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