NIDAROS DOMKIRKE, A JEWEL OF ROMANESQUE & GOTHIC

The Grandma continues remembering her last staying in Trondheim.

She was very impressed by Nidarosdomen, the Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim, that is a jewel of Romanesque and Gothic.

Nidaros Cathedral, in Norwegian Nidarosdomen or Nidaros domkirke, is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim in Trøndelag county. 

It is built over the burial site of King Olav II (c. 995-1030, reigned 1015-1028), who became the patron saint of the nation, and is the traditional location for the consecration of new Norwegian monarchs. 

It was built over a 230-year period, from 1070 to 1300 when it was substantially completed. However additional work, additions and renovations have continued intermittently since then, including a major reconstruction starting in 1869 and completed in 2001.

In 1152, the church was designated as the cathedral for the Catholic Archdiocese of Nidaros. In 1537, during the Protestant Reformation, it became part of the newly established state Church of Norway. 

It is the northernmost medieval cathedral in the world.

The cathedral is the main church for the Nidaros og Vår Frue parish, the seat of the Nidaros domprosti (arch-deanery), and the seat of the Bishop of the Diocese of Nidaros. 

The Preses of the Church of Norway is also based at this cathedral. The church seats about 1,850 people.

Nidaros Cathedral was built beginning in 1070 to memorialize the burial place of Olav II of Norway, the king who was killed in 1030 in the Battle of Stiklestad. He was canonized as Saint Olav a year later by Grimketel, the Bishop of Nidaros, the canonization was later confirmed by the pope.

Since the Reformation, it has served as the cathedral of the Lutheran bishops of Trondheim or Nidaros in the Diocese of Nidaros.  

The architectural style of the cathedral is Romanesque and Gothic. Historically it has been an important destination for pilgrims coming from all of Northern Europe.

Along with Vår Frue Church, the cathedral is part of the Nidaros og Vår Frue parish in the Nidaros deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros.

Work on the cathedral as a memorial to St. Olav started in 1070. It was finished some time around 1300, nearly 150 years after being established as the cathedral of the diocese. The cathedral was badly damaged by fires in 1327 and again in 1531. The nave was destroyed and was not rebuilt until the restoration in early 1900s.

Today, the cathedral is a popular tourist attraction. Nidaros Cathedral is the site of the observation of Olav's Wake, in Norwegian Olavsvaka. This religious and cultural festival is centered upon the anniversary of the death of Saint Olav at the Battle of Stiklestad.

More information: Nidaros Domkirke

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Church of Norway