The reconstructed town Steinkjer and Hegdahl-gården

Have you heard of Påssåby`n? No one knows for sure about the background for the name, but in this small district in Steinkjer both the poet Kristofer Uppdal and the painter Jacob Weidemann grew up.

One of the first buildings rebuilt after World War II
On the outskirts of Påssåby`n, Anna and Sivert Olaf Hegdahl established their own bakery on the 11th September 1901.

Steinkjer is one of the cities most devastated by German bombing during World War II with over 80% of the city laid in ruins in 1940.

The building that houses the Kulturkafé is one of the first commercial buildings to be rebuilt. The only part of the old bakery that remained standing were the ovens, and people needed bread. By 1943, the new "modern" bakery was completed.

The building was designed by architect Sverre Olsen, the same architect who designed the Community House by the town square, the Grand Hotel, and many other buildings that were rebuilt after the war. One of the things that makes Steinkjer particularly interesting is that by studying the architecture, you can gain insight into the thoughts and ideas behind the reconstruction of "the new" Norway after the war.

The Garden
An important idea for those planning the reconstruction architecture was that light and air should flow into the houses and that people should have their own gardens to grow fruits, berries, and vegetables. This concept is often referred to as a garden city. Today, outside Hegdahlgården, a small garden has been planted between the café tables with rhubarb, currant bushes, and apple mint.

The building is constructed with bricks and clay from Trana brickworks, which was located where Jula and Rusta are today.

The Cultural Cafe Hegdahl-gården
Today, Anne Mette Hegdahl runs the Kulturcafe in the old bakery premises. She has found her ancestors' recipe books and bakes both muffins and syrup cakes as they did in earlier times. The cafe is open on Sundays and Wednesdays, serving cakes, art, history, and sandwiches.

Bakery Tradition
Through our offerings, we aim to convey the history of Trøndelag's bakeries, as the café is located in the same premises as the old bakery company O. Hegdahl. Anna Nonstad and Sivert Olaf Hegdahl started the bakery here in 1901, the day after they got married. Their two sons, Sigurd and Arne, ran the bakery and confectionery here until 1965.

Steinkjer is called "the city of the rural areas," and we are committed to connecting our business with what is happening in the fertile rural areas surrounding the city. Specifically, this means that we bake our traditional Trøndelag tea cake with flour made from organic ancient grains produced by Gullimunn, and we serve syrup cake with gomme from Tverås Gårdsmat.

We also have a shop where you can buy locally produced honey, souvenirs, and children's toys made from eco-friendly materials.

A Varied Exhibition Program
You will always find an exhibition on our walls. Often, we tell stories from the rural city through objects and photographs, but we also showcase art and crafts, focusing on presenting both local artists and art with a national and international perspective.

Welcome!