Sep 08 2008
Hamar
I was lucky enough to get invited (by the Solheims) to the town of Hamar (map). The town boasts the Olympic speed skating rink from the ’94 winter Olympics held in Lillehammer.
More interestingly, the town also has the ruins of the cathedral of the one of the first bishops of Norway. It was encased in a glass protective structure to great effect. The whole thing is part of a museum now which includes the bishops manor. Photos are available of course so have a look.
In the Viking age Hamar was a powerful centre and according to Wikipedia even Harald Hardrade had property here. Though I haven’t read about Hamar specifically I would guess the reasons for it’s placement/importance lie in the fact that the surrounding land is very fertile by Norwegian standards. Also the relatively southern positioning and the size and shape of the lake made it ideal for communication purposes. Hamar was also protected from the ocean, so those looking to raid couldn’t easily make their way into the town, as they did with Paris or London.
There’s a short video clip of a woman singing inside this revamped cathedral. On occasion there are concerts and I think even masses that take place at the ruins, so that’s the reason for the stage and chairs.