Schmap.com supports the following browsers:
PC
 Medieval castle and fortress in the centre of the city |
Oslo Mil. / Akershus Oslo 0015 Norway |
Originally built as a castle in 1299, Akershus Festning was later developed into a city fortress. Standing on the walls and ramparts you will get truly great views of the Oslo fjord and the city. The original Akershus Castle is located inside the fortress. At the Information Centre, there is an exhibition on the history of the fortress, and guided tours depart from here each day between May and September. Admission is free. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Trent Maynard |
 Photo: guldfisken  |
 Photo: Therese Jåtten |
 Photo: Renny Bakke Amundsen |
 Photo: Trond J. Strøm |
 Photo: Tom Severns |
 Photo: Daniele Michetelli |
 Photo: avotiya |
 Photo: Trampelman |
 Photo: Marius Arnesen (C) |
 Photo: Marius Arnesen (C) |
 Photo: Jonathon K |
 Photo: Amy Gentle |
 Photo: Jeff Klapes |
 Internationally American |
Fritznersgate 15 Oslo 0264 Norway +47 22 44 3584 |
In the wake of World War II and Norway's membership in NATO, a considerable group of Americans came to live in Oslo. Many of them felt the need for a religious community of their own. Through individual gifts and financial support from their parent church body in the USA, this Modernist building in Fritznersgate was built by architects Søvik, Methri & Mattson of Northfield, Minnesota, and consecrated in October 1964. The bronze figure on the façade was made by professor Egon Weiner in 1967. The Congregation welcomes all baptised Christians, aiming to be "especially sensitive to the needs of people living in an international environment and those in intercultural marriages". Also, children will not be a problem, as they have a nursery. The style of worship is Lutheran, though at times simplified, and includes hymns from a variety of traditions. Holy Communion is celebrated on the first and third Sunday of the month. Sunday programme: September-May: 9:30a Sunday School and adult education; 11a Worship; Noon coffee fellowship. June-August: 10a contemporary service; Noon coffee fellowship. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Caroline B Ellingsen |
|
The Synagogue of Oslo |
Bergstien 15 Postboks 2722 Oslo 0131 Norway +47 22 69 6570 http://www.dmt.oslo.no/ |
The 1940-45 Nazi occupation all but exterminated the Jews living in Oslo, but for some mysterious reason this synagogue survived. It is still the only one in the city, and with the next-door Community House (at no. 13) it is unchallenged as the centre of Mosaic community life in Oslo. Synagogues have no architectural style of their own, but rather tend to resemble each country's own religious buildings; so you have to look twice to tell it is not a church. The foundation stone was laid down in 1918, and the architect, Herman Herzog, had it ready for Hanukkah in December of the following year. In 1920 it was consecrated by Rabbi Marcus Melchior from Copenhagen. Prayers are said in Hebrew. Review © 2007, Wcities |
|
Oslo's oldest church |
Akersbakken 26 Oslo 0172 Norway +47 21 93 8185 |
Oslo's oldest building was constructed on a countryside hill around 1080, using limestone quarried from the nearby cemetery. The expansion of the city has caught up with the church, and now it lies only a ten-minute walk from the Royal Palace. The views over the city are good. The Anglo-Romanesque stone church has an elongated three-nave plan with a choir and one side chapel, both ending in semi-circular apses, and it can seat up to 450 people. The belfry was added in 1861 by architects H.E. Schirmer and Wilhelm von Hanno. The church has been plundered and set on fire several times over the years; in 1703 it was even struck by lightning, and all contents were lost. The Baroque bishop's throne and baptismal font date from 1715. Today's austere stone walls were uncovered in the 1952-55 restoration. Attending Mass here still takes your mind back to Mediaeval times, although the Bishop no longer tolerates the holy water, incense, icons, superfluous hymns and music, and other Orthodox elements that used to mark this church's liturgy. During World War II, Queen Maud's sarcophagus was hidden from the Nazis inside this church. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Eudaemonius |
 Photo: MalinMark |
|
The Oslo stave church |
Norsk Folkemuseum Museumsveien 10 Oslo 0287 Norway +47 22 12 3700 http://www.norskfolke.museum.no |
