Birka
Archaeology » Heritage sites» Birka
Location
Birch Island

Country
Sweden

Year of Research
8th century

Culture
  • During the Viking Age, Birka, on the "Birch Island" in Sweden,it was an important trading center which handled goods from Scandinavia as well as Central and Eastern Europe and the Orient.

  • Björkö is located in Lake Mälaren, 30 kilometers West of Stockholm, in the municipality of Ekerö.

  • The archaeological sites of Birka and Hovgården, on the near by island of Adelsö, made an archaeological complex which defines the elaborate trading networks of Viking Europe and their influence on the history of Scandinavia.

  • Generally regarded as Sweden's oldest town, Birka (along with Hovgården) has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.