). ▁It ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁Norway . ▁The ▁first ▁recorded ▁historical ▁reference ▁to ▁this ▁church ▁is ▁dated ▁ 1 1 8 1 . ▁It ▁retain s ▁its ▁ancient ▁dedic ation ▁to ▁Saint ▁O la f . ▁The ▁c athedral ▁seats ▁about ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁people . ▁ ▁History ▁During ▁the ▁reign ▁of ▁King ▁Ha ak on ▁IV ▁of ▁Norway , ▁a ▁Francis can ▁fri ary ▁was ▁established ▁near ▁the ▁church , ▁then ▁known ▁as ▁ ▁O lav sk ir ken , ▁or ▁the ▁church ▁of ▁Saint ▁O la f , ▁which ▁was ▁incorpor ated ▁in ▁it . ▁The ▁church ▁burn ed ▁down ▁in ▁ 1 2 4 8 ▁and ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 2 7 0 , ▁but ▁was ▁re construct ed ▁after ▁both ▁fires . ▁In ▁ 1 4 6 3 , ▁it ▁burn ed ▁down ▁again , ▁but ▁this ▁time ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁re construct ed ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 5 5 0 s , ▁despite ▁being ▁declared ▁the ▁c athedral ▁of ▁the ▁post - Re formation ▁Protest ant ▁dioc ese ▁in ▁ 1 5 3 7 . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁fires ▁of ▁ 1 6 2 3 ▁and ▁ 1 6 4 0 , ▁Ber gen ▁C athedral ▁received ▁its ▁current ▁general ▁appearance . ▁The ▁ste e ple ▁on ▁the ▁nave ▁was ▁torn ▁down , ▁and ▁the ▁current ▁tower ▁was ▁built . ▁During ▁the ▁renov ation ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s , ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁architect s ▁Christian ▁Christ ie