Stave churches—easily Norway's most significant contribution to the world's religious architecture—are the closest thing to Gothic cathedrals in this country. They are Gothic in that the roof is carried by a firm framework of ground beams, upright corner staves and top sills rather than by solid walls. Elsewhere in Europe, this structure allowed for large bay windows and luminous interiors; here, light is admitted only through narrow "peep-holes," a fact that can be explained by the cold climate as well as in terms of the Norwegian idea of light. As they were made entirely of wood, stave churches were tarred every three years, otherwise there would not be as many as 28 of them still standing. In 1880, the dilapidated Gol Stave Church was moved to the Bygdøy peninsula and restored at the expense of King Oscar II, to embellish his then newly opened outdoor museum. Attending the regular Lutheran service or the occasional Roman Catholic Mass held here is a memorable experience. Services are held on Sundays at 1.15pm while Catholic mass is held only occasionally. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Nicola J. Spooner |
 Photo: Francesc Busquets |
 Photo: Katharine Hindley |
 Photo: Matthew Katsenes |
 Photo: baxtersteakley |
 Photo: Hez Pickavance |
 Photo: Boered |
 Photo: Steve Cadman |
 Photo: Sue Richards |
 Photo: earthmagnified |
 Photo: Apu John Joseph |
 Photo: njaal1301 |
|
Medieval stone church |
Gamle Ringeriksvei 86 Oslo 1356 Norway +47 67 53 32 83 http://www.menighet.net/haslum/ |
Those with an interest in medieval stone churches should see Haslum Church, which celebrated its 800-year anniversary in 1990. Behind its imposing stone walls (1.5 metres thick), the wooden statues of the Virgin Mary and the Bishop are copies of Medieval originals that have been moved to the Antiquities Collection at the University of Oslo. Also of interest are the Renaissance altarpiece (1631) and pulpit (1590-1642), as well as the baroque baptismal font (1736). The paintings on the ceiling were executed by Axel Revold in 1920. The thirteenth-century church bell is still going strong. Underground line 3 (in the direction of Kolsås) or bus 143 will take you there from the city centre in about 25 minutes. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
|
Log chapel |
Holmenkollveien 142 Oslo 0391 Norway +47 22 14 8150 |
Beautifully set next to the small mountain lake at the Holmenkollen ski jump, this log chapel was designed by architect Holger Sinding-Larsen in 1903, in a Nationalist style inspired by Medieval stave churches. It was built to seat up to 300 students, but nowadays the congregation is more likely to consist of the elegant residents of this upmarket neighborhood. The chapel is popular for weddings. Old as it may appear, the actual church is in fact a copy made in 1996 of the original, completely destroyed by arson some years before. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Asbjørn Hansen |
 Photo: Katrin Peters |
|
Central cultural church |
Hausmannsgate 14 Oslo 0506 Norway +47 22 99 3450 http://www.kkv.no |
Deprived of its finest gems, including the altarpiece by Eilif Petersen, a statue in carved wood and the silver cross decorating the pulpit, the church was abandoned within its lively frame of the Aker river, the Anker bridge and the heavy traffic on Hausmannsgate. On 18 February 2000, Jakob was re-inaugurated as a Cultural Church. The concept belongs to Kirkelig Kulturverksted, a small record label that publishes Norwegian crossover music in an open-minded and vaguely Christian vein. There are art exhibitions, live acts and so on, and it can also be rented for private arrangements. Jakob can no longer be used for official Church rituals, but people who like to stay up late can attend services here at 10p every Sunday. Review © 2007, Wcities |
|
Countryside Buddhist temple |
Blystadveien 2 Lørenskog Oslo 2006 Norway +47 67 97 1905 http://www.buddhistforbundet.no |
If you drive north towards Gardermoen (leave the motorway to Løvenstad at Lørenskog), only 15-20 minutes north of Oslo you will find a real Mahayana temple set in a typical eastern Norwegian landscape of wooded, sloping hills interspersed with fields and farms. Buddhism was introduced to Norway as a means of expanding one's mind in the 1970s; today, Tibetan, Japanese, Burmese, Laotian, Thai, South Korean and other communities ensure Buddhism stays alive. The Khuong Viet Temple belongs to the biggest Buddhist Congregation in Norway, namely the Vietnamese, which has 5200 members. In 1989 they bought a dwelling here to serve as their assembly hall and headquarters. Five years later it was replaced with today's temple, designed by one of the resident monks. It can be visited by appointment. All Buddhist communities in Norway can be reached through Buddhistforbundet (tel and fax +47 22 11 2296, P O Box 9340, Grønland, 0135 Oslo). Review © 2007, Wcities |
|
The Swedish church in Oslo |
Hammersborg torg 8 A Oslo 0179 Norway +47 23 35 3250 |
In a neighbourhood that is already packed with churches, the Swedish Church in Oslo is housed in a rather inconspicuous building piled up against the headquarters of the Deichmanske municipal library. The building, a neo-classical mortar-coated brick church, was designed by architect Lars Israel Wahlman, and consecrated by Bishop Nathan Söderblom on 20 December 1925. There is also an adjoining reading room. The altarpiece by Gunnar Torhamn depicts the Sermon on the Mount. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
|
Orthodox church |
Thor Olsens gate 9 Oslo 0177 Norway +47 22 11 5033 |
