This small island just off the coast of Trondheim holds a dark history. Here's what to know about one of the city's favourite recreation spots, and how you can visit.
If you’ve ever arrived in Trondheim by coastal ferry or cruise ship, you may have noticed the small, flat island just offshore.
That is Munkholmen, a place that has served as execution ground, monastery, fortress, prison and military outpost. These days, it is better known as Trondheim’s own summer island.
I last visited more than a decade ago, yet I always recommend a trip out here as one of the best things to do in Trondheim during the summer. So, it was time to check that advice still stands!
When a rare sunny day arrived in late August, at the very end of the season, I took the short ferry ride across the fjord for a return trip before the service closed for the year.
The Short Journey Across the Fjord
The boat leaves from Ravnkloa, right in the heart of Trondheim. Just look for the statue of the Last Viking and the yellow wooden building which serves as the ticket office.
The route out of Trondheim’s harbour gives you a wonderful perspective on the city and the experience of sailing right underneath this low bridge. Mind your head!
Within just a few minutes, the city falls behind and the island’s stout stone walls come into view. Despite the brevity of the trip, the change in atmosphere is striking: leaving the bustle of town behind for a place that feels at once peaceful and heavy with memory.
On my late-season visit, the usual summer crowds were gone. Families with picnic baskets had been replaced by just a handful of people taking advantage of the sunshine.
It was the perfect chance to wander slowly and reflect on the island’s extraordinary past, with room to spare.
A Thousand Years of History
Few places in Trondheim carry as much layered history as Munkholmen. In the Viking Age, this was the spot where Olav Tryggvason placed the severed heads of his defeated enemies, Håkon Jarl and his servant Kark, on poles as a warning to others.
By the early 11th century, the island became home to Nidarholm Abbey, thought to be Norway’s oldest monastery. It's hard to believe this tiny island has played such a role in the history of Trondheim, and of the country.
The Benedictine monks were not only men of prayer: they built a thriving economic empire based on farmland, shipping, trade and brewing. Their wealth and influence stretched across Trøndelag and as far as England and continental Europe.
Centuries later, the Reformation ended monastic life. The ruins of the abbey were plundered for stone to build a fortress, which was expanded in the 1600s into a defensive stronghold.
For nearly two decades the fallen Danish statesman Peder Schumacher Griffenfeld was imprisoned here, earning the fortress the grim reputation as a state prison.
But that wasn’t all. During the Second World War, German forces stationed anti-aircraft weapons on the island to guard their submarine base in Trondheim.
Exploring the Island Today
Today Munkholmen is a summer escape for locals and visitors alike. The fortress walls remain intact, and guided tours bring the history to life as you step inside casemates, dungeons and powder magazines.
For me, standing in the cool stone passages while hearing stories of monks, prisoners and soldiers gave the island a new dimension beyond its summer charm.
Outside, the grassy areas are perfect for picnics, while a small sandy beach on the south side is popular with families on warm days. The views are wonderful in all directions.
On my visit, the café was still serving its signature dish: a hearty homemade fish soup, best enjoyed outdoors with a view back across the water to the city skyline.
A Place of Contrasts
That is the magic of Munkholmen: it is both a place of relaxation and of remembrance.
Within the space of an afternoon, you can swim in the fjord, eat ice cream on the lawn, and walk through prison cells that once held some of the most powerful men in Scandinavia.
Even ten years on, I was struck by how little had changed, and how timeless the experience felt. The stone, the sea, and the stories are all still there, waiting just a short boat ride from the heart of Trondheim.
How to Visit Munkholmen
Ferries to Munkholmen run daily from late May to the end of August, departing from Ravnkloa in Trondheim city centre.
The trip takes only ten minutes, with departures every hour during the summer season, with additional ones put on when required. There's a reduced schedule on weekends in September. Tickets can be bought at the quay.
The island is small, so you can explore on foot with ease. Entry to the fortress and guided tours are optional extras available once you arrive, with tours offered in both Norwegian and English.
As of 2025, the tickets for the return ferry trip cost NOK 125, with an additional NOK 120 if you want the guided tour.
Food and drink are available at the café, which is open when the boat runs. Its homemade fish soup is the house speciality, but lighter options such as sandwiches, salads and ice cream are also available. Many locals bring their own picnics and make use of the large grassy areas.
Bring swimming gear if the weather is warm (there’s a small beach!) but don’t forget a light jacket too, as the breeze on the fjord can be brisk even on sunny days.
