Visit to Iceland and the Scandinavian NorthPfeiffer, Ida
History
Visit to Iceland and the Scandinavian North
Pfeiffer, Ida
Iceland -- Description and travel; Old Norse poetry -- History and criticism; Scandinavia -- Description and travel
Tempted by this convenient opportunity of easily and quickly reaching the
celebrated town of Upsala, and by the unusually fine weather, I took my
passage one evening, and was greatly disappointed when, on the following
morning, the rain poured down in torrents. But if travellers paid much
attention to the weather, they would not go far; so I nevertheless
embarked at half-past seven, and arrived safely in Upsala. I remained in
the cabin during the passage, and could not even enjoy the prospect from
the cabin-windows, for the rain beat on them from the outside, while
inside they were obscured by the heat. But I did not venture on deck,
hoping to be favoured by better weather on my return.
At last, about three o'clock, when I had been in Upsala more than an
hour, the weather cleared up, and I sallied out to see the sights.
First I visited the cathedral. I entered, and stood still with
astonishment at the chief portal, on looking up at the high roof resting
on two rows of pillars, and covering the whole church. It is formed in
one beautiful straight line, unbroken by a single arch. The church
itself is simple: behind the grand altar a handsome chapel is erected,
the ceiling of which is painted azure blue, embossed with golden stars.
In this chapel Gustavus I. is interred between his two wives. The
monument which covers the grave is large, and made of marble, but clumsy
and void of taste. It represents a sarcophagus, on which three bodies,
the size of life, are laid; a marble canopy is raised over them. The
walls of the chapel are covered with pretty frescoes, representing the
most remarkable scenes in the life of this monarch. The most interesting
among them are, one in which he enters a peasant's hut in peasant's
attire, at the same moment that his pursuers are eagerly inquiring after
him in front of the hut; the other, when he stands on a barrel, also
dressed as a peasant, and harangues his people. Two large tablets in a
broad gold frame contain in Swedish, and not in the Latin language, the
explanation of the different pictures, so that every Swede may easily
learn the monarch's history.
Several other monuments are erected in the side-chapels; those of
Catharine Magelone, John III., Gustavus Erichson, who was beheaded, and
of the two brothers Sturre, who were murdered. The monument of
Archbishop Menander, in white marble, is a tasteful and artistic modern
production. The great Linnaeus is buried under a simple marble slab in
this church; but his monument is in one of the side-chapels, and not over
his grave, and consists of a beautiful dark-brown porphyry slab, on which
his portrait is sculptured in relief.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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