Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Birka in Sweden
Birka, located on the island of Björkö on Lake Mälaren in Sweden, is considered to be one of the most significant Viking Age archaeological sites in Scandinavia. From the 8th to the 10th century, this was a thriving trade hub and one of the earliest urban centres in Sweden.
Today Birka is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as the site provides an insight into the Viking Age’s social, economic and cultural dynamics. It’s also a popular place for visitors, so this guide is designed to give you practical information on how to reach Birka and what you can see there. It’s a perfect day trip from Stockholm, especially if you are interested in early Viking history.
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The History of Birka
Founding as a Trade Centre
Birka was founded around 750 AD as a trading port by a king or merchants trying to control trade. It is one of the earliest urban settlements in Scandinavia. Birka served as the Baltic link in the Dnieper Trade Route through Ladoga and Novgorod to the Byzantine Empire and the Abbasid Caliphate.
Birka was also the site of the first known Christian congregation in Sweden, founded in 831 by Saint Ansgar.
At its peak, it’s believed that around 1000 people lived here.
As a trading centre, Birka likely exported furs, iron goods, and craft products. Furs were obtained from the Sami people, the Finns, and the people of Northwestern Russia, as well as local trappers. Furs included bear, fox, marten, otter, beaver, and other species. The trade of walrus tusks, amber, and honey is also documented. In return, it imported various materials from Europe and Western Asia. Foreign goods found in Birka include glass and metalware, pottery from Rhineland, clothing and textiles including Chinese silk, Byzantine embroidery, and plaited cords of high quality.
Abandonment
The settlement was abandoned in 975 AD, around the same time that Sigtuna was founded as a Christian town some 35km to the northeast. Based on the dating of coins found in the area, the city seems to have died out around 960. The reason for Birka’s decline are disputed. The Baltic island of Gotland is a better position for the Byzantine trade, and it was gaining eminence as a mercantile stronghold. It has also been speculated that Birka was the victim of an enemy assault.
No texts survive from the area, though Adam of Bremen wrote about the missionary work of Ansgar in Birka as well as the Archbishop Unni, who died at Birka in 936. Saint Ansgar’s work was the first attempt to convert the people of Birka from the Old Norse religion to Christianity.
Rediscovering Birka
The exact location of Birka was lost over time, leading to speculation from Swedish historians. In search of Birka, National Antiquarian Johan Hardorph was the first to attempt excavations on the island in the late 17th century.
In the late 19th century, Hjalmar Stolpe, an entomologist, arrived on the island to study fossilised insects found in amber on the island. He found very large amounts of amber, which is unusual as amber is not usually found in Lake Malaren. He speculated that the island must’ve been used for trade, and this began a series of archaeological excavations. These excavations indicated that a major settlement had been located on the island and a two decade excavation, led by Stolpe, took place.
The archaeological remains are located in the northern part of the island and span an area of about 7 hectares (17 acres). The remains are both burial sites and buildings, and there is also a hill fort called “Borgen”. The construction technique of the buildlings is still unknown, but the main material was wood.
On the 15th of June 2022, it was announced that archaeologists from Stockholm University’s Archaeological Research Laboratory had found a Viking Age shipyard in Lake Malaren.
Why is Birka Significant?
Birka is a significant site for a few reasons:
– Trading Centre: Birka was a bustling marketplace during the Viking period. Here, goods like furs, iron, amber and textiles were traded with regions as far as the Byzantine Empire, the Middle East, and Western Europe
– Christianisation: Birka was one of the first places in Sweden to adopt Christianity. Therefore, Birka was an early focal point for Christian missionaries, such as Ansgar, who attempted to introduce Christianity to Sweden in the 9th century
– Archaeological Finds: The site of Birka contains remains of Viking dwellings, graves, and artifacts such as jewellery, tools, and weapons.
Birka isn’t the only Viking Age site in the area; there is also Hovgården on the neighbouring island of Adelsö. Together, they both make up an archaeological complex which illustrates the elaborate trading networks of Viking Scandinavia and their influence on the subsequent history of Europe. Birka and Hovgården have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.
What You Can See at Birka
Most visitors come to Birka as part of a guided tour from Stockholm city centre. The full day-trip includes a guided walking tour of the site as well as a visit to the museum. Here are some highlights of the island.
Birka Museum
The Birka Museum displays artifacts and reconstructions of Viking Age buildings. It’s important to keep in mind that you won’t see a real city in Birka. Rather, you see ruins and sites that have been excavated. Birka is interesting from an archaeological perspective. The museum doesn’t have the wide variety of objects like what you’d find in the Vikings section at the Swedish History Museum, but it’s still a nice place to visit. The museum provides insight into what the Viking settlement would have looked like in its heyday through various models and dioramas.
