History And Rune Stones In Sigtuna, Sweden’s Oldest Town

Less than 50 km from Stockholm, Sigtuna is ideal for a day trip from the capital. It is the oldest town in Sweden, founded in 980 CE, and until the 13^th century it was one of the most important cities in the country. Today it is small, and its importance has waned, but there is still plenty for visitors to see, including old houses, historic churches, and lots of rune stones.

What To See In Sigtuna

Sigtuna is on the edge of Lake Mälaren, in the inner Stockholm archipelago. You could start your exploration by strolling through the lakeside park, noting the modern stone labyrinth and rune stone by the water. Then walk down Stora gatan, the historic main street, past the tiny town hall and towards the museum with its displays of Sigtuna’s history.

It is this street that attracts tourists, with its old wooden shops and houses painted in different colours. The very early buildings are long gone, most of the current ones dating from the 18^th century or later. However it is fascinating to stop and read the numerous information plaques showing the history of the buildings and the people who lived and worked in them.

Churches Of Sigtuna

Sigtuna was founded as a royal and commercial city, but it was also an early centre of Christianity. A highlight of my visit was the old churches and the rune stones, reminders of a time when Sigtuna was a much more substantial and significant place. Parallel to Stora gatan is the “Procession Road”, built in the 12^th century for religious processions, and home to several churches. Most of these churches fell into disuse after the Reformation but you can still see the ruins.

The only church that survived was St  Mary’s. This was originally a monastic foundation but at the time of the Reformation the monastery was destroyed and St Mary’s became a parish church. Look out for the 14^th century wall paintings and the font, which is older than the church itself. Just outside the churchyard you will see the monastery herb garden.

Viking Rune Stones In Sigtuna

Then there are the Viking rune stones. The Sigtuna Rune Stone Walk takes you around the town centre and along the Procession Road, passing a total of 15 rune stones, mostly dating from the 10^th and 11^th centuries. Each has its own information board and translation of the runic inscription. You will find more rune stones, and information about their history, in the Sigtuna Museum.

But what are rune stones and what were they for? You can read more about them in this post – Understanding Swedish Rune Stones.

Sigtuna’s Castles

In keeping with it’s status as Sweden’s first town, there are a number of castles a short distance from Sigtuna. You may wish to explore some of these if you have more time available. One of the most important is the 17^th century Skokloster Castle, a beautiful Baroque construction on the shore of Lake Mälaren. Skokloster is 25 km from Sigtuna and you can get there by boat.

How To Visit Sigtuna

• Sigtuna is situated between Stockholm and Uppsala.
• I travelled by pendolino train as far as Mastra, and then took the bus to Sigtuna (using my Stockholm SL travel card for the whole journey). But it is also possible to travel the whole way by bus.
• In the summer you can also travel by boat from central Stockholm.
• Alternatively you could take a guided tour from Stockholm.
• Although Sigtuna is small, there are plenty of places to stay overnight if you wish to extend your visit. Have a look at the recommendations on booking.com.