Archbishop's Palace, Trondheim

The Archbishop's Palace in Trondheim is a complex of several stone buildings with thick walls, large halls, and residential spaces that show different phases of northern medieval architecture. The palace stands beside Nidaros Cathedral and together they form an important ensemble of church and secular power.

The palace grew up in the Middle Ages as the church's administrative center in Norway and was expanded over generations. Catholic use ended in the early 1500s when the Reformation changed the face of Norwegian Christianity.

The palace served as the seat of spiritual authority in Norway for centuries and shows in its rooms how the church shaped daily life. The exhibits today give a sense of how archbishops exercised power here and made religious decisions that affected the whole country.

The museum is easily accessible during the summer months and there is information on site to help you understand the different parts of the complex. The entrance is near the cathedral and you can reach the place easily on foot from the old town.

Excavations uncovered three medieval mints here, including one of the smallest and oldest coining facilities ever found in northern Europe. These workshops show that the site was not only a seat of power but also an economic center of the region.