The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-06-13
NoRwAYs TREASURE.
The Great Cathedral Near the Arctic
Circle.

1he GIeaL IatneuIal near Lhe AIcLlC
Circle.
When King Haakon VII. was crowned
in the Cathedral Of Troudhjem, the an
eient capital Of his new kingdom, the
nave Of that magnificent building was
as it now is, covered in by rough planks
of wood. From the interior it was nee
essary to clear out an army of archi-
teets, modellers, sculptors, stonemasons
and builders For the cathedral has now
for many years past been undergoing
such reconstruction as, in regard to some
of its portions, amounts to rebuilding.
1t will probably be such restoration
as will satisfy even those to whom al.
most all restoration IS abominable. The
work done so far has been carried out
in a spirit of high reverence for the past,
under the superintendent Of Herr Chris
tie, the most eminent of Norwegian ar
ehitects, who is deyoting his life to what
Professor DietTichson of Christiana Uni
versity calls "Norway's noblest monu-
ment, the country's sacred treasure, the
crown and glory OF its architecture"
It was in 1860 that the present restora
tion was begun. 1t has been continuous,
ly proceeding since that year and Is ex-
peeted TO reach completion by 1904, when
Norway will celebrate the hundred ami
versary of its restored independence. The
amount of money expended will reach
at least 100000 kroner (S1,665,000).
Tronhiem, with its 10000 iuhabitants,
not far from the outer rim of the Arctic
Circle, is strange place in which TO
find one of the most remarkable of
cathedrals Of Europe But then, great
part Of Europe helped in the building
of this most magnificent monument to
one who was held TO be hero, miracle
worker, martyr and saint. There were
churches dedicated to st. Olaf in Nor
gorod and in Constantinople, in Esthland
and Ireland, in England and Germany.
In London there were four churches OF
st. Olaf, two of whoch still remains.
At Trondhiem, then called Nidaros, the
mouth OF the olse," the cathedral rose
above King 0lAf's shrine. and ON the very
spot where his body had been hidden,
after his last disastrous fight against
Cannte, who had added the crown OF
Norway TO that of Denmark and Eng
land. To Olaf's shrine aud 0laf's well
which is embedded within the cathedral
walls, came pilgrims from all parts Of
Europe, bringing their gifts with them.
By the side Of a small church there grew
up a larger one. and around the larger
one a great eruciform cathedral, notable
even more for its architectural splendor
of detail than for its magniheence Of
sire.
By the year 1900 the church was com
uleta and was the wonder Of Norway.
It was 324 feet lonk with great cen
trail tower three other towers of smaller
dimentions and many turrets and pima
cles. There were $40 windows, 1850
pillars, and and 80 affairs, all richly de-
corated and adorned. on the capitals
of the columns weird and exquisite archi
tectural fancies were layished The gen.
eral effect was, perhaps, one OF over
decoration. The concentrations Of the
capitals are very deeply cut. Quaint
heads are mingled with floral designs,
and tho spirit Of the maker Of comic
gargoyles asserts itself here and there.
The present restoration is one of many
for the cathedral has had exceeding bad
fortune. 1t was three times on fire be-
tween 1925 and 1881 IL was plundered
in 1857, the silver shrine of ST. OLAF be-
ing carried of to Copenhagen. When
the Swedes captured Trondhiem, in1564,
they stable their horses in the cathedral
and buried Olafs body in a faraway
country church. There were fires again
in i1oS and 1910, and the repairing was
then done in n slipshod and irrevelent
fashion, capitals, columns, traeery, being
used as ordinary building material, arch
q being obscured by new stone work,
the nave left in ruins, the aisles shut
off from the chaneel, the walls disfgured
bv tiers of wooden boxes used as pews.
This was the condition Of Trondhiem
Cathedral when the restoration was be.
gun in 1869.
The work has now been carried very
far. Practically everything is complete
but the nave, which has been carried up
to something like two-thlrds of what
will be It's final height Everything has
been exactly restored. Nothing has been
changed so far as can be discovered, or
will be- The building is to be in 1914
lust what ii was in 1900. To this end
not only the best architectural, but the
best worSmanly skill, has been employ
ed Every fragment Of the old building
has been used where that was possible,
and In the use of what was ruined be.
vond repair careful casts have been made
and the whole restored from these and
from suggestions in the uniniurod work.
The material employed is a curious blue
soap stone found in the locality. When
broken in one direction It has a blSlI.;i
sparkle like some iron ores, suggesting
great hardness, but in reality it is
soft stone, very pliable to the sculptar's
hadns, and almost capable Of being cut
by knife II has, however, proved its
enduring qualities. Ia some Of the oldest
parts u the church the mason's marks
are not far from being as clear and as
sharp as when they were placed there
eight or nine hundred years ago, From
the Times of London.