Trondheim facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Trondheim
City
From upper left: Outer city with Nidelva and sea port, Verftsbrua bridge, Trondheim Central Station at Brattøra, Inner city with Nidaros Cathedral, Old Town Bridge with Lykkens portal, Rosenborgbassenget at Nedre Elvehavn
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname(s):  Stiftstaden (English: "The Diocese City")
Location of the municipality
Trondheim Location in Trøndelag Show map of Trøndelag Trondheim Location in Norway Show map of Norway
Country	Norway
Municipality	Trondheim
County	Trøndelag
District	Trondheim Region
Established	997
Area
• City	321.81 km2 (124.25 sq mi)
• Urban	342.30 km2 (132.16 sq mi)
• Metro	7,295 km2 (2,817 sq mi)
Population  (31 December 2022)
• City	212,660
• Density	660.825/km2 (1,711.53/sq mi)
• Urban	186,364
• Urban density	544.446/km2 (1,410.110/sq mi)
• Metro	279,234
• Metro density	38.2775/km2 (99.138/sq mi)
• Municipality/Urban rank	3rd/4th
• Metro rank	4th
Demonym(s)	Trondheimer, Trondhjemmer,
GDP
• Metro	€26.143 billion (2021)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)

Trondheim is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is the third most populated municipality in Norway. As of 2022, about 212,660 people live there. Trondheim is located on the south side of Trondheim Fjord, where the Nidelva River meets the sea.

The city was started in 997 as a trading post. It was the capital of Norway from the Viking Age until 1217. From 1152 to 1537, it was the main city for the Catholic Archdiocese of Nidaros. After that, it became the center for the Lutheran Diocese of Nidaros and is home to the famous Nidaros Cathedral.

Trondheim has a mild climate for how far north it is. Summers are moderate, and winters often stay above freezing near the coast. Higher up, it's colder and snowier. The city is also home to Rosenborg BK, Norway's most successful football club, and Granåsen Ski Centre, which hosts major skiing events.

What's in a Name?

The flag of Trondheim is one of the few Norwegian municipal flags that is not the banner of arms of the municipal coat of arms.

The city was founded in 997 by Olav Tryggvason. It was first called Nidaros, which means "the mouth of the Nid River". The river's name was Nid.

People also called the city kaupangr, meaning "city" or "marketplace". More specifically, it was called kaupangr í Þróndheimi, which means "the city in Trondheim". Trondheim was the old name for the whole area now known as Trøndelag. This area was where the people called Trønder lived. The name Trondheim means "the home of the Trønder people".

Later, the city's name was shortened to Þróndheimr. Over time, it became Trondhjem because the city was part of Denmark-Norway.

In 1917, Norway changed many city names to make them sound more Norwegian and less Danish. In 1928, people in Trondhjem voted on whether to change the name back to Nidaros. Most people wanted to keep Trondhjem. However, the government decided to change the city's name to Nidaros starting in 1930. This caused a lot of public anger and protests. So, in 1931, the name was officially changed to Trondheim, using an older Norwegian spelling. The church and cathedral kept the name Nidaros.

During World War II, the Germans briefly called the city Drontheim.

A Look at Trondheim's Past

The Old Town Bridge of Trondheim

Trondheim was founded in 997 by Olav Tryggvason. It was first called Kaupangen, meaning "market place". Soon after, it became known as Nidaros. It was often used as the king's home and was Norway's capital until 1217.

People have lived in this area for thousands of years. Ancient kings of Norway were honored in Trondheim at Øretinget, a meeting place for free men by the Nidelva River. Famous kings like Harald Fairhair and Haakon I were hailed here. A battle called Kalvskinnet happened in Trondheim in 1179. King Sverre Sigurdsson and his warriors won against a rival.

From 1152, Trondheim was the center for the Catholic Archbishop of Norway. When Protestantism was introduced in 1537, the last archbishop had to leave the city.

From the 1500s to the 1800s, the city suffered many large fires because most buildings were made of wood. The fire in 1651 destroyed 90% of the buildings. After a big fire in 1681, the city was rebuilt. Wide streets, like Munkegata, were made to help stop future fires from spreading.

