Upsala

up-sa'la, a famous university town of Sweden. The name signifies "the lofty halls." Upsala is situated near the head of a branch of Lake Malar, about thirty-five miles northwest of Stockholm. The population in 1907 was about 25,000. The city possesses a fine old thirteenth century Gothic cathedral. It contains the tombs of several Swedish kings. The university was founded in 1477. It occupies modern buildings. There are about 1,500 students. The library contains one-third of a million volumes and 12,500 manuscripts. Among others there is a priceless manuscript of Ulfilas' translation of the Gospels into the Gothic language. It is written in silver characters on a purple ground. It is the oldest and the most valuable literary specimen of Gothic extant. Many eminent men, including the immortal Linnaeus, the founder of systematic botany, have been connected with the university. See Linnaeus; Sweden; Gotland