Trondheim Attractions

Post code: N-7000

Telephone code: 07

Trondheim, Norway's third largest city, lies in latitude 63°25' north and longitude 10°33' east in an inlet on the south side of the Trondheimfjord, surrounded by a ring of hills.

The town is built on a peninsula formed by the Nidelv which is linked with the mainland only at its west end. Trondheim is the chief town of the county of Sør-Trøndelag and the see of both a Lutheran and a Roman Catholic bishop, with a number of scientific and educational institutions. The principal industries are foodstuffs, metalworking and engineering. The main exports are fish products and canned fish.

The downtown area has numerous specialty shops, although the main shopping district is concentrated around Nordre gate and the Olav Tryggvason gate.

History

Trondheim (formerly spelt Trondhjem) was originally the name given to the whole of the Trondheimfjord area, the original nucleus of the kingdom of Norway, where the Norwegian kings were elected by the Øreting. Here in 997 Olav Tryggvason (or Tryggvessøn) built the royal stronghold of Nidarnes and a church dedicated to St Clement. King Olav the Saint is regarded as the real founder of the town (1016), which was known until the 16th century as Nidaros ("mouth of the river Nid"). The town developed rapidly after Olav's death in 1030, when hosts of pilgrims traveled to the shrine of the sainted king. The cult of St Olav made Trondheim the largest and wealthiest town in Norway, with nine churches and five religious houses in addition to the Cathedral. The Reformation put an end to the pilgrimages; the saint's shrine was carried off to Denmark and destroyed, and his remains were buried at an unknown spot within the Cathedral. All but a few of the churches and convents disappeared. Thereafter the town was destroyed by fire, either wholly or partially, no fewer than 15 times. In spite of all this, however, at the beginning of the 19th century it was still as large as Oslo, with a population of some 9,500. After the coming of the railroad, connecting the town with the rest of the Norwegian system in 1877 and with the Swedish system in 1881, Trondheim enjoyed a period of rapid growth. A decision by the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) that the town should revert to its old name of Nidaros as from January 1 1930 was reversed in February of the following year in recognition of the townspeople's preference for Trondheim (the spelling adopted instead of the previous Trondhjem).
Trondheim experiences no darkness from May 20 to July 20 and mainly a maritime climate. There is moderate snowfall from November to March, good skiing opportunities occur in surrounding areas.

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Read More Trondheim Cathedral

The 11th C Trondheim Cathedral stands over the tomb of St Olav. The cathedral reveals unique architectural details from various periods, including the 13th C Gothic style nave and tower.

Television Tower

There is a magnificent view of Trondheim and its fjord from the revolving restaurant in the Television Tower to the east of the city (120m/395ft; restaurant at 80m/260ft).

Facilities

Restaurant or food service

Art Union

Northwest of the Cathedral, in Bispegata, is the art gallery of the Art Union (Kunstforening), which puts on periodic special exhibitions.

From the Bybru (Town Bridge), which crosses the Nidelv to the northeast of the Cathedral, there is a fine view of the old warehouses along the river.

Hours

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	Closed	10:00	10:00	10:00	10:00	12:00	12:00
Close		16:00	16:00	16:00	16:00	16:00	16:00

Cost

Adult	kr 30.00
Child	kr 20.00

All values are in Norway Kroner

Church of Our Lady

On Kongensgata, to the east of the Trondheim Market Square, is Vår Frue Kirke, the Church of Our Lady (13th and 16th-17th C.). In the adjoining gardens is a small bronze statue of the Norwegian naval hero Peter Tordenskjold, born in Trondheim in 1691; it is a replica of the original statue by H. W. Bissen in Copenhagen.

Maritime Museum

The Trondheim Maritime Museum has ship models and pictures illustrating many centuries of ships and seafaring.

