Austrått

Austrått is a manor in Ørland Municipality in Trøndelag, central Norway, set on a fertile peninsula by the Trondheimsfjord. For about a thousand years it housed noblemen, noblewomen and officials who left a mark on Norwegian history, and today it ranks among the best-known secular monuments in the region.

What does the name Austrått mean?

Older records spell it Østråt, Østeraat, Austaat or Austråt. The name is usually traced to Old Norse words for east and property, so it can be read as "the eastern estate". Spelling shifted with the era and the scribe.

How far back does the history go?

The site has been a residence since the 10th century. It is linked to Skjegge Asbjørnsson, an opponent of King Olav Tryggvason's attempts to convert Mid-Norway, although his burial mound has never been identified. In the 11th century the lendmann Finn Arnesson lived here. Austrått was a seat of local power long before the present building took shape.

Who was Ingerd Ottesdatter, and what happened in 1537?

The best-known chapter is the feud between Lady Ingerd Ottesdatter and Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson, one of the last Catholic leaders of Norway. The archbishop plundered the estate three times and was involved in the deaths of two of Ingerd's sons-in-law. In 1537, during one of his last known actions on Norwegian soil, he and his men landed at Ørland and looted the manor of his chief opponent once more. In 1552 Ingerd passed the estate to her daughter Lucie Nilsdatter and son-in-law Jens Tillufssøn Bjelke.

Who gave the manor its present form?

The Bjelke family kept the estate for generations. The widow of their son held it for six years before handing it to Chancellor Jens Bjelke. The layout seen today is attributed to Chancellor Ove Bjelke, with construction completed around 1656.

What happened in the 20th century?

The main building burned down in 1916. Restoration began in the 1920s and was finished in 1961, so rebuilding took decades. The manor is owned by the Norwegian state and administered by the Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum, the decorative arts museum in Trondheim.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Austrått? In Ørland Municipality, Trøndelag, central Norway, at roughly 63.70° N, 9.74° E.

Is Austrått a castle or a manor? It is classed as a manor. Noblemen and officials lived here; it was not a classic royal castle.

When did the building get its current layout? The layout is credited to Chancellor Ove Bjelke, with work completed around 1656.

Is the building original? Not entirely. After the 1916 fire it was restored from the 1920s until 1961.

Who owns it? The Norwegian state, with administration handled by the museum in Trondheim.

Why visit? It condenses a thousand years of Norwegian history: early chieftains, the clash with the archbishop, the Bjelke family and the rebuilding after the fire. For anyone interested in history and historic architecture in Trøndelag, it is a natural stop.