Trondheim and the rest of Trøndelag briefly became Swedish territory in 1658. But after a three-month siege, Norway took the area back. This was settled by a peace treaty in 1660.

City Map of Trondheim in 1898

Plan of Trondheim, 1942

During World War II, Nazi Germany occupied Trondheim from April 9, 1940, until May 8, 1945. The German forces took over the city with little resistance. During the occupation, the Germans used Trondheim as a major base for submarines. They even built a large submarine bunker called Dora I. They also planned to build a huge new city called Nordstern (Northern Star) for 300,000 people, but it was not finished when the war ended.

How Trondheim Grew

The city of Trondheim officially started on January 1, 1838. Over the years, it grew by merging with nearby areas. In 1964, Trondheim merged with four neighboring municipalities: Leinstrand, Byneset, Strinda, and Tiller. This almost doubled the city's population. On January 1, 2020, Klæbu Municipality also merged with Trondheim.

Trondheim's Coat of Arms

Trondheim's coat of arms is very old, dating back to the 1200s. On the left, it shows an archbishop in a church archway. On the right, there's a crowned king holding scales in a castle archway. Below them, three male heads are shown.

The archbishop and king represent the balance of power between the church and the ruler in the 13th century. The scales symbolize justice. The three heads might represent the city council. This design is special for Norwegian cities. The current design was adopted in 1897.

Trondheim's Location and Climate

Autumn foliage along Nidelva; October 2009

Trondheim is located where the Nidelva River flows into Trondheim Fjord. This spot has a great harbor and is well-protected. In the Middle Ages, the river was deep enough for most boats.

The highest point in the municipality is Storheia hill, which is 565 meters (1,854 feet) above sea level. In summer, the sun rises very early and sets very late. Between May 23 and July 19, it stays light enough at night that you don't need outdoor lights, if the sky is clear. In winter, the sun rises late and stays low in the sky.

What's the Weather Like?

Mid-winter view near Archbishop's palace and Nidaros Cathedral

Trondheim has a mild climate for its northern location. Winters are often above freezing near the fjord. The city is protected from strong winds from the south, but winds from the northwest can affect it.

The weather can change a lot. Sometimes, high pressure brings sunny weather for weeks. Other times, storms from the Atlantic can last for weeks. In May 2020, cold air brought snow, but June 2020 had a record 345 hours of sunshine and a new high temperature of 34.3 °C (93.7 °F).

Trondheim gets moderate snowfall from November to March. But it also has mild weather and rain. There are usually about 14 days each winter with at least 25 cm (10 inches) of snow. Higher areas have more snow and better skiing conditions.

A panorama of Trondheim, Trondheim Fjord and surrounding areas

Animals in the City

Trondheim has different habitats for animals, including wetlands like Gaulosen. There's a tower there for birdwatching.

Even though Trondheim is Norway's third-largest city, wild animals are often seen. Otters and beavers live in the Nidelva River and Bymarka area. Badgers and red foxes are also common. Moose and deer are often found in the hills around the city. They might even wander into the city, especially in May when young ones are sent away by their mothers, or in late winter when food is hard to find in the snow.

City Sights and Places to See

The Nidelva flows through Trondheim with old storehouses flanking both sides of this river. The Old Town Bridge can be seen on the right side of this panorama.

Trondheim city center has many small shops. The main shopping streets are Nordre gate, Olav Tryggvasons gate, and Thomas Angells gate.

The Nedre Elvehavn area, which used to be a shipyard, was rebuilt in the 1990s. Old industrial buildings were replaced with homes and a shopping center called Solsiden (The Sunny Side). It's a popular place for young people to live and shop.

DORA 1 is a German submarine base from World War II. Today, it holds various archives, like the city archives. It's also used for concerts.

Kristiansten Fortress, built from 1681 to 1684, is on a hill east of Trondheim. It helped defend the city from the Swedes in 1718.

A statue of Olav Tryggvason, who founded Trondheim, is in the city's main square. It's on top of a tall stone pillar. The base of the statue is also a sundial.

The small island of Munkholmen is a popular spot for tourists and recreation. This island has been used as a place for executions, a monastery, a fortress, and a prison.

