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The Pilgrim's Route, () also known as St. Olav's Way or the Old Kings' Road, was a pilgrimage route to the Nidaros Cathedral in
Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; ), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros, and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2022, it had a population of 212,660. Trondheim is the third most populous municipality in Norway, and is ...
,
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
. The cathedral is the site of the medieval tomb of St. Olav. The main route is approximately long. It starts in the ancient part of
Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...
and heads north along the lake Mjøsa, up the Gudbrandsdalen valley, over the Dovrefjell mountains, and down the through the Oppdal and Gauldalen valleys to end at the Nidaros Cathedral.


Route

Although the Pilgrim's Route over the Dovrefjell mountains is only one of several pilgrimage routes in Norway, it is arguably the most famous. It connected the historically important Norwegian cities of
Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...
and Nidaros (now
Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; ), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros, and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2022, it had a population of 212,660. Trondheim is the third most populous municipality in Norway, and is ...
).


Oldest known route

The oldest known route over the Dovrefjell mountains which followed the Lågen river valley at the ''Kongsgården'' () at Tofte, just past Dovre Church in Dovre Municipality (slightly south of present-day village of Dombås). It followed a lower and more easterly route which followed the drainage to the east of Tofte, and then proceeded over the Dovrefjell mountains to join the route in Oppdal Municipality.


King's Way

The "King's Way" traveled up through the Gudbrandsdalen valley and left the Lågen river valley at Tofte ''Kongsgården'' () shortly past the Dovre Church in Dovre Municipality (just south of present-day village of Dombås). This route went more directly over the Dovrefjell mountains into Oppdal Municipality.


Shelters

The historically heavy stream of
pilgrim The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as ...
s which visited the shrine of St. Olaf in Trondheim annually prior to the Reformation resulted in the erection of mountain stations () where the pilgrims could find food and shelter. Stations were erected at Kongsvoll, Drivstuen, Fogstuen, and later at Hjerkinn. In speaking of the route, Knut Gjerset quotes Peder Claussøn Friis as writing in the late 16th century, "But in the winter people of high estate, as well as members of the court, travel mostly this way, because however high and deep the snow may fall, it blows together on the high mountains and becomes so hard men and horses can walk on it. The ''bonder'' armersrun over it on skis and snow-shoes. There are three stations: Drivstuen, Herdekinn and Fogstuen built on this same mountain in order that travelers may find lodging there...at the stations there are implements and dry wood, so that the traveler may build themselves fire, and not suffer from cold, when they have to remain over night, and cannot find the way across the mountain."


History

There is clear evidence that this route had seen heavy use in the early Norwegian
Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...
. Oppdal on the route was located at a crossroads for traffic from Trondheim, traffic over the Dovrefjell mountain range, and the Sunndal on the west coast. At Oppdal there are over 700
Viking Age The Viking Age (about ) was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonising, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. The Viking Age applies not only to their ...
grave mounds indicating that Viking trade routes passed through these valleys. It is appropriately termed "The King's Road". Virtually every king of Norway traveled this road. Those for whom we easily find records of their passage range from the first King of Norway through the last King able to pass that way before the road was completely replaced with modern rail and tarmac. Harald Fairhair or Harold I was the first king of all Norway who crossed the Dovrefjell on The King's Road. ''Harald Hårfagres saga'' describes an expedition he led up the Gudbrandsdal, and north over Dovrefjell on his way to success at the battle of Orkadal.


Kings

*The Saga of St. Olaf says that in the year 1021 and again in 1024 King Olaf (1015–1028) travelled north through the Gudbrandsdalen valley to Dovrefjell, where he crossed to Nidaros and remained there all winter. *''Magnus Berrføtts saga'' describes King Haakon Magnusson’s death in the Dovrefjell mountains in 1094. While crossing them he chased a rock ptarmigan until he got sick and died, leaving Magnus King of Norway. * Christian V (King of Denmark & Norway from 1670 to 1699) crossed the Dovrefjell mountains on horseback in 1685. * Frederik IV (King of Denmark & Norway from 1699 to 1730) crossed the Dovrefjell mountains in 1704 by cariole. The Norwegian cariole at that time only held one passenger, and the driver or attendant stood or sat behind on a narrow board above the axle. * Christian VI (King of Denmark & Norway from 1730 to 1746) crossed the Dovrefjell mountains in a 4-horse carriage in 1733. An illustrated manuscript of King Christian and Queen Sophie Magdalene's five-month-long journey through Norway is preserved in the Amalienborg Palace in
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
, of which a facsimile edition was published in 1992. * King Frederik V’s initials remained carved at Tofte from his passage through. * Christian Frederick passed this way, as did Karl Johan.


Railway lines

The Norwegian railway line Rørosbanen was opened on 13 October 1877, connecting Hamar and
Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; ), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros, and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2022, it had a population of 212,660. Trondheim is the third most populous municipality in Norway, and is ...
via the towns of Elverum and Røros. At this point, the difficult route up through the Dovrefjell mountains lost most of its appeal, compared with the relative ease of taking a train to Trondheim. The final end came on 17 September 1921, when the
Dovre Line The Dovre Line () is a Norwegian railway line with three slightly different lines which all lead to the historic city of Trondheim (city), Trondheim. Definition *Dovre Line is the main line between Eidsvoll Station and Trondheim Station, used b ...
was completed. Starting at Dombås in Dovre municipality, it passes over the mountainous stretches of the Dovrefjell, before merging with the Rørosbanen again at Støren. It passes close to the Old King's Road's historic route, but is to the west along a route which, although longer, has a lesser grade, as is required for rail.


Present-day route

Although the Pilgrim's Route fell into disuse with the arrival of the
railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
, it has recently been revived. Today it is promoted and is used by modern travelers as a long-distance hiking trail. There is a Pilgrim's Office in Oslo which gives advice to travelers and a Pilgrim Centre in
Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; ), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros, and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2022, it had a population of 212,660. Trondheim is the third most populous municipality in Norway, and is ...
, under the aegis of the Nidaros Cathedral, which awards certificates to successful travelers upon the completion of their journey.


See also

* St. Olavsleden


References


Other sources

*Raju, Alison (2015) ''The Pilgrim Road to Trondheim: Oslo to Nidaros Cathedral'' (Trondheim: Museumsforlaget) *Luthen, Eivind (1992) ''I pilegrimenes fotspor til Nidaros'' (Oslo: Cappelen) *Kollandsrud, Mari (1997) ''Pilgrimsleden til Nidaros'' (Oslo: Gyldendal) *Hansen, Knut Ingar (1997) ''Pilegrimsgang til Nidaros'' (Oslo: Gyldendal Tiden) *Söderlund, Staffan; Marie Sjöström (2016
''St Olavsleden: pilgrimsfärd från hav till hav, en guide''
(Växjö: Vildmarksbiblioteket)


External links


Pilegrimsleden -- official websiteThe Pilgrim Sly Treks Norway
Diary from a trek in 2009

from Kate and Corwen at Ancient Music UK, with travelogu

{{Walking routes Pilgrimage routes Christian pilgrimages Old roads of Norway History of Trondheim Hiking trails in Norway