Oslo Cathedral
Encyclopedia
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
, as well as the parish church for downtown Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. The present building dates from 1694-1697.
The Norwegian Royal Family
Norwegian Royal Family
The Royal Family of Norway is the family of King Harald V of Norway. In Norway there is a distinction between the Royal House and the Royal Family. The Royal House includes only the King and his spouse, the Queen, the King's eldest son with spouse, being the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, and the...
and the Norwegian Government use the Cathedral for public events. It was closed for renovation in August 2006 and re-opened with a festive high mass
High Mass
High Mass may mean:*Solemn Mass, a Tridentine Mass celebrated with deacon and subdeacon *Missa Cantata, a sung Tridentine Mass without deacon and subdeacon...
on 18 April 2010.
History
The current Oslo Paper Cathedral is the third cathedral in OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The first, Hallvards Cathedral, was built by King Sigurd I of Norway
Sigurd I of Norway
Sigurd I Magnusson , also known as Sigurd the Crusader , was King of Norway from 1103 to 1130. His rule, together with his brother Eystein I of Norway , has been regarded by historians as a golden age for the medieval Kingdom of Norway...
in the first half of the 12th century, and was located by the Old Bishop's Palace in Oslo
Old Bishop's Palace in Oslo
The Old Bishop's Palace in Oslo was the residence of the Catholic bishops of Oslo. The palace was built like a fortified castle. The construction was begun around 1210 by the then bishop, Nikolas Arnesson, continuing through to the early 14th century...
, some 1.5 kilometers east of today's Oslo Cathedral.
For almost 500 years, Hallvards Cathedral was the most important church in the city. After a great fire in Oslo during 1624, King Christian IV decided to move the city a few kilometers west to be protected by Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress or Akershus Castle is a medieval castle that was built to protect Oslo, the capital of Norway. It has also been used as a prison.- Construction :...
. Construction of a new church was started in 1632, on the main square in the new city. After that, Hallvards Cathedral fell into disrepair and decayed.
In 1639, the second cathedral was built (Hellig Trefoldighet). This cathedral burnt down only 50 years after it was built, and the current cathedral was built. The church was probably designed by Jørgen Wiggers, the Councillor of the State (etatsråd), . The current cathedral was erected on a small rocky outcrop in the east end of what would later become Stortorget. The foundation stone was laid in 1694 and the church was consecrated in November 1697.
In 2001, Oslo Cathedral was the site of the wedding of Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway, and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby
Wedding of Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway, and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby
The wedding of Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby took place on 25 August 2001 at Oslo Cathedral. It was the first royal wedding to take place in Norway since the marriage of then-Crown Prince Harald to Sonja Haraldsen in 1968...
.
Restoration
The Cathedral was rebuilt between 1848-1850 after a plan by German-born architect, Alexis de Chateauneuf (1799-1853). Another German-born architect, Heinrich Ernst SchirmerHeinrich Ernst Schirmer
Heinrich Ernst Schirmer was German-born architect most noted for his work in Norway.Schirmer worked in Norway from 1838 to 1883 and put his mark on a number of public buildings...
(1814-1887) was the construction manager for the project. When Chateauneuf became ill in 1850, Schirmer retained Andreas Friedrich Wilhelm von Hanno (1826-1882) to complete the project.
Oslo Cathedral is located at Stortorvet square north/north-east of Karl Johans gate
Karl Johans gate
Karl Johans gate is the main street of the city of Oslo, Norway. The street was named in honor of King Karl Johan, who was King of Sweden and of Norway....
, between Kirke gate and Dronningens gate. The Cathedral's lower end is surrounded by the Bazaar
Bazaar
A bazaar , Cypriot Greek: pantopoula) is a permanent merchandising area, marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold. The term is sometimes also used to refer to the "network of merchants, bankers and craftsmen" who work that area...
(Basarene ved Oslo domkirke), a curved long building with a tower covered in green copper like the Cathedral. Integrated with Basarene is the Fire Watch (Brannvakten) which served as Oslo's main fire station from 1860 until 1939, when today's main fire station at Arne Garborgs plass was opened. The Cathedral, Basarene and Brannvakten are all built in red brick. Both Basarene and Brannvakten were built between the years 1840-1859 from the plans of City Architect, Christian H. Grosch.
Art works from recent times in the cathedral include stained glass windows in the choir by Emanuel Vigeland
Emanuel Vigeland
Emanuel Vigeland was a multitalented Norwegian artist. He is most known for a variety of decorations of Scandinavian churches and for Tomba Emmanuelle, his mausoleum at Slemdal in Oslo.-Background:...
installed between 1910-16, west portal's bronze doors executed by Dagfin Werenskiold (1892-1977) in 1938, and the silver sculpture with communion scene by Italian sculptor Arrigo Minerbi
Arrigo Minerbi
Arrigo Minerbi was an Italian sculptor.-Life:Born to a Jewish family in Ferrara in 1881, he took a course in arts and crafts before working as a ceramicist, designer, teacher and stucco-artist in Florence, Ferrara and Genoa .Aged 35 he...
dating from 1930. The ceiling decorations are by Norwegian painter Hugo Lous Mohr (1889-1970). In the latter half of the 1990s, the main organ built by Ryde & Berg of Fredrikstad
Fredrikstad
is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad....
