Birka the Viking Town

Description of Birka Vikingastaden

The viking town of Birka was founded in the late 8th century by the Swedish king as a trading port i the Lake Mälaren west of Stockholm.

For 200 years Birka was an important trading center for the vikings, and modern times archeological excavations have revealed silver, coins and pearls from Arabic as well as Russian regions.

The Birka viking society could be referred to as one of Swedens first towns, with close to 1,000 viking inhabitants as well as foreigners from distant countries.

Birka was abandoned by the end of the 9th century, and there are several theories why. One is that the town of Sigtuna was founded at that time and soon became a political center. Another factor might be the rising land levels (a phenomena due to the ice age that still continuos today) which made the access a bit more dificult.

The Birka Museum displays a reconstructed Viking settlement and offers guided tours.

Opening hours

Open daily: May–Sep.

Fees

Address Birka Vikingastaden

Björkö, Adelsö, Bus: For boat times call Strömma Kanalbolaget 08 587 140 00 or Mälarö Skärgårdstrafik 08 711 14 57

Contact details

Tel: (+46) 08 560 51 445
Web: www.raa.se