Third largest city of Norway after Oslo and Bergen, and the nation's medieval capital. Trondheim is a port in central Norway on the south shore of Trondheimsfjord. The town was founded in AD 977 and first named Nidaros. The 12th-century cathedral is built over the tomb of King Olaf II. which is now a shrine. Olaf ruled Norway from 1015 to 1028, died fighting to regain his throne at the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030, and was canonized because of his campaign to convert his people to Christianity. He is now recognized as Norway's patron saint. Until 1906 Norway's kings were crowned in the cathedral, which was much restored in the 19th and 20th centuries. The city's fortifications date from the 17th century. Trondheim also contains Stiftsgarden, the largest wooden building (about 1150 in', 12380 sq ft) in Norway, built in 1774 and now used as a royal residence. The city is a commercial and shipping centre, and manufactures wood products, electronic equipment and clothing.
Lofoten
Arctic island group off the northwest coast of Norway, The islands, which cover a total area of 1667 km2 (644 sq miles). stretch 190 km (118 miles) along the north side of the Vestfjorden channel. Their cod fisheries are among the richest in the world. Hundreds of fishing boats converge on the islands at the height of the cod season in February and March. The main ports for fish processing are Svolvaer and Henningsvaer.
Just off the most southerly major island in the group - Moskenes Island - a powerful tidal current sweeps through the strait between the southern tip of Moskenes and a nearby islet. imaginative descriptions of the current's effects by such writers as the American Edgar Allan Poe (1809-49) and the Frenchman Jules Verne (1828-1905) have made the currents name -the Moskenesstraumen (Moskenes Current) or, more familiarly, the Maelstrom - synonymous with a malevolent whirlpool capable of swallowing entire ships. In reality, even small boats can often cross it safely. However. some combinations of wind and tide can make the Maelstrom a terrifying hazard to navigate.
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