DD Tonsberg, Norway

A view of the circular plan of St. Olav's Abbey Church from the second story of the Tønsberg Municipal Library Building across the street.
Curvature of the walls can clearly be seen from ground level as well.
Massive pillar bases must have supported a lofty church.
More circularity in the nave.
This smaller circle is either a sacristy, a baptistry, or more likely a side chapel.
This small side chamber to the side of the main nave may well have served as a sacristy.
Entryway into the "side chapel".
Another view of the "side chapel".
Circles abound. This is the largest circular medieval church in mainland Scandinavia! Other examples are found on Bornholm Island, Denmark -- to the southeast of what is now the Swedish mainland.
The excavation was performed in the 19th century, before "scientific methods" had been fully developed. Unfortunately, other buildings such as this one, were constructed atop some of the remains, and ALL rubble was discarded without sifting or other scientific examination.
The remaining walls have been capped so that they may be trod upon by local visitors or used as seating in a parklike setting.
Another view of this "sacristy".
A detail view of the entryway into the "sacristy".
Another view of the "side chapel".
The corners of the pillar bases are worked.
The masonry of the pillar bases shows detailed filler-fitting with smaller stones.
This is a photograph of the Tønsberg Municipal Library building. The remains of the rest of the cloister are to be found within this building.
Every effort has been made to effectively blend modern library usage with archaeological display. Here we see part of the cloister floor, with bookcases in the background!
Wall remnants in another area.
Typical rubble fill construction, surrounded by displays and books!
Another view. The display to the right is a permanent display of the Norbertine presence at Tønsberg.
Yet more wall remnants, artfully worked into the contemplative environs of the library!
The original well of the Abbey, though it is not in its original place . . .
A closeup view of the well.
If you look at the floor carefully, you will see a circular outline just at the base of the stairway. This was the original position of the Abbey well!
Fit stone construction on the outer walls.
Fill construction within.
More fit stone construction, to a close tolerance.
A sloped stone washing floor. Floors of this type have been seen in clothes washing rooms, kitchens and breweries at medieval sites.
This is the drainoff rill at the lower edge of the slopinig washing floor.
The gravestone of a merchant found during the Abbey excavation, now on display in the library. He was in all likelihood a strong financial supporter of the house.
The brass plate for the gravestone display reads "OLAVSKLOSTERET I TØNSBERG. Premonstratenserkloster fra før 1191. Viet St. Olav. Utgravinger utført av Riksantikvaren 18970-1991." Translated: The Olav Abbey in Tønsberg. Premonstratensian Abbey from before 1191. Consecrated to St. Olav. Excavations executed by the Directorate for Cultural Heritage, 1970-1991.
While excavating the medieval ruins, the archaeological team uncovered two ancient burial boats, substantially older than St. Olav's. The outlines of these boats can be seen, traced on the floor of the library.
The outline of the second boat on the library floor.
The design of the library features many curves, arcs and circles, to recall the curvature of the Abbey Church.
Artwork rendition of the Abbey floorplan, part of the display of Norbertine heritage at Tønsberg.
This is the master plan of the Abbey Church at Tønsberg, taken from the drawing made after the first excavations in 1878, by H. Thorsen. The drawing aappears in several publications, most notably appearing in Lunde, Øivind: "St. Olavsklostrets kirke : Nordens størate rundkirke", Tønsberg 1971.