Uppsala kommun
Image:Uppsala.png
City Uppsala (1286)
County Uppsala County
Province Uplandia
Area
 - Total
Ranked 36th
2,465 km²
Population
 - Total (1999)
 - Density
Ranked 4th
188,478
76.5/km² (64th)
Contents

History

Main article: History of Uppsala


Uppsala is the site of the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. Carolus Linnaeus, one of the renowned scholars of the university, lived in the city for many years, and both his house and garden can still be visited. Uppsala Cathedral is built in the Gothic style and is one of the largest in northern Europe, with towers reaching 119 metres. Uppsala is also the site of a 16th century royal castle. The city was severely damaged by a fire in 1702. Historical and cultural treasures were also lost, as in many Swedish cities, from demolitions during the 1960s and 1970s. Despite the lack of understanding of the value of the older buildings at that time, many historic buildings remain, especially in the western part of the city.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Uppsala

Historically, Uppsala has been a centre both of conservatism and liberalism, both receiving their ideological nourishment from the University. Today, the city is evenly divided between left and right and has since 1994 been governed by a coalition of the Social Democrats, the Left Party and the Green Party.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Uppsala

Economy

Main article: Economy of Uppsala

Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.

Universities

Main article: Universities in Sweden

Heraldry

Main article: Heraldry of Uppsala

Sites of interest

Notable natives

See also

External links

Last updated: 05-13-2005 07:56:04