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Nov. 8, 2007
ANITA ALAN Contributor- Carmel, CA
Part Two [Part One can be found in the October 26 issue]
Nidaros
Cathedral In the city of Trondheim, most any vantage point reveals a view of its tallest structure—majestic,
centuries-old Nidaros, the northernmost medieval cathedral in the world. Nidaros is the largest,
most important Gothic edifice in Norway. Coronations took place here in the Middle Ages, and resumed
when Norwegians re-established independence in 1814. The last monarch crowned here was King Haakon
VII on June 22, 1906. Haakon’s courage and leadership during the German invasion and his preservation
of Norwegian unity during the Nazi occupation make him one of the greatest Norwegians of the last
century. An elected monarch, King Haakon VII of Norway reigned for 52 years, from November 18,
1905 until his death September 21, 1957 at age 85. He reigned in exile during WWII—in protest of
the German Occupation. His successor King Olav V, consecrated at Nidaros, reigned from September
21, 1957 to January 17, 1991. Today’s monarchs, King Harald V and Queen Sonja, were consecrated
at Nidaros on June 23, 1991.
The name Nidaros (mouth of the river Nid), was the city’s name in Medieval times. Nidaros Cathedral is the site for the tomb of Olav Tryggvasson, the Viking King. Norway’s Patron Saint, King Olav II, 1015-1028, converted to Christianity as a young man in England, and was forced into exile for his beliefs and for his attempts to convert others. The stunning beauty and spiritual sanctuary of Nidaros Cathedral attracted pilgrims then as it does today. The Cathedral’s Rosevinduet (Rose Window) rivals some in Notre Dame.
Restoration of the western façade at Nidaros began nearly a century ago and continued for decades until its completion in 1969. Living persons served as models for sculptures throughout history. Bishop Sigurd, for example, bears a strong resemblance to Norwegian poet Aasmund Olavsson Vinje. More recently, Kristoffer Lerida’s statue of Michael the Archangel atop the North Western tower bears the features of America’s Bob Dylan (which made this photographer regret not packing a longrange lens for verification). Norway’s finest sculptors worked decades on the west façade, perhaps the best known of them being Gustav Vigeland, whose 212 sculptures at Vigelandsparken in Oslo, encompass 80 acres. His gargoyles adorn the head tower and other areas of Nidaros.
The
Archbishop’s Palace Museum is but a few steps away and may be a guided or self-guided tour. A small
museum inside displays the crown jewels of Norway. The Crown Regalia Exhibition opened in a wing
of the Palace: here the Norwegian crown regalia and all of the coronation equipment are on exhibit
together, a display not shown since the coronation of King Haakon VII and Queen Maud over a century
ago in 1906.
Nidaros itself has tours available throughout the day in several languages. The church has two organs. The main organ stands in the far west end of the nave, just under the rose window. The other, we were about to hear! If you have a short stay, planning helps, but so does luck! We found ourselves at the center of the cathedral for the once-daily 1 PM concert on the historic baroque organ built in 1741 by Joachim Wagner. Our Orgelresitasjon (Organ Recital) included Johann Sebastian Bach’s Pièce d’Orgue BWV 572, Bach’s powerful Fantasia in G Major, and the Prelude and fugue in C Major, among other works. Nowhere could one have better spent an hour. We left Nidaros Cathedral for a walk to the Veendam feeling uplifted by sites and sounds that have drawn people to these shores for centuries. The only regret you can have about Trondheim...is leaving.
We slipped aboard in time for Afternoon Tea, with the music of the Kreutzer Quartet and Aaron Shorr on piano and continued an afternoon and evening of entertainment. At 4 PM, we brought pencil and paper to Garrison Keillor’s Writer’s Seminar as the ship got underway for Geiranger Fjord. An evening of treats still lay ahead, with Sweden’s jazz band of long standing, Kustbandet, Butch Thompson at the piano, and a sensational impromptu duet— Butch and Rich Dworsky playing. In this short day, we may have missed some things, but what we would miss most—is Trondheim!
Norwegian American Weekly
