Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
Slovenia mushroom foraging
Slovenia • 6 days, 5 nights
Forest to Table in Alpine Slovenia
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
“Yo Soy el Buen Pastor Ego Sum Pastor Bonus” by Bernardo Ramonfaur.
Museo Arquidiocesano de Arte Sacro (Archdiocese Sacred Art Museum)
Burke Building.
Burke Building
‘La Grande Assiette Brisée’ (‘The Large Broken Plate’)
Ellijay Mushrooms Farm
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
View of the Full General Store from the Second Floor.
MoonPie General Store
A slice of cake is the perfect coda to a meal at Piatto Romano.
Piatto Romano
Crunchy and supremely satisfying, suppli might be the ultimate street food snack.
Supplizio
The pedigreed pistachios here are from Bronte.
Gelateria dei Gracchi
This tiny hole-in-the-wall serves one of the world’s most magnificent sandwiches.
Er Buchetto
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Our journey begins in Texas—more specifically in Big Bend National Park.
The Atlas Obscura (Audio) Guide to the National Parks
about 7 hours ago
While initially unsanctioned, Toronto’s graffiti community converted this largely ignored alleyway into an epicenter of world-class street art.
10 Unexpected Places Where Creativity Shines in Toronto
about 7 hours ago
Prehistoric creatures roam the grounds of the Dinosaur House.
Roadside Dinosaurs: An American Love Story
about 8 hours ago
There’s No Right Way to Say ‘Taco’
about 12 hours ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Sweden Sigtuna Sigtuna Stora Gatan

Sigtuna Stora Gatan

Sweden's oldest street has not changed for nearly a millennium.

Sigtuna, Sweden

Added By
CoolCrab
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Sigtuna Stora Gatan   Brorsson
Sigtuna Stora Gatan   Brorsson
Sigtuna Stora Gatan   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  Johan SWE / Atlas Obscura User
Sigtuna Stora Gatan   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  Johan SWE / Atlas Obscura User
Sigtuna Stora Gatan   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  Johan SWE / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Stora Gatan, or the large street, is a quaint little pedestrian street not unlike many others that can be found in old city centers. However, this street is special because its layout has not changed for nearly a millennium. 

Sigtuna was the first true city in Sweden, established by King Erik the Victorious. He wanted to make the city the country's capital, but this was not an easy task. However, King Erik was a masterful diplomat and excellent at making friends.

Along the Stora Gatan, he divided up the land into plots and gave them away to influential people. They would not live on the land, but would often visit and flaunt their riches. This act drew many merchants and business people to the town. 

Over time, it truly became the capital of Sweden, and travelers from all over the world would arrive here with their goods. Underneath the road, archeologists have found items from the Byzantine empire, Asia, and the old Russian empire. 

Over the centuries, all of the old buildings except for a few churches have been broken down or were burned during a fire. New houses were constructed and the city evolved, but unlike most places, the main street stayed very much the same. 

These days, Sigtuna is no longer the capital but visitors can still experience its old glory beyond the souvenir shops and cafes along this road. 

Related Tags

Roads History & Culture Artifacts

Know Before You Go

Sigtuna is about one hour from Stockholm and can be reached with normal Stockholm public transport tickets. 

Community Contributors

Added By

CoolCrab

Edited By

Johan SWE

  • Johan SWE

Published

August 7, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigtuna
  • https://www.sweetsweden.com/tourism-travel-sweden/day-trips-from-stockholm-what-to-see-do-in-sigtuna/#:~:text=Sweden's%20Oldest%20Pedestrian%20Street,best%20months%20of%20the%20year.
  • https://destinationsigtuna.se/en/attraktion/sigtuna-town/
Sigtuna Stora Gatan
46 Lönngränd
Sigtuna, 193 35
Sweden
59.617581, 17.723784
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Sigtuna Rådhus (City Hall)

Sigtuna, Sweden

miles away

The Sigtuna Phone Box Library

Sigtuna, Sweden

miles away

Arlanda Airport Runestone

Stockholm, Sweden

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Sigtuna

Sigtuna

Sweden

Places 3

Nearby Places

Sigtuna Rådhus (City Hall)

Sigtuna, Sweden

miles away

The Sigtuna Phone Box Library

Sigtuna, Sweden

miles away

Arlanda Airport Runestone

Stockholm, Sweden

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Sigtuna

Sigtuna

Sweden

Places 3

Related Places

  • Savannah, Georgia

    WEBB Military Museum

    At this privately owned collection, conflicts are humanized through soldiers’ personal belongings.

    Sponsored by Visit Savannah
  • Come journey into the feudal past.

    Hakone, Japan

    Old Tokaido Way

    The centuries-old cobblestones of a feudal highway remain in the woods of Hakone.

  • The real Shakōki Dogū idol is exhibited in Tokyo.

    Tsugaru, Japan

    Kamegaoka Stone Age Site

    This prehistoric burial site is where one of Japan’s most iconic ancient idols was found.

  • Malton, England

    Jet Bear

    This small figurine of a bear tells us a lot about the value of jewels and funerary practices in Roman Britannia.

  • Saddles on display.

    Galveston, Texas

    Bryan Museum

    One of the largest historical collections on Texas and the American West.

  • Krakow, Poland

    The Cloth Hall Knife

    Legend holds that this knife serves as a chilling reminder of the deadly rivalry between two local builder brothers.

  • The living history museum El Rancho de Las Golondrinas.

    Santa Fe, New Mexico

    El Rancho de Las Golondrinas

    Step back in time at an outdoor living history museum where New Mexico's cultural traditions come alive.

  • The 7,000-square-foot Museo del Vaquero de las Californias explores more  than 300 years of vaquero history in the Californias.

    El Triunfo, Mexico

    Museo del Vaquero de Las Californias

    This bilingual museum explores the more than 300 years of vaquero history.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.