Contrary to popular belief, Trondheim was not so much of a center for the Vikings, as it was founded at the end of the Viking Age. However, it was the religious center of northern Europe during the Middle Ages and a vital hub for North Atlantic trade, giving it plentiful of characteristic mansions and harbour houses. For centuries, Trondheim was the northernmost mercantile city in Europe, giving it a special "edge-of-the-world" feeling. This also resulted in a more open-hearted, international culture than many other Scandinavian cities at the time. The inhabitants like to call their city the historical, the religious and the technology capital of Norway. The city celebrated its 1000nd anniversary in 1997. http://wikitravel.org/en/Trondheim