Table of contents hide 1 The Temple of Uppsala Description. 2 In honor of the Nordic gods it was built in Sweden in the city of Uppsala 3 Religious customs. 4 Uppsala is a historical center of the Viking culture 5 Uppsala today.

The Temple of Uppsala was one of the most impressive artistic and religious architectures in the world, which must definitely be visited even once in a lifetime during the spiritual journeys you undertake. It is a place of peace and spirituality in which nature is the most important. few places in Europe have such an energy-laden environment for meditation. Archeological remains and real mounds are very number. In honor of the Nordic gods, this pagan temple was built in Sweden in the city of Uppsala, near the city of Sigtuna, 43 km from the capital, Stockholm.

El T emplo de Up sala - Description.

The temple was destroyed during the wars between Christianity and polytheistic Vikings, around 1087 . To know the ancient description of the temple of Uppsala it is necessary to go to the few bibliographical sources that describe it.

Reference is made to opulence since its walls and part of the facade were n solid gold, in addition the temple was surrounded by a gold chain that dazzled the pilgrims who came to worship their gods on their spiritual pilgrimage trips. The altar of the sanctuary was on the ground between mountains, as if it were a theater. There were three statues of gods to worship . Thor, god of thunder was the main deity. It was located in the center of the altar with a scepter that refers to a hammer, accompanied at its ends by Odin (His father) sculpted with his weapons and Frey with a stick.

In honor of the Nordic gods it was built in Sweden in the city of Uppsala

Religious customs

Practitioners of the pagan religion of the temple of Uppsala were worshipers of the ancient Scandinavian gods. Thor (god of thunder) controller of the winds and storms, he came in times of harvest, Odin n (god of war) prayed to him to provide strength to his warriors in battle and finally to Frey (god of peace and fertility) to bless the unions between men and women in marriage. Depending on the situations that practitioners were suffering, ceremonies and sacrifices were performed to invoke the peace or strength of their gods.

Information has been found that the sacrifices that were practiced there were part of a celebration and that people from all over Sweden made spiritual trips there to witness the ritual, where 9 males of each species (including humans) were killed and then they hung them in the so-called sacred trees outside the sanctuary to see how they bled in the sight of all . All people had to participate and send offerings. The kings sent gifts to the temple and the Christians had to pay a fine for not participating. This was done every 9 years and received the name of Blót that can come from the word blood in English or sacrifice in Nordic, although based on ancient writings from Germany it translates as "calling to magic."

Uppsala is a historical center of Viking culture

Up room today.

At present it is a university city full of old buildings, you can visit Uppsala Castle dating from 1549 and strangely pink, Uppsala Cathedral, the largest in Scandinavia with 119 m high and red, there are cafes, restaurants, youth clubs, museums, art galleries and a famous botanical garden. It is possible to go by bus , travel it in just one day and drink the famous mead prepared there . For those interested in knowing the temple of Uppsala it is possible to see a model of the building and the remains that are still preserved. It is said that the 11th-century church that is still standing there, rose from the remains of the ancient pagan temple. Uppsala is a historical center of the Viking culture so many people make their spiritual trips there, they still keep part of the offerings that the kings sent to worship their gods.

Today there are still people who practice Blot, especially in Iceland, where they sacrifice lamb, pig and wild boar and then feed on their meat, to continue worshiping their three gods. An important feature is that people circle and release, drink and say a few words to their gods and ancestors .

AUTHOR: Antonio, editor of the great family of hermandadblanca.org