Munkholmen is an island in the Trondheim Harbour area, approximately 2 kilometres from the town centre. The island was originally named Nidarholm. During the Viking Age, this was a place where public executions were held. Munkholmen is also where the founder of Trondheim, Olav Tryggvason, put Kark’s and Håkon Earl’s heads on poles, after battling for kingdom and Christianity in the year of 995.

A few years later, a Benedictine monastery was build on Nidarholm. The presence of monks lasted until the Protestant Reformation (in 1537), and this is why the island over time got it’s new name, Monk’s Island (Munkholmen).

Today, Munkholmen is a popular recreational attraction. The island has an open cafe and guide service in the summer season. There is also a small beach outside the fort. The fjord is relatively deep between Trondheim and Munkholmen, and you have to get there by boat. The boat service runs between Ravnkloa and Munkholmen at day time (between May and September), or when hired. For more information, follow link to the homepage of Tripps Boat Service.