Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Bargain Stone stands in the churchyard.
Bargain Stone
The Ernst Thälmann Monument
Ernst Thälmann Monument
One of the BHS murals tells the origin story of Stockport.
The BHS Murals in Stockport
Peter Vazquez has been quietly making a name for himself for years.
The Appetite Repair Shop
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Peter Vazquez has been quietly making a name for himself for years.
The Appetite Repair Shop
Ōmori Nori Vending Machine
Parkway Bakery and Tavern has been slinging these sandwiches since 1929.
Parkway Bakery and Tavern
Parkside Plum Juice
Dishes at Aksorn are grounded in deep historical research.
Aksorn
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
You could probably take some of that stuff out.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Pack Light for a Long Trip?
Ripples in the land are remnants of the field walls that once held rows of native sugarcane and sweet potatoes.
Unearthing the Mysteries of Hawai'i's Ancient Agriculture
Petrified Forest National Park.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Norway Ørland Austrått Pyramid
AO Edited

Austrått Pyramid

This strange pyramid is a unique feature of the Austrått Manor.

Ørland, Norway

Added By
Volodymyr Riabchuk
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Austrått pyramid during winter.   Volodymyr Riabchuk / Atlas Obscura User
The plaque with Ove Bjelke and his wifes’ coat of arms.   Volodymyr Riabchuk / Atlas Obscura User
Pyramid to Ove Bjelke’s father.   Volodymyr Riabchuk / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Standing at nearly 200 feet (60 meters) tall and just southwest of the Austrått manor entrance is an unusual four-sided pyramid. According to a few historical records, the structure was erected in 1665 by the Austrått manor's owner Ove Bjelke in memory of his father Jens Bjelke. Ove Bjelke was one of Norway's richest and most influential people at the time. 

However, there has been debate around the date of the pyramid's erection due to a plaque on the structure not matching the pyramid's design. The most recent research conducted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim suggests that the pyramid was probably erected around the 1500s. There were also other buildings surrounding the pyramid that belonged to Lady Inger of Austrått. 

The plaque contains texts in Latin and Danish together with Ove Bjelke's and his three wives' coat of arms.

Related Tags

Pyramids Architecture Design

Community Contributors

Added By

Volodymyr Riabchuk

Published

March 18, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Austrått Pyramid
Ørland, 7140
Norway
63.708262, 9.722534

Nearby Places

Rockheim

Trondheim, Norway

miles away

Dora I

Trondheim, Norway

miles away

Trondheim CycloCable

Trondheim, Norway

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Norway

Norway

Europe

Places 120
Stories 35

Nearby Places

Rockheim

Trondheim, Norway

miles away

Dora I

Trondheim, Norway

miles away

Trondheim CycloCable

Trondheim, Norway

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Norway

Norway

Europe

Places 120
Stories 35

Related Places

  • The Carillon tower.

    Quezon City, Philippines

    UP Carillon Tower’s Original Bells

    Student protesters used these bells as symbols of defiance in the early 1970s.

  • Şehzadeler, Turkey

    Saruhan Bey Pine Tree

    A centuries-old pine tree is growing through the floor and roof of this building.

  • Castillo de Iscar (Iscar Castle)

    Iscar, Spain

    Castillo de Iscar (Iscar Castle)

    This Castilian castle has stood the test of time like few others.

  • Casa Navàs

    Reus, Spain

    Casa Navàs

    Built between 1901 and 1908, this building is one of the most iconic examples of modernist architecture in Spain.

  • Bibliotheca Alexandrina

    Alexandria, Egypt

    Bibliotheca Alexandrina

    The lost library of Alexandria, revived as a spearhead of cultural preservation.

  • Uránia Nemzeti Filmszínház

    Budapest, Hungary

    Uránia Nemzeti Filmszínház

    A stunning Art Nouveau cinema in the heart of Budapest.

  • Fontana dei Libri

    Rome, Italy

    Fontana dei Libri

    A small but very fascinating fountain in the center of Rome with four books and a deer carved.

  • Hôtel Solvay

    Brussels, Belgium

    Hôtel Solvay

    This historic Art Nouveau townhouse was the former home of the son of a famous chemical inventor and industrialist.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.