There is no telling what God's plan was for this strange little church, known at least locally as the "Day of Judgement Church". The Catholic Apostolic congregation that had it built in 1892 more or less died out around 1960, and so the church was out of use for over two decades. During this period the rumour started going around that a re-inauguration would herald the end of the world. The Greek-Orthodox congregation obviously had no time for superstition, as they moved here in 1986 (or maybe no one told them about the sinister prediction). The Congregation of the Annunciation (Evangelismos Tis Theotokou) has some 500 members, and frequently they bring in a priest from Sweden. From time to time the church is lent to the Serbian Orthodox community (+47 66 90 6384) as well as the Bulgarian one. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
|
Chapel of the wilderness |
Sørkedalen Oslo 0891 Norway +47 22 49 9037 http://www.nordmarkskapellet.no/ |
In winter, cross-country skiing Christians can drop in for services at this sporty student chapel at Slaktern. In the summer, the same goes for cyclists. Commissioned by the Norwegian Christian Students' Association, the chapel was designed by architect Kathinca Lexow and consecrated in 1933, and can seat up to 400 people. It was built in timber up to the cornice, and the rest consists of upright wooden panels. The belfry is 12 metres tall, decorated with a wrought-iron cross. Unless you are an early bird who can get here in time for services, you have the option of spending the night before at the neighbouring cabin, where meals are served too. To get here you can take the Sørkedalen bus and then cover the last stretch on foot or a bicycle. In the winter you can ski here using Frognerseteren as point of departure. Review © 2007, Wcities |
|
Ahmadiyya mosque |
Frognerveien 53 Oslo 0266 Norway |
The first mosque in Oslo became famous after being blown up by an unexploded Nazi bomb some 20 years ago. It survived, and still belongs to Oslo's only Ahmadiyya congregation, which is also building a new mosque at Furuset. A rather controversial congregation, the Ahmadiyya consider themselves an integral part of the Moslem family, while most other Moslems unfortunately think they are heretics. The Ahmadiyya congregation keeps a rather low profile, and does not want to attract attention by calling publicly for prayer, like traditional Mosques do. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
|
Oslo's cathedral |
Stortorget 1 Oslo 0155 Norway http://www.kirken.oslo.no |
Consecrated in 1697, many of the Cathedral's contents date back to that time. Restored between 1849 and 1850 by Alexis de Chateauneuf, architect of the Trefoldighetskirke, further work was done on the structure in 1948-50. The cathedral is located close to Stortorget in the centre of town. King Harald and Queen Sonja were married here, as were Crown Prince Haakon Magus and Mette-Marit. The cathedral is also used for concerts and the crypt houses exhibitions. Admission is free. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Michael Heilemann |
 Photo: hirotomo |
 Photo: Daniel Milner |
 Photo: Stuart Watson |
 Photo: Brian Aslak |
 Photo: Aslaug Jonsdottir |
 Photo: RRALUY |
|
Grünerløkka's parish church |
Thorvald Meyers gate 31 Oslo 0555 Norway +47 23 12 1720 http://www.kirken.oslo.no/paulus |
Originally a working-class area, in the last years Grünerløkka has become renowned throughout Norway for its street-life and its large and ever-increasing number of restaurants and bars. One of the things that remain is the Sunday morning toll of the bells in the local church. Paulus Kirke, a Neo-Gothic brick building consecrated in 1892, was constructed by architect Henrik Bull as part of a popular overall design that included the public park of Birkelunden and the public primary school on the opposite side. For this reason the church has the peculiarity of a main entrance facing west, above which is the belfry. Up to 800 churchgoers can be seated in the spacious interior. Occasionally the church hosts the so-called Forum Gatherings, where representatives of religions as varied as Buddhism, Islam or ancient Norse beliefs gather to debate and exchange ideas. The altar painting was made by Christen Brun, and the statue of Christ is a replica modelled by Gunnar O. Alvær of an original by Danish sculptor Thorvaldsen. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
|
The Anglican Church in Oslo |
Møllergata 30 Oslo 0179 Norway +47 22 69 2214 |
Consecrated by the Bishop of Fulham on 27 July 1884, St Edmund's looks like a miniature cathedral tightly squeezed between drab plastered façades that take on monstrous proportions beside it. The Neo-Gothic building has stained glass windows and was designed by architect Paul Due. The Church is open to people from any country and any Christian denomination, and encourages its members to play an active part in congregational life. There is even a Time & Talents form to be filled when you want to become a member. Most Sundays during Service there is a Junior Church (age under 11) and crèche facilities in the crypt. Activities include an excellent choir, concerts, a Student Group with weekly meetings and a monthly Ladies' Guild. Services are followed by light refreshments and social fellowship meetings. Worship in English Su at 11a. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
