Day 1 – 30.05.2022 29 The Warehouses The historic harbour of Trondheim was the estuary of the river Nidelva. Along the western bank (city side) the merchants had their properties with dwellings and shops, and storage houses towards the river. The city consisting almost entirely of timber buildings was often ravaged by fires, and was in 1681 almost entirely destroyed. The measured for fire- safety taken after the former fire of 1851 proved inadequate, and an entirely new town plan with broad, straight streets was envisaged by the king. The storage buildings were separated from the rest of the built- up area by an avenue with an upper level serving the merchants’ mansions, and a lower street serving the warehouses. This resulted in one of the most distinctive city-scape, not only in the city, but as a cultural and aesthetic heritage of national importance. The buildings stand along both sides of the Nidelven river; those on the east bank belonging to the un-regulated suburb Bakklandet after the more mediaeval pattern with dwelling, shop and warehouse combined on the same lots. Originally they were used as storage for such goods as grain, sugar, salt and fish. The construction was the traditional technique of interlocking logs, with naked log-timber interior surfaces. When the shallow waters to the north of the city were dredged and protected by a sea wall in the early 19th century the insufficient harbour facilities were supplied with a necessary extension, and similar warehouses were built on the northern shore of the city, and later connected with the railway station on the artificial islands, forming another distinctive feature of the city-scape, the canal harbour. The original wharfs were not used as dwellings, but today, many have been converted into residential houses; this is however not permitted in the city side row along the river. Others are art galleries, coffee shops, restaurants, and boutiques. The cobbled walking paths make exploring the historic wharfs an easy and beautiful stroll. There are also several benches along the paths for those who want to relax. The Old Town Bridge over the Nidelven River is a great spot to get a picturesque view of the historic wharfs from a distance. CHePiCC Summer School 2022
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