Gamle Radhus (Old Town Hall), Trondheim

Trondheim’s Old Town Hall is a two-story building easy to recognize by its historic façade, with an eight-pointed star-shaped window and the city seal. Above the central section rises a square tower with a pyramid roof, topped by a smaller octagonal lantern, pointed roof, and spire. The building dates from the 18th century and was altered in 1870. It later ceased to function as the city’s town hall, and has been used as part of Trondheim Public Library since the 1930s.

In earlier times, the Old Town Hall was not only the center of city government; until 1863, it also housed the city jail. The prison lay beneath the building. As late as the early 19th century, some cell floors were still made of earth, sanitation was poor, and overcrowding was common. The smell from below could become so strong that incense had to be burned in the courtrooms above.

Today, the building has a much quieter role. Instead of court proceedings and prison cells, visitors find books, reading rooms, and library activity. Its past may have been grim, but the Old Town Hall now forms part of one of Trondheim’s most welcoming public spaces.