Viking Village Reconstruction
A recreation of a Viking settlement has been built across from the museum so you can get an idea into what Birka may have looked like from the 8th to the 10th centuries. The reconstruction has a nice, authentic vibe to it and is decorated in a way that they believe the Vikings would’ve decorated.
There are over 3,000 graves, many still unexcavated, showing diverse burial practices and goods.
Significant Items
The Birka dragonhead is a 45mm long decorative object made from a tin alloy. The dragonhead was cast from a soapstone mould. Stylistically similar dragonheads have been discovered around the Baltic and they likely functioned as dress pins.
10 small silver crosses were found in graves at Birka. It’s believed they were brought by missionaries. 27 graves contained small pendants of Thor’s hammer from around the 10th century.
Dirham coins have been located all around Scandinavian countries and suggest strong trade relations existed between the medieval Middle East and Northern Europe. A dirham coin was found in the excavation of grave sites at Birka, with Arabic writing and an absence of imagery that would date the coin sometime after the 7th century.
Fortress Ruins
Danes attacked Birka, so it’s believed that a fortress was built to protect the settlement. An entry point in a Viking-era defensive wall still stands at Birka. At the top of the hillfort is the Ansar Monument, a cross erected in 1834 in honour of Saint Ansgar.
Ting Assembly
A ‘ting’ was a major assembly for chieftains in the region. Tings were huge open-air events, which required plenty of space.
Religious Sites
Ansgar’s Cross is a modern cross made to mark the missionary’s efforts to introduce Christianity to the region. It is also believed that one of the first churches to be built in Sweden was built here at Birka.
It’s recommended to join a guided walking tour in Birka to get a full understanding of the archaeological site, its history, and its findings.
Once you’re done with the history, you can enjoy one of the several hiking trails on the island.
Burial Sites
Over 3,000 grave sites are located on Birka, including both cremations and burials in coffins or chamber graves. Skeletal analysis and the presence of gender-specific jewellery and objects in graves has shown that the majority of the deceased are female. It’s theorised that this is because female grave goods are easy to identify, but male graves without objects are difficult to identify.
Many graves contain objects such as coins, glass and textiles that came from foreign countries such as Middle East and Eastern Asia.
Runic Inscriptions
At the Birka Museum you can see Uppland Runic Inscription 6, which was discovered in several pieces on the island. The 10 pieces have bene placed together and are on display. These fragments were found over a period of 100 years.
Items from Birka on Display at the Swedish History Museum
The Swedish History Museum has one of the best exhibitions on the Viking Age in Scandinavia. The museum contains many items from Birka. For example, here you can see ice skates made of animal bone, silver pendants, a necklace, pearls, and glass beads. There is also the skeleton of a child known as the “Birka Girl”. This is a rare lavish burial of a six-year-old girl. Birka’s controversial ‘Allah Ring’ is also on display here.
Practical Information
Getting Here
Getting to Birka is an adventure in itself.
Boat: The most popular wat to visit Birka is by taking a boat tour from Stockholm. The company Stromma offers daily tours out to Birka and it’s highly recommended to book your ticket in advance. You can view the tour here: https://www.stromma.com/en-se/stockholm/excursions/day-trips/birka-the-viking-city/
If you don’t want to go on a large public tour, you can take a local boat across run by Kalle Runristare: https://www.hovgarden.com/io4-guide.html#boat-to-birka. He can also be booked as a guide on the island and you can also include him as a guide for Hovgården.
If you don’t want to take a guided tour, there are also local ferries operating to Birka. The official website for Birka has information on this in detail.
Car: You can drive to the mainland near the island and take a ferry or boat to the island.
Overnighting in Birka
Best Time of the Year
Birka is typically open to visitors from late spring to early autumn (May to September). In the summer months there are often Viking reenactments, guided tours, and educational workshops.
Official Website
I recommend browsing the official Birka website for the best practical information: https://www.birkavikingastaden.se/en/how-to-get-here/
Final Thoughts on Visiting Birka
Overall, Birka is the perfect place for fans of the Vikings or those with an interest in archaeology and early history. If you aren’t exactly a Viking person, this may not be the place for you. There aren’t many physical remains of Birka left, so you need to go in with the understanding that you aren’t visiting a Viking village, but rather the site of where one used to be. Still, I think it’s a fascinating place!
Be sure to check out my Stockholm travel guide! Here you can find all my recommendations of things to do and see, plus practical information for visiting the beautiful Swedish capital.
