Trondheim's Inner Circle: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

Trondheim is a city where Viking heritage and royal history converge at every corner. On this audio tour, you'll discover the inner center of Norway's third-largest city, following in the footsteps of kings and merchants as you explore historic wooden buildings, riverfront wharves, and sacred sites that reveal over 1,000 years of fascinating stories.

Olav Tryggvason was king of Norway between 995 and 1000 AD and founded Trondheim in 997. He's famous for building the first Christian church in Norway. For those who have read old, Icelandic sagas, Olav is frequently mentioned.

You'll stroll down Munkegata past the impressive Stiftsgården, the largest wooden palace in Northern Europe and official royal residence since 1906. Your journey continues through charming narrow streets where you'll see elegant parks, medieval churches, and the historic waterfront district with its colorful warehouses dating back hundreds of years.

The Stiftsgården is the Royal Residence in Trondheim. It was built between 1774 and 1778 for Lady Cecilie Christine Schøller. She was the widow of chamberlain Stie Tønsberg Schøller, a wealthy wholesaler and trader. She was also a prominent fixture of the city’s social elite. The Baroque-style building has more than 100 rooms and is the largest wooden palace in Northern Europe.

Along the way, you'll learn about Trondheim's devastating 1681 fire and subsequent Baroque reconstruction, discover the Old Town Bridge known as the gate of happiness, and catch glimpses of Kristiansten Fortress perched on the hillside.

After the great fire of 1681 the Kristiansteen fortress was built on the hilltop to keep an eye on the city. It also had a strategic military position, and helped save the city from conquest by Sweden in 1718. During the Second World War it was taken over by the Nazis, who executed 23 Norwegian patriots inside it. The building is now a museum, which includes a dungeon that's open to view. If you see a flag waving over the fortress, it means that the fortress is open to the public.

You'll explore the grounds of the Archbishop's Palace and learn its rich history while you walk.

You'll stroll past the magnificent Nidaros Cathedral, the northernmost Gothic cathedral in the world, built over the tomb of St. Olav.