Address

Trondheim Maritime Museum
Riiser-Larsens vei 16
N-7000 Trondheim
Norway

http://www.sverresborg.no/english/psmaler/template1.asp?thisId=1056058257

Hours

June 1 to August 31

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00
Close	18:00	18:00	18:00	18:00	18:00	18:00	18:00

September 1 to May 31

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	12:00	12:00
Close	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	16:00	16:00

Cost

Family	kr 210.00
Adult	kr 85.00
Students	kr 60.00
Senior	kr 60.00
Child 15 & under	kr 35.00

All values are in Norway Kroner

Market Square

The central feature of Trondheim and the hub of its traffic is the Market Square (Torget), at the intersection of its two main traffic arteries, Kongensgata and Munkegata. In the center of the square rises a tall octagonal column bearing a statue of Olav Tryggvason (1923). At the foot of the monument, set into the paving, are letters marking the four cardinal points (N-V-S-Ø).

Munkegat

From the Market Square of Trondheim, Munkegata runs south to the Cathedral. On the right (No. 20) is the imposing Tinghus (1951), with two bronze doors and colored ceramic reliefs depicting episodes in the history of the town. Beyond this, also on the right (No. 8), is the Cathedral School, in an 18th century brick building. On the opposite side of the street is the Nordenfjeld Museum of Applied Art (Kunstindustrimuseum), with examples of modern Scandinavian design. To the south stands the Town Hall (Rådhus).

Typical Visit

1 hour

Nidarø Trade Fair Grounds

West of the Royal Society of Sciences in Trondheim, at the end of Kongensgata, can be found the Ilen Church, built of bluish quartz sandstone. To the south of this, reached by a bridge over the Nidelv, are the Nidarø Trade Fair Grounds, with halls for sporting events, etc.

St Olav Days

Concerts and operas in the Cathedral.
This annual 10-day festival runs from late June to early August and includes a widely-varied program. The main feature of the festival is a nine-act play called the "Nidaros Play," about a blind peasant who travels to Saint Olav's shrine to be healed.

Other events include over 60 concerts, lectures, recitals and operas.

Address

Olav Festivalkontoret
Kongasgardsgate 2
N-7013 Trondheim
Norway

Stiftsgarden

North of the Market Square in Trondheim, in Munkegata, can be seen the Stiftsgård, a substantial yellow wooden mansion (ca. 1770) in which the Norwegian king stays when visiting Trondheim.
This is the largest wooden building in Northern Europe.

Hours

May 31 to August 20

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	Closed
Close

Cost

Adult	kr 3.50

All values are in Norway Kroner

Tips

Children $1.45.

Guides

Guided tour included with admission.

Troindheim - Royal Society of Sciences

Southwest of the Trondheim Market Square, in Erling Skakkesgata, is the headquarters of the Royal Society of Sciences (Kongelige Norske Videnskabers Selskab), founded in 1760, with a fine library (old manuscripts) and large collections of material in a variety of fields (bird diorama; botany, mineralogy, zoology; church art; antiquities).

Trondheim Harbor

The oldest port installations in Trondheim are those at the mouth of the Nidelv. On the Øvre Elvehavn, which extends north from the Bybru, are a series of old wooden warehouses built on piles. The Kanalhavn lies between the railroad station, at the north end of the town, and the mainland. To the north of the station, on the Ytre Basseng, is the quay used by the Hurtigrute ships.

Transit

Railroad.

Trondheim University - Botanic Garden

A network of hedges joins this grouping of compartmented gardens.

Trondheim Surroundings

Biological Research Station

Northwest of Trondheim, on the shores of the fjord, stands the Biological Research Station, with an aquarium and a large marine laboratory.

Read More Fjellseter Gråkallen

Folk Museum

On a low hill to the southwest of Trondheim, once occupied by the Sverresborg, a stronghold built by King Sverre (1177-1202), is the Folk Museum (Folkemuseet), an open-air museum with old buildings from the Trondheim area.

Hours

June 1 to August 31

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00
Close	18:00	18:00	18:00	18:00	18:00	18:00	18:00

Guides

Guided tour included with admission.

Kristiansten Fort

On a low hill (72m/236ft) to the east of Trondheim, reached by way of the Bybru and the Bakklandet district, is the little 17th century fort of Kristiansten, from which there is a fine view of the town (best by morning light).

