The monument to Olav Tryggvason is located on the town square in the city center, and was erected in honor of King Olav Tryggvason, the founder of Trondheim. The 18-meter-high statue is a masterpiece by sculptor Wilhelm Rasmussen. Although the desire for the monument existed for a very long time, the first idea to erect a statue of King Olav was realized in 1897. That year, the statue was placed at the northern end of Illevold Park, but the sculpture was made of bad material and was damaged over time.
The desire for a monument in memory of the city's founders did not abate even after that. Between 1917-1921, a new statue was made that stands on the town square, on Torvet. The task of the sculptor Wilhelm Rasmussen was daunting. The square was the intersection of wide intersecting streets, and the Nidaros Cathedral stood on the south side. It was necessary to devise and design a good sculpture that will represent one of the most important monumental monuments in the urban part of the city.
Its height is 18 meters, of which the gray granite pillar is 14.5 m, and the statue of King Olav itself is 3.5 m. This is also the tallest monument in Trondheim that you will not be able to miss. You will have the impression that the statue merges with the clouds. It faces north and faces the fjord.
It is made in such a way that King Olav provides a vessel for communion in his left hand, and an undiscovered sword in his right. At the feet of the king lies the head of the Nordic god Thor, symbolizing the king's victory over paganism.
The statue was unveiled by King Haakon in 1921.
Author of the text:
Maja Glavaš, Bachelor with Honours in Communicology. Works in Tourism.
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