Nidarosdomen Info-kiosk

The restoration work

In 1869 the restoration of the Chapter House started. The main idea was to restore the cathedral back to its former appearance, and remove all newer additions. There were on the other hand no agreement on how the cathedral looked like during the Middle Ages.

In the 1870’s the restoration of the octagon and chancel started, and soon after the tower and transept. This work was finished in the beginning of the 20th century, and in 1905 the reconstruction of the nave and western façade started. The nave was finished in 1930, and the façade in the 1980’s. It was not until 2001, however, that the last vault in the western towers were finished.

Nidaros Cathedral Restoration Workshop

A separate organization was established to carry out the restoration work in the cathedral, Throndhjems Domkirkes Restauration, Trondheim Cathedral Restoration. The organization was organized as a medieval workshop, with craftsmen and artists such as stone masons, blacksmiths, carpenters, masters of stained glass windows and plaster casts. The work was led by a cathedral architect.

In time the organization changed its name, and today it is called Nidaros Cathedral Restoration Workshop. The organization is responsible for the management of the Archbishops Palace, the restoration of the cathedral and dissemination of its long history.

Nidaros Cathedral today

The cathedral as it appears today is characterized by the restoration in the 19th and 20th century. All of the stained glass windows are for example from the restoration period. Nevertheless, large sections of the cathedral are from the Middle Ages.

The cathedral is not only a monument over Norway’s powerful medieval past, but also a monument of an international church organization and an international architecture. The Romanesque style that we find in large sections of the cathedral is an inheritance from the Roman Empire. Moreover, both the Gothic and Romanesque styles have several similarities with Arabic architecture.