The earliest known mention of this church (now, Bergen Cathedral) dates back to 1181, during a time of political turmoil. According to Sverris saga, the peasant chief Jon Kutiza launched an attack on King Sverre in Bergen. Some of the king's men sought refuge in the church, then known as Olavskirken, dedicated to Saint Olaf. At that time, it served as a humble parish church, a sanctuary amid the chaos.

By the 1530s, Olavskirken had ascended to a greater role, replacing the Church of Christ in Bergenshus as the city's cathedral. This change was necessitated by the demolition of the latter to make way for defense structures. Yet, Bergen Cathedral's journey was far from peaceful.

The flames of history have repeatedly scorched this hallowed ground. The cathedral, ironically once using its towering bell tower as a fire watch, has been ravaged by fire no fewer than five times: in 1248, 1270, 1463, 1623, and 1640. Each time, like a phoenix, it rose from the ashes, with each restoration adding new features, culminating in its present-day 17th-century grandeur.

Disasters were not confined to fire. During the Second Anglo-Dutch War, the Battle of Vågen in 1665 saw the cathedral caught in the crossfire. A cannonball from this fierce naval clash remains lodged in the cathedral's west wall, a silent witness to the conflict between the English and Dutch fleets. This cannonball, embedded in stone, serves as a stark reminder of Bergen Cathedral's ability to withstand the ravages of war. Facing the entrance, look up and to the left to find it. 

Photo: Nina Aldin Thune https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Domkirken_bg_4.jpg