By Tim Lambert
Early Trondheim
Trondheim was founded as a trading settlement in 997. However, before then, it was an assembly point where people met to discuss important issues. There may have been some merchants living there. However, it was formally founded as a town by the Norwegian king Olaf Tryggvason (995-c.1000).
Originally, Trondheim was called Nidaros. Nidaros Cathedral was built from 1070 onwards on the burial site of King Olav II (Saint Olav). It was essentially finished in 1300, although further work has been done since. In the Middle Ages, Nidaros Cathedral attracted many pilgrims. The Archbishop’s Palace was built in the 12th century. Trondhjems Hospital was founded in 1277. In it, the sick and disabled were cared for.
Trondheim flourished. Until 1217, it was the capital of Norway. However, Medieval Trondheim was small, even by the standards of the time. In the 13th century, it may have had a population of about 2,500. In the 14th century, it may have risen to about 4,000, but it remained at that figure until the 16th century. Despite its small size, Trondheim was an important town.
However, in 1564 Trondheim was captured by the Swedes. However, it was soon recaptured by the Norwegians. In 1658 Norway was forced to cede Trondheim to Sweden by the Treaty of Roskilde, but it was recaptured the same year.
Unfortunately, it suffered a series of disastrous fires. (Fire was a constant hazard in Medieval towns, when most buildings were made of wood). The last great fire in Trondheim was in 1681. Most of the town was destroyed by the fire. However, the king commissioned Johan Caspar von Cicignon to rebuild Trondheim. The Old Town Bridge was built at that time. Kristiansten Fortress was also built after the fire. The Swedes attempted to capture Trondheim again in 1718, but this time Kristiansten Fortress defended the town, and they failed.
In 1777, the town gained its first piped water supply. Stiftsgården was built in 1778. Since 1906, it has been the royal residence.
Modern Trondheim
In 1800, Trondheim was still a small town with a population of about 9,000. However, it grew rapidly during the 19th century, and it reached over 37,000 in 1900. The city of Trondheim was incorporated in 1838.
The Industrial Revolution transformed the city. Trondheim first gained gas lighting in 1853. A railway station was built in the town in 1864. The Britannia Hotel was built in 1870.
Trondheim first gained a public electricity supply in 1901. The same year, 1901, the first electric trams began running in the town. Trondheim Public Library opened in 1902. Also in 1902, the first modern hospital, now St Olav’s Hospital, opened.
Sverresborg Trondelag Folk Museum was founded in 1909. Rosenborg Ballklub, the football club was founded in Trondheim in 1917. The Trondheim Maritime Museum was established in 1920. A statue of King Olav Tryggvason was erected in the Market Square in 1921. In 1924 Jews purchased the old Railway Station in Trondheim, and it was made a synagogue.
Germany invaded Norway on 9 April 1940, and the country was occupied until 8 May 1945. In 1940 there were about 300 Jews in Trondheim, but half of them did not survive the Holocaust. A memorial to them in the Jewish cemetery was dedicated in 1947.
In the 21st century, Trondheim continued to flourish. The Norwegian University of Science and Technology opened in 1996. It’s popular with students in Norway. Rockheim, the museum of music, opened in 2010. The public sculpture called Gyga was made in 2024.
Today Trondheim is known for its tech industries. In 2026, Trondheim had a population of 194,000.
