Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sights
The
Stiklestad National Cultural Centre (Stiklestad Nasjonale Kultursenter;
www.stiklestad.no
,
in Norwegian; adult/child Nkr120/50; 11am-5pm)
isagrandiose
wooden structure. Entry entitles you to visit
Stiklestad 1030
, an evocative exhibition
about the battle, with dioramas and plenty of shrieks and gurgles on the soundtrack; a
15-minute film on St Olav; a guided tour that includes a visit to the church; and a small
WWII resistance museum. Within the complex too is a
restaurant
specialising in locally
sourced food and a smart
hotel (s/d Nkr750/1000)
.
In the grounds there's a collection of over 30 historical buildings (admission free), ran-
gingfromhumblecroftsandartisansworkshopstothe
Molåna
,amuchgranderfarmhouse
and,withinit,asmall,summertimecafe.Insummer,actorsinperiodcostumebringseveral
of the buildings to life.
Across the road is lovely Stiklestad
church ( 11am-6pm Mon-Sat, 12.30-6pm Sun
mid-Jun-mid-Aug)
, built between 1150 and 1180 above the stone on which the dying St
Olav reputedly leaned. The original stone was believed to have healing powers but it was
removed during the Reformation and hasn't been seen since.
There's an excellent free booklet
Stiklestad - Meeting Place for Almost 2000 Years
.
Festivals & Events
Every year during the week leading up to St Olav's Day (29 July) Stiklestad hosts the
St
Olav Festival
with a medieval market, lots of wannabe Vikings in costume and a host of
other folksy activities. The high point of the festival is an outdoor pageant (held over the
last five days) dramatising the conflicts between the king and local farmers and chieftains.
Some of Norway's top actors and actresses traditionally take the major roles while locals
play minor parts and swell the crowd scenes.
Steinkjer & North
MedievalsagasspeakofSteinkjer(population11,000)asamajortradingcentreandindeed
it continues to be a crossroads, requiring a decision from northbound travellers: to opt for
the more scenic Kystriksveien coastal route (Rv17) to Bodø or to continue northwards on
the E6 (Arctic Highway).
