It’s more a walk than a hike… but I’ve included my tour of Trondheim in my blog as there are lots of historical attractions and parks within easy walking distance. From the dock (we have about four hours in Trondheim, while our Hurtigruten ferry is docked close to the centre of town), I head to the Old City via Søndregate which crosses the river Nidelva (bel0w).
Walking down Søndregate, I turn right onto Kongens Gate, in front of the Frimurerlogen (a Masonic lodge which hosts many public performances). Opposite the Frimurerlogen is the Vår Frue Church, a stone structure designed in the Romanesque and Gothic architectural style that dates back to the 12th century.
Not far from here is the city square (Torvet i Trondheim), at the corner of Kongens Gate and Munkegata. In the middle is an 18-metre high statue of Olav Tryggvason mounted on top of an obelisk, which was unveiled in 1921.
Continuing down Munkegata, one of the main streets of Trondheim, brings me to one of the city’s star attractions: the Nidaros Domkirke or Nidarosdomen (Cathedral). The world’s northernmost medieval cathedral, it was built from 1070 over the tomb of St. Olav (the Viking king who brought Christianity to Norway) and completed around 1300. (In summer you can climb 172 steps up to the tower; I’m here at about 8am and nothing is open.)
After walking around the massive cathedral and it’s grounds, I re-cross the Nidelva river across the Gamle Bybro – the Old Town Bridge. Gamle Bybro was built in 1861 by Johan Caspar von Cicignon, as part of the reconstruction of Trondheim after the great fire of 1681. Constructed of wood supported on three stone piers, an iron gate is in the middle of the bridge, with a toll and guardhouse at each end. From the bridge – one of the most photographed attractions in Trondheim – there are views of the old wharves lining the Nidelva river down to the Bakke Bridge in the distance (below).
From Gamle Bybro, I head up to Kristiansten Festning (Kristiansten Fortress) – it’s a steep walk up Brubakken. The steep road has the world’s first bicycle lift intended for urban areas (the “Trampe” cyclocable). Built in 1993, it has pushed more than 200,000 cyclists up the 130m long hill.
Kristiansten Fortress was built in 1681 after the great city fire, protecting the city against attacks from the east, which it achieved when Sweden attacked Trondheim in 1718. From the fort there are views over Trondheim and surroundings mountains.
From here, with the weather deteriorating, I head back to the dock via Nonnegata, on the other side of the Nidelva to the Old Town.
Staying in Trondheim
We didn’t stay in Trondheim – we had a four hour “stopover” as we travelled south from Svolvaer to Bergen on the Hurtigruten cruise, after a stunning 10 days travelling through the Lofoten Islands. As you’d expect from a fairly large city (Trondheim is the fourth largest urban area in Norway, with a population of about 200,000 people) there is a wide range of accommodation.
Booking.comMore information
- Official Trondheim web site
0 Comments