Munkholmen

Munkholmen has served almost every purpose a small island can. In the Viking period it was a place of execution, and the head of Earl Haakon is said to have been displayed here. A Benedictine monastery was founded on it either in 1028, by King Canute, or around 1100, one of the earliest in Scandinavia, and it lasted until the Reformation. It then became a fortress and a state prison, holding among others Peder Griffenfeld, the Danish chancellor, for eighteen years from 1680. It was used militarily into the twentieth century. Today it is a summer excursion: a boat from the fish market quay, a small beach, a cafe, guided tours of the fortress buildings and a view back to the city and the fjord.

History

Before King Olav Tryggvason founded Trondheim in 997, the Jarls of Lade used the islet as a place of execution. Nidarholm Abbey, a Benedictine house, was founded here either in 1028 by King Canute or around 1100, and suffered fire three times in the Middle Ages, the last in 1531 (Wikipedia, Nidarholm Abbey; Wikipedia, Munkholmen); a fort begun in 1658 was completed in 1661 and also served as a state prison, where Count Peder Griffenfeld spent 18 years (Wikipedia, Munkholmen).

Highlights

• The fortress buildings - the round fort and prison structures on the islet.
• The monastery traces - remains of the eleventh-century Benedictine house.
• The bathing spot - a small beach used by Trondheim in summer.
• The city view - Trondheim and the fjord from the water.

When to go

June to August, when the boat runs and the cafe is open; outside the season there is no public access. Warm weekends fill the small beach and the boats.

What to expect

Access is by seasonal boat only, with limited sailings and cancellations in poor weather. The island is small, seen in an hour or two, and facilities are basic. The historic buildings are partly closed and interpretation is limited outside guided tours.

Nearby

Trondheim's Ravnkloa fish market is the departure point; Nidaros Cathedral and Bakklandet are in the city.

Key facts