Located on the island of Björkö, Birka was an important Viking trading center that was settled from about 750-975. Because of its long history, it is commonly called Sweden’s first town. While wandering the remaining earthwork ruins and exploring a modern recreation of what it would have looked like are enticing enough reasons to visit, what’s truly spectacular are the thousands of Viking-era burial mounds that still rise above the earth.
Archaeologists have only excavated a small percentage of the burial mounds, but what they’ve managed to find in that sample has changed our perception of the Viking era. Perhaps the most significant grave is Bj 581, which is clearly the grave of celebrated person who was given a warrior’s burial surrounded by weapons and horses. Researches originally assumed that Bj 581 was the grave of a man, but it was later determined to be a woman’s burial place.
The the neighboring island of Adelsö is home to another Viking site called Hovgården. Birka and Hovgården together make up an archaeological site that has been recognized by UNESCO for its cultural heritage.
Know Before You Go
Visitors can walk amongst the mounds or take a guided tour. The tour is included with your ticket if you’ve arrived in Birka via a day trip boat excursion from Stockholm, which involves sailing for about two hours, spending about three hours on the island of Björkö, and then sailing back to Stockholm.
You might time your visit to Birka with one of their many events, such as the Birka Historical Tattoo Fest or the Vikings at Birka living history reenactments.
