Fortidsminneforeningen

The Saint Olav Memorial

Photo: Fortidsminneforeningen.

Facts

The Saint Olav Memorial lies at Stiklestad in Verdal Municipality in Nord-Trøndelag County. You will find a map showing all of Fortidsminneforeningen's properties in the region here.

History and practical information

Today's St. Olav Memorial was erected in 1807 to commemorate the battle of Stiklestad in 1030, regarded as the turning-point after which Norway became a Christian country. The first memorial at the site was erected in 1710, but the spot may have been marked with a wooden cross for centuries before that.

The Battle at Stiklestad and St. Olav is of course of great importance in Norwegian history - both politically and religiously - and the memorial has therefore been of special interest to Fortidsminneforeningen. The organization acquired the memorial as its property in 1856.

During the Nazi occupation (1940-45) the Norwegian Quisling-government wanted to rereplace the present memorial. Fortidsminneforeningen protested, but was not heard. The organization removed the old memorial secretly, and hid it at nearby Verdalsøra. A new monolith showing scenes from the Stiklestad Battle was erected on the site. After the war, the new memorial was buried in the ground and the old monument restored. The last few years, there has been a public debate on whether the Nazi memorial should be excavated or not.

The memorial of 1807 stands on a hill near the entrance to the arena for the historical "St Olavs play", and can be visited all year around.