Rissa – Discover the Monastery, Church and History

Rissa brings together monastic history, church architecture and the development of a former town centre. Reins Kloster, Rissa kirke and Strømmen offer insights into different periods and topics. When planning a stay, you can decide what to focus on based on whether you are particularly interested in historic buildings, early farm history or the region’s transport routes.

Reins Kloster: Preserved Architecture and Historical Context

Visible remains of the monastery church have been preserved at Reins Kloster. These include three arms of the church, an original portal, a spiral staircase and two side chapels. The monastery grounds and a park are also part of Reins Kloster. The architectural remains thus stand alongside the history of the site and its former use.

Information boards on the grounds explain the history. QR codes on the boards provide additional information in text, video and audio. These different formats complement the historical explanations with different ways to explore the site: you can read short texts or access more content by video and audio. Reins Kloster is also one of two key sites on the Kystpilegrimsleia, which passes through Indre Fosen. As well as its monastic history, the site is therefore significant in connection with this pilgrimage route.

Rein: Early Farm History and the Founding of the Monastery

Rein’s history goes back considerably further than the founding of the monastery. Its location, farm name and burial mounds point to an early Trønder farm from the Bronze Age, around 3,000 years ago. The farm Rein was first mentioned in the Saga of Harald Fairhair. These clues give the site several historical layers, extending beyond the later monastery complex.

A nunnery was built on the farm Rein in 1230. Parts of the monastery were connected to the farm’s main building. The spatial relationship between the farm and the monastery is therefore part of the site’s history: the monastery was founded in connection with the existing farm. The visible remains of the monastery church and its preserved architectural features also form part of this historical context.

Strømmen: Centre, Trade and Transport Routes

Rissa’s first centre developed near Strømmen in the late 1880s. For around 60 years, from 1880 until the Second World War, Strømmen was a lively centre with a wide variety of trade and numerous houses. Strømmen is therefore of interest to local history not only as a former hub of trade, but also as a distinct setting in the development of Rissa.

Strømmen was also an old transport hub, linking Lake Botn with the fjord. The bridge over Strømmen and the canal there connected inland Rissa with the coastal areas by land and sea. These details illustrate different aspects of the transport links: the hub between Botn and the fjord, and the connection between the inland area and the coastal regions. Together with the history of the former centre, they paint a picture of Strømmen as a place of trade and transport.

Rissa kirke and Its Connection to Rein

Rissa kirke is historically connected to Reins Kloster through the reuse of building materials: parts of the old church at Rein were reused when Rissa kirke was built. The church is located at Følmyrveien 2 in Rissa. Norway’s national heritage authority lists it as a listed church in Norway. When exploring the area’s history, you can compare the preserved parts of the old monastery church with the later Rissa kirke, while keeping in mind that they are not the same building.

Rissa’s historical themes range from the early traces of the farm at Rein and the nunnery to the development of Strømmen and Rissa kirke. You can take these different points of interest into account when planning your stay and decide which aspects of local history are particularly interesting for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Sørfjorden, Råkvåg, Hasselvika, Fevåg, Stadsbygd.

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