Stiftsgården is the royal residence in Trondheim. It was built in 1774 and is one of the largest wooden buildings in Northern Europe. Royals and their guests have used it since 1800.

A statue of Leif Ericson is by the sea, near the old Customs Building. It's a copy; the original is in Seattle, USA.

Nidaros Cathedral: A Historic Landmark

West front of Nidaros Cathedral

The Nidaros Cathedral and the Archbishop's Palace are in the city center. The cathedral, started in 1070, is Norway's most important Gothic building. In the Middle Ages, it was a very important Christian pilgrimage site in Northern Europe. Today, it's the northernmost medieval cathedral in the world and the second-largest in Scandinavia.

For many years, Norwegian kings were crowned in the Nidaros Cathedral. King Haakon VII was the last to be crowned there in 1906. Later, kings were consecrated instead of crowned. In 1991, King Harald V and Queen Sonja were consecrated in the cathedral.

The Pilgrim's Route (Pilegrimsleden) to Saint Olav's tomb at Nidaros Cathedral has been reopened. This main route is about 640 km (400 miles) long. It starts in Oslo and goes north to Trondheim.

Other Churches in Trondheim

The Lutheran Church of Norway has 21 churches in Trondheim. They are all part of the Diocese of Nidaros, which is based at the Nidaros Cathedral. Many of these churches are hundreds of years old.

The Roman Catholic Sankt Olav domkirke is also in Trondheim. It is across the street from the Nidaros Cathedral.

Museums to Explore

Sverresborg is an open-air museum with more than 60 buildings. It was originally a fortress built in 1182–1183.

The Trondheim Science Center (Vitensenteret i Trondheim) offers hands-on science experiences. The NTNU University Museum is part of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. There are also smaller museums about history, science, and nature, like the Trondheim Maritime Museum and the music museum Ringve National Museum.

Rockheim is the national museum of popular music. It opened in 2010 and is located in an old warehouse. Its unique roof, shaped like a box with changing lights, is a landmark in the city.

Prisons in Trondheim

Vollan District Jail was a jail during the Nazi occupation of Norway. It held both prisoners of war and criminals. Many prisoners from Vollan were taken to Kristiansten Fortress and shot. The jail closed in 1971.

Trondheim Prison is a modern prison that can hold 184 inmates. It has different sections, including a closed department, an open division, and a halfway house in downtown Trondheim.

Learning and Research

NTNU's Main Building, viewed from the Old City Bridge

Trondheim is a major center for education and research. It is home to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), which has many technical labs. BI-Trondheim is a branch campus of the Norwegian Business School. Both universities welcome many international students.

St. Olavs University Hospital is a large hospital for Central Norway. It works closely with NTNU for research and medical education.

SINTEF is a big independent research organization in Scandinavia. Most of its 1,800 employees work in Trondheim. The Geological Survey of Norway is also located in Trondheim.

There are 11 high schools in the city. Trondheim katedralskole ("Trondheim Cathedral School") was founded in 1152 and is the oldest upper secondary school in Norway. Ila skole, founded in 1770, is the oldest primary school in Trondheim.

Media in Trondheim

Adresseavisen is the largest regional newspaper and the oldest active newspaper in Norway, started in 1767. One of the two main offices for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) is in Trondheim.

The city also has student media, including Under Dusken (the student paper), Radio Revolt (the student radio), and Student-TV (online videos).

Culture and Arts

Visual Arts

The Trondheim Art Museum has Norway's third-largest public art collection, mostly Norwegian art from the last 150 years.

The National Museum of Decorative Arts and Design [no] has a large collection of decorative arts and design. It includes many tapestries by Norwegian artist Hannah Ryggen.

Stage Performances

The main regional theater, Trøndelag Teater, is in Trondheim. Built in 1816, it is the oldest theater still in use in Scandinavia.

Music Scene

The Ringve Museum is a museum devoted to music

Trondheim has a lively music scene, known for rock, jazz, and classical music. The music conservatory at NTNU is known for being very innovative.

The Trondheim Symphony Orchestra and the Trondheim Soloists are well-known. The city hosts a yearly Jazz festival and is home to the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra.

