Trondheim - the Viking Capital
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
TRONDHEIM
><> http://www.trondheim.com
><> http://www.ntnu.no
><> http://www.stud.ntnu.no/studorg/uka/
><> http://www.adressa.no
><> http://tegn.trondheim.kommune.no/
:-) Trondheim is Norway's third largest city, the medieval capital and religious centre of the country. According to the Saga of Snorre, Trondheim was founded by the viking king Olav Tryggvason in 997, by the mouth of the river Nidelva, as a 'Kaupang' - a trade town. In 1997, 'Dromedar Coffeebar' had it's opening night. You might say it took a thousand years to get a decent cup of coffee...
:-) The town's growth was slow and insignificant until the defeat of the christian king Olav Haraldsson at the battle of Stiklestad in 1030. by his death the martyr 'Saint Olav the Holy' was born (which is quite a name to bestow upon a man whose general approach to christian baptism was, literally, at swordpoint).
The people built a huge stone cathedral on top of the burial site of the Holy King, and the site became subject to extensive pilgrimage up until the Protestant Refomation. It is possible that St. Olav was made holy in order to make sure he stayed put in his grave (as it was well known that the ordinary unholy deceased, like vampires, zombies, kings and women, habitually ventured out), and that the cathedral was put there as an extra precaution. The pilgrims probably came round to make sure the king was still dead.
:-) During the late viking age and early middle ages, Trondheim became the capital of an empire that spanned the whole of Norway, parts of Sweden and Britain, Greenland, Iceland, Isle of Man, Orkney and Faeroe islands and all the way to North America. The disintegration of this empire can only be attributed to the severe lack of decent coffee (and, maybe, the ravages of the Black Plague during the 1300's)...
:-) Today though, Trondheim is a vibrant city, with a fairly large international community, a big university, theatres, cinemas and lots of pubs, discos, restaurants and cafés! With the highest number of malls and shopping centres in Norway, per capita, Trondheim is also a haven for the dedicated shop-a-holic. Perhaps the biggest event in Trondheim, is the biannual 'UKA' (the week). A huge student festival that lasts for two weeks (which means that the name is probably something of an obscure, intellectual joke)., and is well packed with concerts, gigs, shows and happenings, centered mainly on the old, red and round Student's Society building...
If you happen to be there at the right time, it's well worth a peek...
><> http://www.trondheim.com
><> http://www.ntnu.no
><> http://www.stud.ntnu.no/studorg/uka/
><> http://www.adressa.no
><> http://tegn.trondheim.kommune.no/
:-) Trondheim is Norway's third largest city, the medieval capital and religious centre of the country. According to the Saga of Snorre, Trondheim was founded by the viking king Olav Tryggvason in 997, by the mouth of the river Nidelva, as a 'Kaupang' - a trade town. In 1997, 'Dromedar Coffeebar' had it's opening night. You might say it took a thousand years to get a decent cup of coffee...
:-) The town's growth was slow and insignificant until the defeat of the christian king Olav Haraldsson at the battle of Stiklestad in 1030. by his death the martyr 'Saint Olav the Holy' was born (which is quite a name to bestow upon a man whose general approach to christian baptism was, literally, at swordpoint).
The people built a huge stone cathedral on top of the burial site of the Holy King, and the site became subject to extensive pilgrimage up until the Protestant Refomation. It is possible that St. Olav was made holy in order to make sure he stayed put in his grave (as it was well known that the ordinary unholy deceased, like vampires, zombies, kings and women, habitually ventured out), and that the cathedral was put there as an extra precaution. The pilgrims probably came round to make sure the king was still dead.
:-) During the late viking age and early middle ages, Trondheim became the capital of an empire that spanned the whole of Norway, parts of Sweden and Britain, Greenland, Iceland, Isle of Man, Orkney and Faeroe islands and all the way to North America. The disintegration of this empire can only be attributed to the severe lack of decent coffee (and, maybe, the ravages of the Black Plague during the 1300's)...
:-) Today though, Trondheim is a vibrant city, with a fairly large international community, a big university, theatres, cinemas and lots of pubs, discos, restaurants and cafés! With the highest number of malls and shopping centres in Norway, per capita, Trondheim is also a haven for the dedicated shop-a-holic. Perhaps the biggest event in Trondheim, is the biannual 'UKA' (the week). A huge student festival that lasts for two weeks (which means that the name is probably something of an obscure, intellectual joke)., and is well packed with concerts, gigs, shows and happenings, centered mainly on the old, red and round Student's Society building...
If you happen to be there at the right time, it's well worth a peek...
