Metodistkirken

Metodistkirken in Trondheim (Trondheim Metodistkirke) is a reinforced-concrete church completed in 1925 on Lilletorget, also known as Cicignons plass, in the city centre. Visitors come less for the architecture than for what happened here: an important Sámi gathering took place on this site, and during the war it sheltered a Jewish congregation.

How did the Methodist congregation in Trondheim begin?

The congregation was founded in 1881 with roughly two dozen members. For a time it met in rented rooms, and later it bought a church building on Krambugata. The first church was a wooden one, and it eventually became too small for the growing membership.

When was the current building put up?

The present concrete church was consecrated on 21 June 1925. According to Norwegian Wikipedia, it was designed by architect Claus Hjelte. It stands on the site of the earlier church, and the old wooden building was moved in 1924 to clear the ground. The altarpiece shows Jesus in Gethsemane. It was painted by Oscar Marius Hokstad and Ole Teien and donated by the Sunday school in 1929.

Why does this place matter to the Sámi?

In February 1917 the wooden church hosted a meeting described as the first Sámi political gathering in the Nordic countries. Sámi National Day, marked on 6 February, traces back to it. For anyone interested in the history of northern peoples, it is one of the more meaningful stops in Trondheim.

What happened here during the Second World War?

After the occupying forces seized the synagogue in April 1941, Trondheim's Jewish congregation set up a secret synagogue in the church loft. Services continued there until the mass deportation of Jews in autumn 1942. Sacred objects, including Torah scrolls, were hidden in the building and returned after the war.

In 1944 and 1945 the church opened its doors again, this time to people forcibly evacuated from Finnmark and northern Troms, where towns and villages had been burned.

Is the church still active?

Yes. The congregation has about 250 members and a regular community life. It describes itself as a church with open doors, which fits a building that has repeatedly served as a meeting place for groups in need of shelter or space. Current service times and events are best checked on the congregation's website.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Metodistkirken in Trondheim? On Lilletorget (Cicignons plass) in the city centre, a short walk from the main sights.

Who designed the current church? Norwegian Wikipedia credits architect Claus Hjelte, and the building was consecrated in 1925.

What is the connection to Sámi history? In 1917 the church hosted what is described as the first Sámi political meeting in the Nordic region, which Sámi National Day (6 February) traces back to.

Were Jews hidden in the church during the war? The loft served as a secret synagogue from 1941 until autumn 1942, and Torah scrolls were kept there for safekeeping.

Can I go inside? It is a working church and the congregation stresses openness. Check the opening and service times on the parish website before visiting.

Tips for visitors

The church fits easily into a walk through central Trondheim, since Lilletorget sits in the heart of the city. Visitors interested in twentieth-century history can pair it with other sites linked to the occupation and to Jewish life in the city. It helps to arrive knowing the events of 1917 and 1941, because the building itself is modest and its significance lies in its story.