Famous classical artists from Trondheim include violinist Arve Tellefsen. The Nidaros Cathedral Boys' Choir is also from here. Pop and rock artists like Åge Aleksandersen and bands like Motorpsycho are also connected to Trondheim.

Rockheim, the national museum of popular music, is in Trondheim. It collects and shares Norwegian popular music from the 1950s to today.

Film and Cinema

Trondheim has a lively film scene with three film festivals: Minimalen Short Film Fest, Kosmorama International Film Fest, and Trondheim Documentarfestival. The city has two cinemas: Prinsen Kino and Nova kino.

Student Life

The building of the Studentersamfundet i Trondhjem

Students make up almost one-fifth of Trondheim's population, so student culture is very important. The city's student society, Studentersamfundet i Trondhjem, has a famous round, red building. Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) has about 36,000 students.

Student life in Trondheim is known for volunteer work. The student society, for example, is run by over 1,200 volunteers. Students also organize two big Norwegian culture festivals: UKA and The International Student Festival in Trondheim (ISFiT).

Sports and Fun Activities

Granåsen Ski Centre, located in Byåsen, often hosts World Cup events in ski jumping and cross-country skiing. It also hosted the 1997 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Hiking and skiing are popular around the city, especially in Bymarka, which can be reached by tram.

Trondheim has several golf clubs. Trondheim Golfklubb is one of the oldest in Norway.

The stadium to Rosenborg BK

Rosenborg BK is one of the city's top football clubs. They play at Lerkendal Stadion. They have won the Norwegian Premier League 26 times. Ranheim Fotball is another premier football club in the city. Byåsen IL plays in the women's handball league.

Trondheim and Trøndelag are also known as the home of the basse game.

Major Sports Teams

Major Championships Hosted

Getting Around Trondheim

Skansen Marina

Railway station

Costa Victoria in Trondheim

Trondheim has an international airport, Trondheim Airport, Værnes, located in Stjørdal. It's Norway's fourth-largest airport. You can fly directly to cities like London, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen. The flight route between Trondheim and Oslo is one of the busiest in Europe.

Major railway lines connect Trondheim to the north (Nordland Line), to Sweden (Meråker Line), and to Oslo in the south (Røros Line and Dovre Line).

The Coastal Express ships (Hurtigruten) stop in Trondheim. Many cruise ships also visit during summer. There's also a fast boat service to Kristiansund.

A tram in Trondheim

Trondheim has the northernmost tram line in the world: the Gråkallen Line. It's 8.8 km (5.5 miles) long and runs from the city center up to Lian, in the Bymarka recreation area. Trondheim also has the world's only bicycle lift, Trampe.

The bus network, run by AtB, covers most of the city and its suburbs. A new metro line system started in 2019. It covers the Trondheim area, including Malvik and Melhus. This system makes buses run more often and carry more passengers. There are also Night Buses for those enjoying the city's nightlife on weekends. The European route E6 highway passes through Trondheim.

Sister Cities

Trondheim is connected with these cities around the world:

Famous People from Trondheim

Albert Angell

Idun Reiten, 2005

Agnar Mykle, 1956

Liv Ullmann, 2014

Hjalmar Andersen, 2010

Frode Rønning, 1982

Many notable people have come from Trondheim, including:

• Albert Angell (1660–1705) – A businessman and Mayor of Trondheim.
• Frederik Due (1796–1873) – A Norwegian prime minister.
• John Lyng (1905–1978) – A politician who was briefly Prime Minister of Norway.
• Idun Reiten (born 1942) – A famous mathematician.
• Agnar Mykle (1915–1994) – A well-known author.
• Arve Tellefsen (born 1936) – A classical violinist.
• Liv Ullmann (born 1938) – A famous actress and director.
• Hjalmar Andersen (1923–2013) – A speed skater who won three gold medals at the 1952 Winter Olympics.
• Ingrid Kristiansen (born 1956) – A former long-distance runner.
• Sander Sagosen (born 1995) – A handball player.
• Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (born 1996) – A cross-country skier who won three gold medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

See also

In Spanish: Trondheim para niños