Gamle Bybro (Old Town Bridge), Trondheim (must see)

As part of Johan Caspar de Cicignon's reconstruction, a bridge was built across the River Nidelva, linking the city center with the Bakklandet district and providing convenient access to Kristiansten Fortress. The bridge also served as one of Trondheim's guarded city gates until the early 19th century.

The original bridge was built of wood and was completed in 1681 with financial support from King Christian V of Denmark-Norway. The present bridge is a reconstruction completed in 1861 by the city's chief engineer, Carl Adolf Dahl. While the structure itself dates from the 19th century, it preserves the character of its predecessor, including the distinctive red-painted gateway that has become one of Trondheim's best-known landmarks. Originally, guardhouses stood at both ends of the bridge to control access to the city.

The Old Town Bridge replaced an earlier crossing at nearby Elgeseter. Once the new bridge became the principal route into the city, the old bridge gradually fell into disuse and eventually disappeared. One of the original guardhouses was later demolished, while the former customs house on the western bank still survives and has found new uses over the years.

The bridge is affectionately known as "The Portal of Happiness." The nickname comes from the beloved song "Nidelven, Quiet and Beautiful You Are", with lyrics by Kristian Oskar Hoddø. During the Second World War, Hoddø became a member of the Norwegian resistance and was executed by the German occupation authorities in Trondheim in 1943. Today, the bridge remains one of the city's most photographed and cherished landmarks.