|
Oslo's Catholic Cathedral |
Akersveien 12 Oslo 0177 Norway +47 22 98 2165 http://www.katolsk.no |
Of about 36,000 Catholics living in Norway, 60% have been born abroad, so there is a clear need for celebrating Catholic Mass in a variety of languages. This was Norway's first Catholic congregation to be formed since the Lutheran Reformation, and was established in Oslo in 1843. Their church, built by architect H.E. Schirmer in a Neo-Gothic style, was inaugurated in 1856. On that occasion, Queen Josephine presented the congregation with the altarpiece, a copy of Raphael's Sistine Madonna executed by Countess Sophie Adlersparre. In 1953, this parish church became the main church of the Catholic Diocese of Oslo. The church boasts a tabernacle in Italian marble, donated by Pope Pius in 1857, a bishop's throne used by Pope John Paul II on his visit in 1989, and the only existing relic of King Olav, the patron saint of Norway. The church was restored in 1975-76 by architects Thomas Thiis-Evensen and Sigurd Østberg; the new high altar and the pillars in the naves are made of Norwegian granite. The new organ has 20 stops and was produced by the J.H. Jørgensen Organ Factory in Oslo. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
|
Sombre Medieval Church |
Tanumveien 133 Oslo, Bærum 1341 Norway +47 67 54 8065 |
Tanum Church, built in the 1100s was made famous by a painting by Harriet Backer (1845-1932). Someone had foreseen its collapse on a Whitsunday, but there is little to suggest that the prediction will ever come true, as the mortar-coated stone walls look as solid as ever. Legend tells us that the Church was not originally planned to be located here, but one dark night the building materials were moved here by unknown pranksters. The sombre interior contains fourteenth-century murals and sculptures, as well as Frederich Zebal's Renaissance altarpiece (1663). Around 1722 the church was enlarged by eight metres. The ceiling frescoes date from that period, as do the pulpit and the baptismal font (1724). The whole church was restored in the 1970s. On one corner of the wall that surrounds the churchyard, you should see the "Singing Bridal Stone", off which newlywed brides used to mount their horses. The church's southern entrance was bricked up after a jealous murder took place under it. There are Iron-Age grave mounds close by, at Tanum farm. Review © 2007, Wcities |
|
Oslo's largest church |
Akersgaten 60 Oslo 0177 Norway |
In 1849 Hamburg's great city planner Alexis de Chateauneuf won the competition to build a church for the Congregation of the Trinity. He fell ill shortly after, and his work was taken over by Wilhelm von Hanno, he completed it following (and slightly modifying) his predecessor's designs. The building has a cruciform plan, crowned at the centre with a copper-plated dome and a lantern at the apex. The Church of the Trinity was consecrated in 1858 and the entrance staircase was added in 1883. Inside you will find an altarpiece depicting Christ being baptized and a marble baptismal font. The stained-glass windows in the choir were designed by Frøydis Haavardsholm in 1936. In 1956-58 architects Hofflund, Hvoslef and Sælleg restored the Church, removing the interior plaster coating and replaced the asphalt floor with square slates. The church was re-consecrated in 1958. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: phototouring |
|
Work and football |
Hjaltlandsgata 3 Oslo 0658 Norway |
Vålerenga Church is a beautiful late nineteenth-century brick building surrounded by a small park. It was built in Neo-Gothic style like so many other churches in Oslo, but owes its fame neither to brilliant architecture nor the beautiful setting. This east end church is a decent "working church" in the spirit of the 1970s, where what counts is religion playing an active part in everyday life - and where the walls will not tumble from a little swearing. For this reason, the local football team supporters, widely recognised as the best fan club in Norway, are allowed to hold court inside the building, and the congregation frequently looks beyond the straight and narrow path to find a preacher for the Sunday sermon. For instance, a prominent capitalist may deliver a sermon on greed with first-hand knowledge of the subject rather than by the vicar. The latter, himself an Oslo celebrity and convert to Vålerenga FC, is rumoured to include the team in his prayers when they are up the creek (and he has probably had his hands full lately). Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Christina Børding |
 Photo: Lorenz Khazaleh |
