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St. Olav Ways – the Pilgrim Paths to Trondheim
After his death in the battle of Stiklestad in 1030, Olav Haraldsson became the patron saint of Norway. Shortly after his death, miracles started occurring near his remains. He became the object of saintly worship, and pilgrims walked from all over Europe to the Nidarosdomen cathedral. In the middle ages, St. Olav’s grave in Nidaros (Trondheim) was the greatest pilgrims’ destination in the Nordic region.
St. Olav Ways takes you through built-up areas, magnificent cultural landscapes, narrow valleys, tranquil forests and open mountain ranges. Along the walk, you will experience historical and cultural monuments that are part of Norway’s national heritage.
St. Olav Ways is a network of marked paths based on the pilgrimage tradition. The paths connect a range of exciting natural and cultural monuments from the middle ages that are linked to the St. Olav tradition. The pilgrim centre at Granavollen covers the distance from Bønsnes in Hole to Biristrand in Gjøvik (the Gudbrandsdalsleden path). Here you walk through parts of the counties of Buskerud and Oppland, including 8 municipalities and 2 dioceses.
In our region you pass through a historical cultural landscape of amazement and wonder, peace and reflection. A pilgrim’s walk in our times is a journey of both body and mind – through a varied cultural landscape. Everyone is welcome, young and old, locals and international visitors, pilgrims walking short and long distances, individuals and groups.
The pilgrimage symbol, which is displayed along all the recognised pilgrim paths, is a combination of the St. Olav cross and the national heritage sign. St. Olav Ways has been designated as a European Cultural Route by the EICR.
About the pilgrim centres
The main role of the regional pilgrim centres is to stimulate and give advice on pilgrimage in their designated regions. The centres aim to create a network comprising the local and county authorities, the church and local cultural organisations and businesses.
The centres also act as a source of information for the municipalities in their work to maintain the paths, and for businesses linked to the pilgrim paths.
Read more at www.pilegrimsleden.no or http://granavollen.pilegrimsleden.no/
App-store: Pilegrimsleden
Facebook: Pilegrimssenter Granavollen
Read more about the regions:
- www.historiskehadeland.no
Contact information:
Contact Granavollen regional pilgrim centre by e-mailing: [email protected]
Source: Visit Øst-Norge