Created by 3GoExploring
Trondheim, known for its Viking heritage is one of the oldest cities founded by the vikings back in the 10th Century. We stepped foot in Trondheim back in July during a 12 night exploration of Norway.
There are a plethora of attractions to see and we started our exploration in the heart of the city.
Leaving the cruise port we made our way over the Nidelva River heading towards the
Nidaros Cathedral, passing the Student Life statue which depicted two young people in love and dancing on top of scholar books.
Before reaching the Cathedral make sure you visit the memorial park commemorating the 22 July 2011 terrorist attacks in Oslo and Utoya. This memorial has a pool with 77 lights embedded to remember all those who lost their lives.
Continuing our journey we reached Nidaros Cathedral, this gothic Cathedral was built over the tomb of Olav the Holy, known as the Norwegians eternal Viking King. Entrance is at a cost, but you can explore the architecture from outside and surrounding gardens. There are over 5,000 sculptures and gargoyles adorned to the cathedral - you could even find the sculpture of Bob Dylan if you look hard enough!
Across the river from the Cathedral is ‘The Old Town of Trondheim’ with its stunning Old Town Bridge known as Gamle Bybro.
This bridge connects the city centre with the Old Town and was built in 1681, from here visitors are treated to breathtaking views of Bakklandet, where charming 17th-century houses line the cobblestone streets. As you stroll through this neighbourhood, you’ll encounter delightful small coffee shops that invite you to take a moment to relax and soak in the ambiance. Trondheim’s Old Town offers a memorable experience that beautifully captures the essence of this vibrant city.
Heading towards Kristiansten Fortress you will pass the Trampe Bicycle lift opened in 1993, it was the world’s first and only bicycle lift! On average, twenty to thirty thousand cyclists use Trampe a year. Surprisingly, five cyclists can use Trampe at once and due to the rarity of this, it is a major attraction of Trondheim. Have you used Trampe? Unfortunately we didn't have bikes to make use of this lift, so we had to make the steep climb to reach the Fortress by foot.
Kristiansten Fortress, a National Fortification Heritage Site is one of Trondheims most popular attractions located on the east of the city with its commanding 360 degree view. Used during World War 2, the site where 23 Norwegian Patriots were executed by Nazi forces. Steeped in history, the fort was originally constructed after the great fire of 1681. It is free to visit but donations are welcome for its upkeep, we would definitely recommend a visit for the views over the city and its historical links.
Returning back to the city we made our way to the dockyards to visit the Dora’s. For the war historians amongst you, Trondheim is a brilliant place to see the remnants of a U-Boat Base, on google maps you can find this as ‘Dora 2’ which is now used as an Oceantech Innovation Test Centre. During World War 2, Trondheim was the Germans largest naval base in Europe, there were two U-Boat Bunkers created Dora 1 and Dora 2, however, only Dora 1 was constructed by the end of the war. In total, there were 5 pens constructed with space for 16 U-Boats within the Bunkers, we explored the remnants and took in this history.
Our self guided tour was coming to an end, Trondheim is a must see location steeped in culture and history and will not disappoint.
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