Stiftsgarden

Stiftsgarden was built between 1774 and 1778 for Cecilie Christine Schøller, a wealthy widow who wanted a house grander than her rivals', and at 140 rooms and about four thousand square metres it is one of the largest wooden buildings in Northern Europe. The exterior is a long yellow rococo facade on the main street; inside are period rooms with painted decoration, stoves and furniture from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The state bought it in 1800, and it has been the royal residence in Trondheim since, used during coronations and blessings at Nidaros Cathedral and for official visits. Guided tours run in summer when the royal family is not in residence.

History

The palace was built in 1774-1778 for Cecilie Christine Schøller (1720-1786), widow of the chamberlain and merchant Stie Tønsberg Schøller, as the largest private townhouse in Trondheim. It was sold to the state in 1800 for 10,000 rigsdaler, housed the Bank of Norway in 1816-1819, and its first royal guests were Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark-Norway and the princes of Hesse in 1788 (Wikipedia, Stiftsgården).

The main sights

• The wooden facade - a 140-room rococo palace built entirely of timber.
• The period rooms - eighteenth and nineteenth-century interiors and stoves.
• The royal use - the monarch's Trondheim residence for official visits.
• The garden - a private garden behind, open on some tours.

When to go

June to August, the only period tours run and only when the building is not in royal use; dates are announced each year. The exterior can be seen year-round from the street.

What to expect

Interior access is limited to guided tours over a short summer season, and closures happen at short notice when the royal family is present. Photography inside is restricted. From outside it reads as a long yellow building rather than a palace.

Nearby

Nidaros Cathedral is a few minutes south; Bakklandet and the Old Town Bridge lie east.

Key facts