Nidaros Cathedral

Nidaros Domkirke (Nidaros Cathedral) as what they call it in Norwegian is a work of great art and architecture with a rich cultural heritage, to boot. The entire structure was built during the Medieval Ages on top of the grave of St. Olav who was a Viking king and for almost a thousand of years people have come to the Nidaros Cathedral to experience and participate in the spiritual life of the church. It withstood the rages of fire and the wrath of Mother Nature and still church services continued. After 100 years of restoration, the church became more magnificent than ever before.

The west front is the most stunning feature of the church. It is a remarkable example of an English type facade in the 13th century. There are several statues of Christ, the Virgin Mother and Child, the prophets and kings of the Old Testament, the apostles and the four Norwegian saints. All the statues have their own symbols that let the viewer tell one from the other. There are 59 large statues in all but in the 16th century it fell into ruins. The edifice was rebuilt between 1905 and 1983. Of all the 59 statues, there are only 5 that are from the Medieval times. As of the present, these originals are kept in the Cathedral Museum and copies were made to be placed on the facade.

During the Medieval Ages, the church was Catholic and after the Reformation in 1537, it became Evangelist Lutheran Church. Today, in the parish of Nidaros Cathedral, there are 4,300 members of the Norwegian church and it serves as the main church for the bishopric of Nidaros. It is also Norway's National Sanctuary.

The cathedral is a destination for both international and local pilgrims in the last decade and the church has its own pilgrim priest. Actually, they employ four priests. The ecumenical cooperation in the city of Trondheim which this beautiful structure is located, has allowed Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Coptic and Anglican/Episcopalian church services be held in the cathedral. But the most important function this cathedral plays is being the host of many national events, as well as the crowning of kings and queens of Norway.

That's just a little side note on the church's history. Being there to see it in its entirety was quite breathtaking and also a wonderful experience. The way the stained glass changes from a little bluish to flaming red depending on the sun's angle and rays is marvelous. You can also feel the tranquil aura of the church that soothes your entire being. The old runes being engraved on some walls of the church are quite mysterious.

The sad thing was that you can't use flash when taking pictures inside the church and you really need it since inside is not that well lit. I somehow managed to capture the beautiful facade of the church, despite the bad weather when I visited. (This writer is a student and working part time as a webdesigner in Bergen, Norway.)