The story of Nidaros Cathedral

You are standing before the northernmost medieval cathedral in the world, built over the grave of King Olav II. Olav, who brought Christianity to Norway, was killed in 1030 at the Battle of Stiklestad and declared a saint a year later. Around 1070 his nephew, King Olav Kyrre, began a large stone church on the site, with the altar placed over the grave.

The building took about 230 years, until around 1300. Fire struck again and again, in 1327, 1531 and 1708, and lightning hit in 1719. A major reconstruction began in 1869 and was officially completed in 2001. Inside, look for a small well in the ambulatory: a bucket could be lowered into water from the spring that rose at Saint Olav's original burial place. His silver-gilt shrine was melted down for coins by Christian II, and his remains now lie somewhere unknown beneath the cathedral.

New Norwegian monarchs are still consecrated here.