Description of the attraction
The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the northernmost Catholic cathedral in the world, built in the neo-Gothic style and bringing together about 500 parishioners of different nationalities, most of whom are Norwegians, Poles and Filipinos.
The cathedral was originally erected as the private residence of the bishop. In 1860, the building was transferred to the Catholic Church, and a year later the cathedral was consecrated. The cathedral is located next to the city square of Tromsø, in the very center of the city.
During its existence, the cathedral has gone through a lot. During the Second World War, a refugee camp was set up here, in 1969 the church was badly damaged by fire, but it was restored pretty soon. The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary also served as a Catholic school, and in 1989 Pope John Paul II himself visited it.
