Sights in Trondheim
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Nidaros Cathedral
Nidaros Cathedral, constructed in the late 11th century, is Scandinavia’s largest medieval building. Outside, the ornately embellished west wall has top-to-bottom statues of biblical characters and Norwegian bishops and kings, sculpted in the early 20th century. Within, the cathedral is subtly lit (just see how the vibrantly coloured, modern stained-glass glows, especially in the rose window at the west end), so let your eyes attune to the gloom.
The altar sits over the original grave of St Olav, the Viking king who replaced the Nordic pagan religion with Christianity. The original cathedral was built in 1153, when Norway became a separate archbishopric. The current tra…
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Folk Museum
West of the centre, the Folk Museum is one of the best of its kind in Norway. The indoor exhibition, Livsbilder (Images of Life) in the main building, displays artefacts in use over the last 150 years – from clothing to school supplies to bicycles – and has a short multimedia presentation. The rest of the museum, with over 60 period buildings, is open air, adjoining the ruins of King Sverre’s castle and giving fine hilltop views of the city. Houses, the post office, the dentist’s and other shops splay around the central market square in the urban section. There are farm buildings from rural Trøndelag, the tiny 12th-century Haltdalen stave church and a couple of small m…
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Archbishop's Palace
Admission to the cathedral also includes the complex of the adjacent 12th-century Archbishop's Palace, commissioned around 1160 and Scandinavia's oldest secular building. In the west wing, Norway's crown jewels shimmer and flash. Its museum is in the same compound. After visiting the well-displayed statues, gargoyles and carvings from the cathedral, drop to the lower level, where only a selection of the myriad artefacts revealed during the museum's construction in the late 1990s are on show.
Take in too its enjoyable 15-minute audiovisual programme.
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Museum of Natural History & Archaeology
The Museum of Natural History & Archaeology belongs to the Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU). There’s a hotchpotch of exhibits on the natural and human history of the Trondheim area: streetscapes and homes, ecclesiastical history, archaeological excavations and southern Sami culture. More ordered is the small, alluring section in a side building devoted to church history and the fascinating everyday artefacts in the medieval section, covering Trondheim’s history up to the great fire of 1681.
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Ringve Museum
The Ringve Museum is Norway’s national museum for music and musical instruments. The Russian-born owner is a devoted collector of rare and antique musical instruments, which music students demonstrate. You can also browse the old barn with its rich collection of instruments from around the world. The botanic gardens, set within the surrounding 18th-century estate, are a quiet green setting for a stroll. Take bus 3 or 4 and walk up the hill.
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Munkholmen
In Trondheim's early years, the islet of Munkholmen 10:00-16:00, 18:00 beside Ravnkloa fish market) was the town execution ground. Over the centuries it has been the site of a Benedictine monastery, a prison, a fort and finally a customs house. Today, it's a popular picnic venue. From mid-May to early September, ferries leave at least hourly between 10:00 and 16:00 or 18:00 from beside the Ravnkloa fish market.
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National Museum of Decorative Arts
The permanent collection of the splendid National Museum of Decorative Arts exhibits the best of Scandinavian design, including a couple of bijou Art Nouveau rooms. A whole floor is devoted to the pioneering works of three acclaimed women artists: the tapestry creations of Hannah Ryggen and Synnøve Anker Aurdal, and the innovative glasswork of Benny Motzfeldt.
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Kristiansten Fort
For a bird’s-eye view of the city, climb 10 minutes from the Gamle Bybro to Kristiansten Fort, built after Trondheim’s great fire of 1681. During WWII the Nazis used it as a prison and execution ground for members of the Norwegian Resistance. The grounds are open year-round, whenever the flag is raised.
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National Military Museum
The adjoining National Military Museum, in the same courtyard, is full of antique swords, armour and cannons; and recounts the days from 1700 to 1900, when the Archbishop's Palace served as a Danish military installation. On the top floor is the Hjemmesfront (Home Front) museum, devoted to Trondheim's role in the WWII resistance.
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Stiftsgården
Scandinavia’s largest wooden palace, the late baroque Stiftsgården was constructed as a private residence in the late 18th century. It is now the official royal residence in Trondheim. Admission is by tour only, every hour on the hour.
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Trondheim Maritime Museum
The small Trondheim Maritime Museum, housed in an old prison, is an appealing little place full of relics such as 18th-century whaling ships and frigates, navigational instruments and models, paintings and photos of historic sailing ships.
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Sparebanken
In the basement of the bank Sparebanken are the ruins of the medieval Gregorius Kirke, discovered during excavations. There’s free access to during regular business hours.
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Hospitalskirken
The cobblestone streets immediately west of the centre are lined with mid-19th-century wooden buildings, notably the octagonal 1705 timber church, Hospitalskirken, in the hospital grounds.
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Trondheim Art Museum
The Trondheim Art Museum houses a permanent collection of modern Norwegian and Danish art from 1800 onwards, including a hallway of Munch lithographs, and runs temporary exhibitions.
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Synagogue
Trondheim’s Synagogue claims to be the world’s northernmost. It has a small museum of the history of the local Jewish community (which was halved by the Holocaust).
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Science Centre
Children will enjoy the hands-on experiments at the Science Centre.
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