Trondheim History Facts and Timeline

(Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag, Norway)

This Norwegian city has one of the more interesting and important roles in the ancient development of Norse culture. As the site for crowning Viking kings, it was always a very powerful place.

Eventually, Christianity replaced the Old Norse gods and at this point in its history, Trondheim turned towards popes and bishops. The city also played a key role in regional affairs involving Nazi Germany during WWII and today it is popular as one of Norway's top travel destinations.

The Royal Crown

Trondheim has its origins deep in Norse and Viking antiquity, as evident from rock carvings in the area from the Lihult and Nostvet people. The Viking kings of Norway were crowned in Trondheim at the Oretinget, an assembly hall located alongside the Nid River. Legendary rulers such as Harald Fairhair (865 to 933 AD) and his son Haakon I the Good were both enthroned here.

Nidaros

Most scholars agree that the history of Trondheim began in 997 AD, when the Christian King Olav Tryggvason set up a market village at the mouth of the Nid River.

Its original name of Kaupangen was soon changed to Nidaros, after the river that gave the town its livelihood, and Nidaros served as Norway's capital during the Viking era up until the early part of the 13th century. Many important events in the Viking timeline occurred around Trondheim, including the 1179 Battle of Kalvskinnet, which involved two rivals for the Viking throne.

The Christian God

The history of Trondheim has always been linked to the beginnings of Christianity in Norway. The first Christian King Olav had to fend off pagan chiefs from Lade, who did not want to see a new god replace their own gods. It is also likely that legendary explorer Leif Ericson was converted to Christianity here, before setting sail to Greenland and Iceland.

A Martyr King

Another major event in the history of Trondheim that cemented its importance in Norwegian Christianity was the death of King Olav Haraldsson in 1030. He was killed at the Battle of Stiklestad some 90 km / 56 miles north of Trondheim and consequently became a saint at the church in Nidaros. For centuries afterwards, Nidaros (Trondheim) was a major pilgrimage site for Europeans and one of the largest bishoprics in Scandinavia.

The Role of the Church

For almost four centuries from 1152, Trondheim was the home of the Archbishop of Nidaros, one of the most influential in Norway and the region. The situation changed abruptly in 1537, when the Protestant Reformation swept through Norway. The Lutherans forced the archbishop to flee to the Netherlands and Norway's religion was taken over by the Lutheran bishopric in Denmark. The Nidaros Cathedral (Domkirke), however, was allowed to remain standing.

Fires and the Northern Star

In the year of 1681, a terrible citywide fire wiped out nearly all of Trondheim. The city had to rebuild from scratch, and this time it adopted an elegant Renaissance flair that included broad avenues and grand buildings.

During WWII, Trondheim once again became the centre of unwanted attention when Nazi Germany chose it as their naval base for northern Norway. They occupied the city from April 1940, and stayed until the end of the war in 1945.

The Germans turned Trondheim into a huge submarine base and devised a grandiose plan to build 'Northern Star', a city for some 300,000 people to be located roughly 16 km / 10 miles south of the city. This planned city was to be the new metropolis for the Nazi's future Kriegsmarine society, although never became a reality.