Top Historic Sights in Trondheim, Norway
Explore the historic highlights of Trondheim
Archbishop's Palace
The Archbishop's Palace is a castle and palace in the city of Trondheim, located just south of the Nidaros Cathedral. For hundreds of years, the castle was the seat, residence and administrative center of the Archbishop of Nidaros. The castle is one of the largest medieval stone structures in Scandinavia and the oldest walls are likely from the 13th century. The Archbishops of Nidaros expanded the castle gradually, with ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Trondheim, Norway
Nidaros Cathedral
Nidaros Cathedral is the most important Christian cathedral in Norway. It was built over the burial site of Saint Olaf, the king of Norway in the 11th century, who became the patron saint of the nation. It is the traditional location for the consecration of the King of Norway and the northernmost medieval cathedral in the world. Nidaros Cathedral was built beginning in 1070 to memorialize the burial place of Olaf II of N ...
Founded: 1070-1300 |
Location:
Trondheim, Norway
Our Lady's Church
Our Lady"s Church (Vår Frue kirke) was erected around the year 1200. The victim of many fires, it was restored in 1739, but parts of the thick, solid walls of the Church are obviously much older. The first tower of the church was built around 1640, but the current tower was built in 1742 and the spire was erected in 1779. However, the eastern part of church (to the right in the picture) is identical to the &apo ...
Founded: c. 1200 |
Location:
Trondheim, Norway
Kristiansten Fortress
Kristiansten Fortress was built to protect the city against attack from the east. Construction was finished in 1685. General Johan Caspar von Cicignon, who was chief inspector of kuks fortifications, was responsible for the new town plan of Trondheim after the great fire of 18 April 1681. He also made the plans for the construction of Kristiansten Fortress. The fortress was built during the period from 1682 to 1684 and s ...
Founded: 1681-1685 |
Location:
Trondheim, Norway
Bakke Church
The octagonal wooden Bakke Church was built in 1715 and designed by the architect Johan Christopher Hempel. It is the oldest building in the Bakklandet area of Trondheim since it was the only building that was spared during the Swedish siege of 1718. After World War I, the Innherredsveien road (the old European route E6 highway) was widened and upgraded and the church was located too close to and the church became a major ...
Founded: 1715 |
Location:
Trondheim, Norway
Munkholmen Fortress
Munkholmen is an islet which has served as a place of execution, a monastery, a fortress, prison, and a World War II anti-aircraft gun station. In the years prior to the founding of the city of Trondheim in 997 by Viking King Olav Tryggvason, Munkholmen was used as an execution site by the Jarls of Lade. The arrival of Olav Tryggvason to Norway in 995 coincided with a revolt against Haakon Sigurdsson, who was killed by T ...
Founded: 1658 |
Location:
Trondheim, Norway
Sverresborg Castle Ruins
Sverresborg or Sverre Sigurdsson"s castle was a fortification built in the medieval city of Nidaros (later Trondheim). It should not be confused with Sverresborg in Bergen. Sverre Sigurdsson was king of Norway from 1184-1202. In the winter of 1182/1183 he initiated construction of Sverresborg (one of the earliest Norwegian fortresses) to provide him a more secure and more easily defended base from which to work. The ...
Founded: 1182-1183 |
Location:
Trondheim, Norway
Ilen Church
Ilen Church was built in 1889 by the architect Eugene Sissenére, and it was consecrated on 7 June 1889. It does not have its own graveyard on the church site. The church is part of the Ilen parish in the Byåsen deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros.
Founded: 1889 |
Location:
Trondheim, Norway
Lademoen Church
Lademoen Church is the second largest church in the city of Trondheim. It was completed in 1905 and represents Jugend and Neo-Romanticism styles.
Founded: 1905 |
Location:
Trondheim, Norway
Haltdalen Stave Church
Haltdalen Stave Church was originally located in Haltdalen, but today it is on display at the Sverresborg museum in Trondheim. The church was probably built in the 1170s. The church on display is a rebuilt version of two churches from Ålen and Haltdalen. The western wall and the portal is from the old Ålen church. This is a single-nave stave church of the east Scandinavian-style, and it is the only one that is ...
Founded: 1170s |
Location:
Trondheim, Norway
Lade Church
Lade Church is believed to be one of Norway"s oldest stone churches. It is unknown when when it was exactly built, but people started using it around 1190. The current church is assumed to be the successor of two other churches, which are believed to have been one stone church and one stave church. During the wars with Sweden and later during World War II, the church was used as a food stock. There is actually a swas ...
Founded: c. 1190 |
Location:
Trondheim, Norway
Strinda Church
Strinda Church was built in 1900 and consecrated on 18 October 1900. The Neo-Gothic church has 500 seats.
Founded: 1900 |
Location:
Trondheim, Norway
Bratsberg Church
Bratsberg Church was built in 1850 and was consecrated by the Bishop Hans Jørgen Darre.
Founded: 1850 |
Location:
Trondheim, Norway
Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings
Photo from Flickr, copyright thomasatattamus
Historic Site of the week
Petersberg Citadel
The Petersberg Citadel is one of the largest extant early-modern citadels in Europe and covers the whole north-western part of the Erfurt city centre. It was built after 1665 on Petersberg hill and was in military use until 1963. It dates from a time when Erfurt was ruled by the Electors of Mainz and is a unique example of the European style of fortress construction. Beneath the citadel is an underground maze of passageways that can be visited on guided tours organised by Erfurt Tourist Office.
The citadel was originally built on the site of a medieval Benedictine Monastery and the earliest parts of the complex date from the 12th century. Erfurt has also been ruled by Sweden, Prussia, Napoleon, the German Empire, the Nazis, and post-World War II Soviet occupying forces, and it was part of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). All of these regimes used Petersberg Citadel and had an influence on its development. The baroque fortress was in military use until 1963. Since German reunification in 1990, the citadel has undergone significant restoration and it is now open to the public as a historic site.