Oslo City Hall - Oslo, Norway
N 59° 54.743 E 010° 44.037
32V E 596963 N 6642923
The current Oslo City Hall was constructed from 1931-1950. The long period of construction was due to the outbreak of World War II.
Waymark Code: WMPDD8
Location: Oslo, Norway
Date Posted: 08/12/2015
Views: 18
"Oslo City Hall (Norwegian: Oslo rådhus) houses the city council, city administration, and art studios and galleries. The construction started in 1931, but was paused by the outbreak of World War II, before the official inauguration in 1950. Its characteristic architecture, artworks and the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, held on 10 December, makes it one of Oslo's most famous buildings. It was designed by Arnstein Arneberg and Magnus Poulsson. The roof of the eastern tower has a 49-bell carillon which plays every hour. It is situated in Pipervika in central downtown Oslo. The area was completely renovated and rebuilt to make room for the new city hall, back in the late 1920s. In June 2005 it was named Oslo's "Structure of the Century", with 30.4% of the votes.
History
In early Middle Ages, it looks like different halls in Oslo had the City Hall status from time to time. Right where Oslo Market is located today, the Early Oslo City Hall was built. From the sources we know that the old Oslo City Hall had an open wine cellar for public use. Norwegian Medieval historian Tore Vigerus says the following is in his book, Norske Rigs-Registranter III:
“After the big fire in 1624, king Christian IV decided to build a new City Hall in the city. The building was built in Nedre Slottsgate: 1. The building was very small, and when the government grew, the building could not be used anymore, only because of the size. The meetings were held in what is today the Freemasons lodge in Oslo, on "Grev Wedels Plass".”
The initial plans for a new city hall in Pipervika was revealed in 1915 by Hieronyhmus Heyerdahl. In September 1931, the first stone was laid by King Haakon VII, and the construction started in 1933. The main structure of the building was completed in November 1936. The German invasion of Norway in 1940 caused construction to stop, and it was not resumed until 1947. The building was finally inaugurated on 15 May 1950, coinciding with Oslo's nonacentennial."
--Wikipedia (
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