Fredrik Tydén | New Doors for Nidaros Cathedral | Trondheim, Norway

We are proud to announce that Fredrik Tydén has won the competition to design the new doors for the magnificent, gothic Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway. To quote Hilde Sveås, Director of Nidaros Cathedral’s Restoration Work, in her announcement speech: “These are the most important doors in Norway”.

From over 100 applicants, a long list narrowed it down to just 11 Norwegian and international artists, with their proposals for the new doors on the iconic West Front shared with the public and jury. A further round revealed the three finalists, before Tydén was announced as the commissioned artist in January 2025.

Jury-member Ida Højgaard Thjømøe comments that “Tydén’s winning proposal combines the rich idiom of the Gothic with a contemporary poetic expression. The proposal shows a thoughtful combination of ornamentation, symbolism, and craftsmanship. In his final proposal, Tydén has strengthened the iconography of the doors by linking the tree of life on the outside, to the fall of leaves and the passage of time on the inside – a use of symbols that plays well with the rest of the iconography of the Western Front. The door is thought to be constructed according to principles from old medieval doors and to be painted red with linseed oil, a solution inspired by older church traditions which at the same time gives a bold visual boost. This balance between the monumental and the tangible, we in the jury believe, it will create a warm welcome to the cathedral and open up reflection and curiosity for all visitors”.

The new doors are a generous gift from Tore and Lida Maske (ATOLI).