If you like history and imagining what life was like in ancient times, the Sverresborg Trøndelag Folk Museum near Trondheim, Norway is the place to visit.
King Sverre was one of the most important rulers in Norwegian history. As a result, you can learn about life in the 12th century in the open-air museum named after him.
Trondheim is a very old city, founded in 997 as a trading post, and serving as the capital of Norway during the Viking Age until 1217.
This was our fourth stop on our 14-day coastal Norway cruise on the Holland America Kongingsdam.
Facts about Trondheim
- The city is more than one thousand years old.
- The city’s founder was a Viking King.
- It was once the Viking capital of Norway
- Trondheim’s original name was Nidaros.
- Trondheim is considered the technology capital of Norway.
- It has a walkable, skyscraper-free downtown
- It has an appealingly youthful vibe, thanks to the university, Norway’s largest.
- With a population of 193,000, Trondheim is not a big city on a European scale, however, it is the third largest in Norway
- The city is Norway’s capital of cross-country skiing.
- Actress/Director Liv Ullman was born in Trondheim
Sverresborg Trøndelag Folk Museum
Despite having only one day in Trondheim we saw both the city and the Trondelag Museum at Sverresborg, 2.7 miles from Trondheim.
Sverresborg is an open-air museum in picturesque surroundings around the ruins of King Sverre’s Castle, Norway’s oldest medieval castle.
All in all, there are more than 80 historical buildings, several indoor exhibitions, and two restaurants.
The ruins of Sverresborg castle high above Trondheim are now home to one of Norway’s biggest and best folk museums. The indoor and outdoor exhibits reveal the history of Trøndelag. The museum consists of the castle ruins, the farm buildings, the town buildings, and the indoor museum.
The Castle Ruins
It’s quite a climb to reach the top of the mound on which Sverre’s castle once sat. Very little remains except some stone foundations and although I am sure it is well worth the climb for views, I passed and photographed it from the bottom. It’s easy to see why King Sverre Sigurdsson chose this spot. Sverre’s enemies twice destroyed the castle and he twice rebuilt it.
Old Town
The museum’s buildings in the old town were originally located in downtown Trondheim. They offers a charming representation of the wooden houses that have dominated the cityscape from the 18th century up until today.
Rural Norway
The museum’s rural department is located around the ruins of the castle, and consists of farms and houses surrounded by picturesque nature. The houses are all originally from the Trøndelag region.
The rural section enables you to stroll from farmyard to farmyard throughout Trøndelag.
Urban Norway
In the urban section, there are images of life and interiors from Trondheim’s fascinating history.
The People of Trøndelag
The main indoor exhibition focuses on how people have lived in the region over the years, from childhood through to old age. The childhood section contains toys, games and clothes, while the adulthood section features a reconstructed kitchen and some early forms of transportation
In Summary
Walking the quaint streets of Trondheim and visiting the Trondalag Open-Air Museum were educational and enjoyable. Everything visited was unique and gave me insight into old Norway and its people. Live storytelling, theatrical performances, and close-up contact with the animals makes Sverresborg an historic oasis for young and old alike.
