TRONDHEIM, NORWAY

We travel from the pier through the busy city centre, past the market square with the statue of the king who founded the city (interestingly it forms the axis of the world’s largest sundial), to the impressive, Gothic style Nidaros Cathedral.

Nidaros was the original name of Trondheim – founded by the Viking king, Olav Trygvason, in 997 – and was the first capital of Norway. Today, new kings still receive their ceremonial blessing here. It has been, and still is, a popular pilgrimage site, ecclesiastical centre, and a city of education and research. Trondheim is situated at the estuary of the River Nid, facing the wide Trondheimsfjord, surrounded by lovely forested hills. We travel from the pier through the busy city centre, past the market square with the statue of the king who founded the city (interestingly it forms the axis of the world’s largest sundial), to the impressive, Gothic style Nidaros Cathedral. The Cathedral, dating from the 12th century, is one of the finest and largest in Gothic style in Scandinavia. In the Middle Ages, pilgrims came to pray and drink from the well that sprang up next to St Olav’s grave – the patron saint of Norway. Behind the cathedral lies another stone building dating back to the Middle Ages – the Archbishopry – where the head of the Catholic Church in Norway had his fortified residence until the Reformation in 1537, when the last archbishop had to flee the country. After our visit to the cathedral, we drive through the city to Sverresli, for a short stop at the observation point. Weather permitting, we will enjoy an excellent view of the fjord, the city and the surroundings. Our next stop will be at the Open Air Folk Museum at Sverresborg. Buildings have been brought to the site from all over the area and reassembled to provide an authentic insight into the urban and rural culture of Trøndelag County. From the Folk Museum we return to the city centre, passing en route the old winding bridge and 200 and 300 year old warehouses along the river. There is quite a lot of walking during this tour, including a slope from the coach to the museum, and some steps at the cathedral. We do not recommend it for passengers with limited mobility. The sights visited may be seen in a different order to that described.