Viking Magazine - September 2016 - 17

Nidaros Cathedral
SET AGAINST THE HILLS OF
GREEN AND THE DEEP BLUE
WHERE RIVER MEETS FJORD,
TRONDHEIM IS A COLORFUL
JUMBLE OF WOODEN BUILDINGS
AND A TOWERING STONE
CATHEDRAL. Nestled on the banks
of the Nidelva River, it's been a
place of battle, a place of worship
and a city dedicated to learning.
The city's charm lies in its
juxtaposition of storied history and
youthful energy. Trondheim is at
the center of Norway's technology
movement. Nearly one-fifth of
the population are students,
many of them at the renowned
Norwegian University of Science
and Technology.
Norway's third largest city - a
six-hour drive or one-hour flight
northwest of Oslo - Trondheim
was founded as a trading post
in 997 by King Olav Tryggvason.
The city was Norway's capital
until 1217 and grew up around
Nidaros Cathedral, which was
built over St. Olav's tomb starting
in 1070. Other important sites -
Munkholmen Island which was
originally an execution site, then a
monastery and later a prison and
fortress; Stiftsgården, the royal
residence and one of the largest
wooden buildings in Europe; and
Kristiansten, a fortress atop a hill
- define the city and can still be
visited today.
But there are new places
that speak to Trondheim's
contemporary vibe - the cuttingedge
art scene and food culture. It's
a city begging to be explored.
È Where to Explore
If a city can be defined by a church -
Paris by Notre Dame, Moscow by St.
Basil's Cathedral - then Trondheim
is the city of Nidaros Cathedral, a
masterpiece in stone and stained glass
with a façade of sculpture by some of
Norway's greatest artists. Named for the
river Nidelva that flows into the fjord,
Nidaros was built starting in 1070 and
completed around 1300. Multiple fires
took their tolls and the cathedral had
all but crumbled by 1537. It was rebuilt,
over and over, in Romanesque style,
then Gothic. The last major restoration
began in 1869 and ongoing work was
completed in 2001. Today, Nidaros is
the northernmost medieval cathedral in
the world and one of the most popular
pilgrimage destinations in Europe.
Adjacent to the cathedral are a
few notable museums, including the
Archbishop's Palace, which reveals
fascinating archeological details about
Nidaros and displays Norway's Crown
Jewels. One could easily spend an
afternoon wandering the hallowed halls
of this sacred compound.
Just over the Gamle Bybro (Old
Town Bridge) from Nidaros - perhaps
the city's most most-loved view of
those colorful wooden buildings - is
Bakklandet, Trondheim's idyllic old
town, which today is a long stretch of
wonderful boutiques and restaurants.
It's also the site of the world's first bike
lift which pushes tired but coordinated
bicyclists up the long hill to Kristiansten
Fortress, built after a great fire to
protect the city against invaders from
the East.
But before Nidaros and Kristiansten,
there was Munkholmen (The Monk's
Island). It was the site of an execution
ground in Viking times, a Benedictine
monastery in the 11th century, a prison
in the 1600s, then a fort and a custom
house. Today, it's a quiet place - aside
from the gulls and the occasional stormwhipped
waves - and the perfect spot
for a meal or an afternoon dip.
sonsofnorway.com VIKING SEPTEMBER 2016 17
PHOTO BY NICK SERVIAN / GETTY IMAGES
http://www.sonsofnorway.com
Viking Magazine - September 2016

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