The Trondheimsfjord
A historic voyage along the seaway where earls and powerful chieftains once set out to unite Norway as a nation under one king
Norway's third-longest fjord
Although it may not be as mountainous as other Norwegian fjords, the Trondheimsfjord is Norway’s third-longest fjord, stretching for 130 kilometres from Agdenes lighthouse to Hjellebotn.
The outer stretch is 3-5 kilometres wide, and the fjord then widens as it bends eastwards in towards Trondheim and further northeast, with a number of fjord arms branching from it.
A busy passage
Previously, the inner stretches of the fjord were busy with marine traffic, but now only a few ferry crossings remain. The Norwegian Armed Forces’ seafaring activities here have also been downsized substantially. Still visible, however, are the German coastal defence fortifications built during the Second World War to protect Trøndelag against Allied invasion.
Several of Hurtigruten's ships have been built at shipyards along Trondheimsfjord. Both MS Midnatsol and MS Trollfjord were built at Fosen Mekaniske Veksted, close to Rissa.
Rich in wildlife and history
Keep your eyes peeled while sailing into the Trondheimsfjord, especially between the Kristiansund - Trondheim and Trondheim - Rørvik passages. Here you will see thriving birdlife, luxuriant green hills and numerous historic sites on both sides.
But the region is also rich in history too. At Reins Cloister at Rissa on Fosen peninsula, archaeologists have found artefacts from 3,000-year-old settlements. Harald Fairhair claimed the farm when he united Norway as one kingdom. This was achieved with considerable assistance from the Lade earls in Trøndelag at the decisive battle fought at Hafrsfjord in 885 A.D, who were later given the church that was established as a cloister from 1226.
Kristin Lavransdatter, the main character in Sigrid Undset’s Nobel Prize-winning trilogy, died in this cloister when the Black Plague ravaged in the mid-14th century.
A guiding light
Perched on a tiny skerry off Ørlandet, the deep red, octagonal Kjeungskjær lighthouse, built in 1880, shines across a busy shipping lane at Bjungfjord. The 20-metre-high structure helps fishermen and sea travellers stay on course as they approach the point where the Trondheimsfjord meets the North Sea nearby.
The lighthouse is open for guests to tour, enjoy its magical views and get close to the abundant birdlife. Visitors who wish to stay longer can even rent the lighthouse keeper's apartment, which has enough room for several people.
