Nidaros Cathedral

After dying in the battle of Stiklestad in 1030, King Olav Haraldsson was buried by Nidelven, the river Nid. Tradition has it that the high Altar of the Cathedral now stands on the exact spot of this burial site. One year and five days after he died the King was declared a saint, and pilgrims began to flock to Nidaros and the King's grave.

Work began on Nidaros Cathedral around 1070 and was finished around 1300 in all its splendour. After centuries of decay, 130 years of restoration and rebuilding has seen the cathedral returned to its original majesty and we can now only imagine what impression it made upon those that first past through its doors. Every year around 400,000 people visit the cathedral, which is still used as a church for downtown Trondheim. Musical recitals are often heard bellowing from within the cathedral walls, offering sublime affairs under the high vaulted arches.