Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-08-17
IN FAR NORTHlAND.
important Events In Sweden,
Norway and Denmark.
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
Interesting ltema From the Three
Great Kingdoms OF che North, g.
lected for Scandlnavians and
Their Descendants
BY MARTIN w. opLANp.
Norway.

Norway.
Interest In the restoration of the
Domkirke has been re-
sived lately because of arguments
against Professor Nordhagen's plans
of restoration advanced by Macody
Lund. who has presented plan Of
his own and asked for an opportunity
to demonstrate Its superiority To that
Of Nordhagen's. The question raised
by Lund, says Christiania correspond
ent. has to do principally with u me
trical system to determine the lines
ind dimensions of the building, aud
has started Il controversy which has
engaged the attention Of Christiania
architects. When Professor Nordhag-
en- threatened to resign great num-
bers rallied to his support, and II In
now believed that he will be allowed
to go forward with the work I'M
hampered by any restrictions Of the
storthing. Trondhjem cathedral Ii
the edifice where the monarchs Of
Norway were crowned for generations.
1t Is the chief ecclesiastical monu-
ment In Norway. II was begun In
the nth century and the principal
work was done from 1161 TO LAS,
mostly In the time OF Archbishop by
stein. Epstein visited England and
Ia supposed to have been familiar with
English cathedrals, which Ia taken to
explain some similarities In the Tro-
ndhiem structure with Canterbury. In
the 14th. 18th and nth centuries the
cathedral was severely damaged by
dre and finally deserted, heap OF
ruins. The work of restoration, there
fore, left broad field for speculation
on the intentions OF the medieval
builders. Architects puzzled over
the remains and studied contempor-
aneous Scandinavian architecture,
while historians and archaeologists
were called into consultation. The
most satisfactory plans were prepared
first by Christie and later by Nordhag-
en-. w. ID. Caroe. an authority on
English churches. placed the situation
squareiy before Nordhagen when he
wrote. Il would emphasize I'm the
strongest manner that what You are
aiming at IL not an attempted arch
geological construction, but piece
Of work essentially Of today. Aesthetic
considerations demand that ii should
be harmonious with the ancient work,
| and therefore, II must be guided by
architectural scholarship. But Inn
aginary speculations as to whether
this or that archbishop would have
built I'm this or that manner seem to
be entirely beside the mark, not to
say foolish. Beauty and harmony
| alone have to be considered" Nord.
hagen studied the important Norwee.
| ian remains throughout the northern
| countries. including such monuments
| as Haakonshallen ut Bergen. the
| domkirke Mt Stavanger, the Maria
| kirken Mt Bergen, the st. Magnus
| cathedral at Kirkwall In the Orkneys
| the Vor Frue kirke Of Trondhjen
| and the northumberland at Ber
gen. Most Of the present decora'
! lion of the Trondhjem cathedral Ii
| trail spire. tapering from a squat Nor
| nan tower placed at the intersection OF
nave and transept. The spire has
caused no end Of discussion and
numerous plans for different spires
have been drawn, but none has been
agreed upon as substitute. The
| cathedral In mn object of pride to all
loyal Norweglans and there are few
| that have travelled the length Of Nor
| way who have not made pilgrimage
| TO Trondhjem.
Az lis we'll known, the work OF
restoring the Trondhjem Domkirke
or cathedral, has been going on foi
some time, under the direction OF
Professor Olaf Nordhagen, Il distin'
guished Norwegian architect. The task
is exceedingly difficult. for the
cathedral had fallen into such ruin
that Its original appearance can
scarcely be conjectured and the plans
OF the builders have been lost. What
Professor Nordhagen has to do IL
virtually to construct new cathedral
and yet keep sufficiently within the
ancient architectural limits to protect
himself against the charge Of making
the new building a personal work.
| Seventy plans have been submitted
In the competition for the best de.
sign for the restoration Of the
burned portion of the city of Bergen
Most of these plans were sumbitted