Norway
Trondheim, Norway
Trondheim, Norway: Viking-Founded Capital and Nidaros Cathedral
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Nidaros Cathedral, begun in 1070 and under more or less continuous construction and restoration for the following 900 years, is the most significant ecclesiastical building in Scandinavia. The Gothic west façade — its limestone sculpture restored in the early twentieth century — faces the Bishop's Palace courtyard and is the most photographed surface in the building; the interior is severe and imposing in the best Nordic Gothic manner. The cathedral is the burial site of several Norwegian kings and is still an active pilgrimage destination. Guided tours run throughout the day; the tower can be climbed for views over the river and the Fjord.
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The Nedre Elvehavn waterfront and the Bryggen (warehouse district) along the Nidelva are the most atmospheric parts of the old city. The painted wooden stave warehouses built on the riverside from the seventeenth century onward were originally grain and fish trading houses; many are now restaurants, galleries, and design studios. The Bakke Bridge connects the warehouse district to the Kristiansten Fortress on the hillside opposite; the fortress was built after a 1681 fire destroyed the medieval city and protected Trondheim from Swedish attack in 1718.
Rockheim, the National Museum of Popular Music, occupies a dramatic dock warehouse at the harbor and covers Norwegian rock, pop, and jazz from the 1950s onward, with interactive exhibits calibrated for people who want to actually play instruments and explore sound rather than read panels. The collection is heavily weighted toward Norwegian artists, which requires some context, but the building and the approach to exhibition design are worth the visit regardless of what you know about Norwegian music history.
The Mathallen food market on Dronningens Gate is the best single location for sampling the regional food culture: rakfisk (fermented freshwater trout, a winter staple), klippfisk (salt cod), brunost (caramelized whey cheese, an acquired taste specific to Norway), and reindeer sausage are all available at stalls within a short walk of each other. The Trondheim Torg farmer's market operates on Saturday mornings in the central square and sells produce from Trøndelag farms alongside the predictable artisan cheese and cured meat vendors.
Cycling is the dominant mode of transport here — Trondheim has the world's first bicycle lift (Trampe, a cable assist system on a steep hill connecting the city center to the Kristiansten side) and a city bikeshare system worth using for the flat waterfront sections. The long light of summer evenings makes cycling along the fjord realistic well past 10 p.m.
Good to know
Overview
Cruise ships use quay 68 at Brattøra, the main cruise quay, or the Ila quay when that one is taken.
- Rockheim, the national museum of popular music, is about 150 meters (165 yards) from the main cruise pier.
- Ships that anchor in the fjord bring passengers ashore by tender to a floating pier at the Skansen guest harbor.
- The city center is compact, and the best way around it is on foot or by bicycle.
Where to Eat
Trondheim has more than 100 restaurants in its center, and over 40 of them build their menus on produce from the surrounding region.
- Fagn and Speilsalen are listed as Michelin-starred by Visit Trondheim, so book ahead for either.
- Olavstorget, a food court in the Olavshallen building, lets a group order from different kitchens and sit at one table.
- Bakklandet, the old wooden quarter across the Old Town Bridge, is where to look for a café stop.
Culture and Sights
Nidaros Cathedral, begun around 1070 over the grave of St. Olav, is Norway's national shrine and a pilgrimage site.
- The Archbishop's Palace, beside the cathedral, is one of the largest medieval stone buildings in Scandinavia, and Norway's crown regalia are on display there.
- The Old Town Bridge crosses the Nidelva river to Bakklandet, a neighborhood of small wooden houses and narrow streets.
- Stiftsgården, built from 1774 to 1778, is the royal residence in Trondheim and one of the largest wooden buildings in Northern Europe. It closes to visitors during royal visits.
Shopping
Trondheim's shops are concentrated in the pedestrian streets of Midtbyen, the city center.
- Most shops in Norway are closed on Sundays and public holidays, so check opening hours before you plan a shopping stop if your ship calls on one.
- Visitors from outside Norway can reclaim sales tax on purchases, but you must show your passport or ID card in the shop when you buy.
- The museum shop at Rockheim, near the cruise quay, sells books, posters and shirts, and you can go in without paying admission.
Getting Around
You cannot pay on board Trondheim's buses, so buy a ticket in the AtB app or at a pay station before you get on.
- The same AtB ticket covers the Gråkallbanen tram, which runs 5.5 miles (8.8 km) from St. Olavs gate in the center up to Lian.
- City bikes and electric scooters can be rented at stations around the center.
- Trondheim Airport is about 30 minutes from the center by road. An express bus leaves about every 15 minutes and a train about once an hour.
Families and Children
The Gråkallbanen tram is the northernmost tram line in the world, and it ends at Lian, where there is lake swimming.
- Ringve Botanical Garden is open every day and free, with a path of about 1.5 km (1 mile) and benches along it.
- The Trampe bicycle lift in Bakklandet pushes cyclists up a steep street on a footplate, and it is free to use. First-timers often lose their balance, so watch someone else try it first.
- Munkholmen, an islet off the harbor, has been an execution site, a monastery, a fortress and a prison.
History
Olav Tryggvason founded Trondheim in 997, and it served as Norway's capital until 1217.
- King Olav II was killed at the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030 and declared a saint a year later, and his grave drew pilgrims to the town.
- Trondheim was the seat of Norway's Catholic archbishop from 1152 until the Reformation in 1537.
- After a fire in 1681, Johan Caspar von Cicignon drew up a new town plan and designed Kristiansten Fortress, which was finished in 1685.
- The first Hurtigruten coastal voyage left Trondheim for Hammerfest on July 2, 1893.
- Parliament renamed the city Nidaros on January 1, 1930, against the result of a local referendum. After public outrage and riots, it became Trondheim on March 6, 1931.
Beaches
Swimming in Trondheim means the fjord or the forest lakes of Bymarka, the nature reserve on the west side of the city.
- In the fjord, watch for currents, and check the depth before you dive anywhere.
- Grilstadstranda, Haukvatnet and Væreholmen are bathing areas adapted for people with reduced mobility.
- The fjord promenade runs from Skansen to Brattøra, with viewpoints toward Munkholmen along the way.
Tipping and Currency
Visit Norway, the national tourist board, says tipping is mostly not customary in Norway except in bars and restaurants, where locals leave 5 to 15 percent for good food or service.
- Whether to tip is entirely up to you.
- The currency is the Norwegian krone (NOK). Cards are accepted almost everywhere, and foreign currency rarely is.
- Some places in Trondheim take cards only, and cash machines are found in the shopping centers in the center.
Accessibility
All AtB buses in Trondheim have low floors and manual ramps, and the driver will help you board.
- Wheelchair spaces on AtB buses are at the front, close to the driver.
- TrønderTaxi takes bookings for taxis with room for a wheelchair.
- The tower at Kristiansten Fortress is not wheelchair accessible, and the tower of Nidaros Cathedral is reached only by 172 dark, narrow steps.
- Ask your ship whether you will go ashore by gangway or by tender in Trondheim.
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