Hours

June 1 to August 31

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	10:00	10:00	10:00	10:00	10:00	11:00	11:00
Close	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00

Typical Visit

30 minutes

Munkholmen

2km/1.25mi north of Trondheim, in the Trondheimfjord, is the fortified island of Munkholm. On the island stands a round tower belonging to the former Benedictine abbey of Nidarholm (founded in the 12th century), the site of which is now occupied by a fort built in 1658, the Gammel Festning.
The fort is now a popular recreational resort with swimming and a restaurant.

Facilities

Restaurant or food service

Transit

Motorboats from Ravenkloa fish market, at the north end of Munkegata; hourly service, 10-minute trip.

Namsos, Norway

The road from Steinkjer to Namsos (No. 17) branches off at Asphaugen. Namsos (pop. 11,000) lies at the mouth of the Namsenelv, which here flows into the Namsenfjord, 205km/128mi from Trondheim. The Namsenelv is a rich salmon river. The town's main source of income is the timber trade due for the most part to the location by the river, and the large forests nearby. To the east of the town is the Namsdal Museum, with old boats, tools and everyday objects. From Bjørumsklompen (115m/377ft) there is a fine view of the town. Namsos can also be reached from Trondheim by boat.

Address

Namsos Tourist Office
Meyersgate 10
Namsos
Norway

http://www.namsos.kommune.no

Ringve Gård Museum

3.5km/2mi north of Trondheim, in the Lade district, can be found the manor house of Ringve Gård, childhood home of the naval hero Peter Nordenskjold. It now houses the Ringve Museum, with a fine collection of musical instruments, which visitors can play (concert hall).

Address

Ringve Museum
PB 3064 Lade
N-7041 Trondheim
Norway

http://www.ringve.com

Hours

March 1 to April 17

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	11:00
Close							16:00

April 18 to May 16

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00
Close	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	16:00

May 18 to May 31

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00
Close	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00

June 1 to June 18

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00
Close	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00

June 19 to June 30

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00
Close	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00

July 1 to August 8

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00
Close	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00

August 9 to August 31

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00
Close	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00

September 1 to September 12

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00
Close	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00	15:00

September 13 to September 30

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00
Close	16:00	16:00	16:00	16:00	16:00	16:00	16:00

October 1 to December 31

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	11:00
Close							16:00

Cost

Family	kr 160.00
Adult	kr 80.00
Students	kr 60.00
Senior	kr 60.00
Child	kr 30.00

All values are in Norway Kroner

Tips

Guides are also musicians. Tours in English.

Guides

Guided tour included with admission.

Transit

Bus: 4 from city center.

Steinkjer, Norway

125km/78mi from Trondheim is Steinkjer (pop. 20,000), on the Steinkjerfjord, an agricultural market center in the county of Nord-Trøndelag. On the north bank of the Steinkjerelv is an open-air museum, with old peasant houses. 10km/6mi west of the town, at Bardal, are Stone Age and Bronze Age rock carvings.
Steinkjer has varied habitats, which attract an abundance of birdlife.

The town is also host of a music festival, held each year in August, and other cultural events held at the local culture house.

Address

Steinkjer Tourist Office
Namdalsveien 11
N-7725 Steinkjer
Norway

http://www.steinkjer-turist.com

Hours

January 1 to June 15

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	8:00	8:00	8:00	8:00	8:00	Closed	Closed
Close	16:00	16:00	16:00	16:00	16:00

June 16 to August 14

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	9:00	9:00	9:00	9:00	9:00	9:00	12:00
Close	20:00	20:00	20:00	20:00	20:00	20:00	20:00

August 21 to December 31

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	8:00	8:00	8:00	8:00	8:00	Closed	Closed
Close	16:00	16:00	16:00	16:00	16:00

Sviniks Arboretum

Unique for such a northerly garden are the rhododendrons and bamboos. The majority is a pleasant woodland garden.

Vaernes, Norway

E 6 (the Narvik road) runs east from Trondheim along the shores of the fjord. There is also an expressway (No. 706; toll). In 35km/22mi, at Værnes (shortly before the tunnel under the airport), is a 13th century church. The airport is the fourth largest in Norway.

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