Cultural Heritage

Øyvindtjønna

Situated along Østerdalsleden
Øyvindtjønna is a pond situated between the two mountains Vassfjellet and Litjfjellet. The site used to be of great importance for wanderers and pilgrims for centuries.

The site is named after the English St Edwin which was king of Northumbria in the 7th century. From the pond you'll see Trondheim and Nidaros Cathedral and pilgrims in the Middle Ages must have welcomed the sight and rejoiced over the fact that their destination was within sight. Øyvindtjønna was also a destination in itself. In addition to being a holy and wonderworking source that was visited en masse around midsummer and October 4th (day of St Edwin's celebration), written sources and archaeological findings show that a chapel was situated here in the Middle Ages.

The Norwegian historian Gerhard Schøning saw as late as in 1775 crutches and sticks left by people searching shelter in the chapel. The chapel was probably built as early as in the 13th century and demolished during the 17th century. Remaining material from the chapel was stored by Melhus vicarage, but used as firewood when the Swedish General and Baron Carl Gustaf Armfeldt's soldiers marched through the valley in 1718.

Photo: Even Hatlelid Mortensen