Bergen Cathedral

Welcome to Bergen Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Olav, the eternal king of Norway. The Cathedral has seen more than its fair share of hardship. It burned down five times over the centuries, and in 1665, it was hit by a cannonball during the Battle of Vågen, when English and Dutch naval forces clashed in the harbour. That cannonball is still lodged in the wall, serving as a silent witness to Bergen’s dramatic past. It began as a small stone church, built around the year 1150. In the 13th century, the Franciscans, who had just arrived in Bergen, took control over it, and built their monastery around it. After another fire, the church was rebuilt on a much larger scale, thanks to a generous donation from King Magnus Lagabøte, who is also buried inside. It became a grand structure, although still modest in decoration, typical of Norwegian architecture. The cathedral would go on to suffer two more fires. In 1537, the Reformation was ordered by the king, and much of the Catholic structure was torn down. After the 1640 fire, the church received a valuable pipe organ, and following another major fire in 1702, significant restoration work was carried out. The most important reconstruction took place in 1880, designed by the architects Christie and Blix. They gave the cathedral its current look, restoring its medieval appearance by removing the rococo décor added over the centuries. Feel free to step inside, and if you’re lucky, you might catch a live organ recital during the summer months.