Björkö, Ekerö

An island in Lake Malaren, 30 km west of Stockholm, renowned as the site of Birka, one of the most important Viking Age trading centers in Northern Europe. Founded around AD 750, Birka flourished for over 200 years as a hub for trade connecting Scandinavia with Continental Europe and the Orient. It was also where St. Ansgar established the first Christian congregation in Sweden in AD 831. Together with Hovgarden on neighboring Adelso, the site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 for its exceptionally well-preserved Viking Age archaeological remains. The island also contains earlier Bronze Age relics including a small shrine found on its summit.