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The history of the Archbishop's Palace in four acts
Trondheim was a bishopric in the 1000s. The site of the actual building is not known, but it seems reasonable to assume that it must have been close to the Cathedral. When the archdiocese was established in 1152/53, construction activities in the area must have been hectic. The oldest building in today's Archbishop's Palace – the East wing – can be linked to precisely this period. However, we need to let another century or two pass before we have adequate facts on which to base the reconstruction of the old Archbishop's Palace.
1150 - 1500
Excavated remnants of a precinct wall from the middle of the 13th century prove that the Palace was originally larger than today. It reached to parts of the Cathedral's cemetery and also further down toward the river. This oldest precinct wall and remnants of a stone hall have been built into the museum. Together with the two large stone buildings closest to the Cathedral and the precinct wall to the west with the "Weight House", this is all that remains visible from this period of the Palace's history. |
1500 - 1550
Close to the Cathedral we find the magnificent stone buildings with the Archbishop's hall and private quarters. The twin staircase was most likely furnished with a canopy, and was also probably used as a tribune when receiving prominent visitors from home or abroad. Along the east and south wings there were all sorts of workshops. This is displayed in the museum with the precinct wall, the armoury and the mint. The buildings were plundered and burnt by the King's men in 1532. |
1550 - 1660/86
During the Reformation, the Archbishop's Palace was confiscated by the King and was given a new name: the King's Manor. From 1550 the King's Lord Lieutenants resided here, having new buildings erected and carrying out major repairs. This model is based on information in the Lord Lieutenant accounts from 1656. The buildings were mansion-like in character with an accommodation wing and a splendid tower above the gate facing the Cathedral. Along the east wing was the "Herrehuset" and stables for the estate's 44 cows, four horses and two oxen. |
1686 - 1800
From the end of the 1660s the Kings' Manor was used as a military depot with an arsenal and uniform stores for all of central and northern Norway. The property was accurately surveyed by J. N. Eckleff in 1758, and this survey has been used as the basis for the model. The old medieval buildings surrounding the Cathedral were rebuilt to provide as much storage space as possible. The old hall of the Palace was divided into three floors, and the old stone house was called "Tøyhuset" - the Army General Stores. An officer – the quartermaster – managed all the stored military supplies and now lived in a separate complex by the south precinct wall. |
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