, was mounted behind the old baroque facade.
Restoration was completed at the time of the city's 900 anniversary in 1950. The church was restored under the plans of architect Arnstein Arneberg
Arnstein Arneberg
Arnstein Rynning Arneberg was a Norwegian architect. He was active as an architect for 50 years and is often considered the leading architect in Norway of his time. -Background:...
. The neo-Gothic interior was removed and the original furnishings brought back. Arneberg also designed the chapel on the south side of the church. The church was closed in August 2006 for renovation and was opened in April 2010.
Bishops of Oslo since Reformation
- 1541-1545 Hans Rev
- 1545-1548 Anders Madssøn
- 1548-1580 Frants Berg
- 1580-1600 Jens Nilssøn
- 1601-1607 Anders Bendssøn Dall
- 1607-1617 Niels Senning
- 1617-1639 Niels Simensen Glostrup
- 1639-1646 Oluf Boesen
- 1646-1664 Hennings Stockfleth
- 1664-1699 Hans Rosing
- 1699-1712 Hans Munch
- 1713-1730 Bartholomæus Deichman
- 1731-1737 Peder Hersleb
- 1738-1758 Niels Dorph
- 1758-1773 Fredrik Nannestad
- 1773-1804 Christian Schmidt
- 1805-1822 Fredrik Julius Bech
- 1823-1845 Christian Sørensen
- 1846-1874 Jens Lauritz ArupJens Lauritz ArupJens Lauritz Arup was a Norwegian bishop and politician. He was born in Kristiansand, where his father was a sexton and a school teacher. In 1811 he was sent to Copenhagen to study, but had to end his studies due to lack of funds...
- 1875-1893 Carl Peter Parelius EssendropCarl Peter Parelius EssendropCarl Peter Parelius Essendrop was a Norwegian bishop and politician.He was the bishop of the Diocese of Tromsø from 1861 to 1867. From 1867 to 1872 he was the vicar of the Diocese of Kristiania, and also lectured at the Royal Frederick University. From 1 July 1872 to 23 November 1874 he was the...
- 1893-1896 Fredrik Wilhelm Klumpp Bugge
- 1896-1912 Anton Christian BangAnton Christian BangAnton Christian Bang was a Norwegian theologian, historian and politician for the Conservative Party of Norway....
- 1912-1922 Jens Frølich Tandberg
- 1922-1937 Johan Lunde
- 1937-1951 Eivind BerggravEivind BerggravEivind Josef Berggrav was a Norwegian Lutheran bishop, primarily known as Primate of the Church of Norway and remembered for his unyielding resistance against the Nazi occupation of Norway during World War II.-Background:Berggrav was born in Stavanger, Norway...
- 1951-1968 Johannes SmemoJohannes SmemoJohannes Smemo was a Norwegian Lutheran bishop and psalmist.He was a priest in Drammen and in Sør-Fron, and from 1934 rector at the Norwegian School of Theology. He played an active role in the Church's resistance during the German occupation of Norway...
- 1968-1973 Fridtjov Søiland Birkeli
- 1973-1977 Kaare StøylenKaare StøylenKaare Støylen was a Norwegian Lutheran bishop, born in Oslo. He was the son of Bernt Støylen.Støylen served as bishop of the Diocese of Agder from 1958 to 1973, and bishop of the Diocese of Oslo from 1973 to 1977. He was decorated Commander with Star of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in...
- 1977-1998 Andreas AarflotAndreas AarflotAndreas Aarflot is a Norwegian theologian and bishop emeritus in the Church of Norway.Aarflot was born in Yiyang, China where his mother and father served the Norwegian Missionary Company in the Hunan province....
- 1998-2005 Gunnar StålsettGunnar StålsettGunnar Stålsett is the former bishop of Oslo, in the Church of Norway, from 1998 to 2005.Stålsett is a graduate from MF Norwegian School of Theology in Oslo, and was awarded the qualification cand.theol. in 1961. He has worked as a minister and taught at the University of Oslo...
- 2005- Ole Christian KvarmeOle Christian KvarmeOle Christian Mælen Kvarme is the Bishop of Oslo in the Lutheran Church of Norway since 2005. As Bishop of Oslo, Kvarme is the personal prelate of the Norwegian Royal Family....
Organs and organists
The cathedral's first organ was built in 1711 by Carl Gustav Luckvitz, while the current main organ was built by Jan Ryde in 1997 for the 300-year anniversary. The two smaller organs in the cathedral were also built by Ryde.Organists
- Christian Olsen Rode (1709 – 1721)
- Johan Fredrik Clasen (1721 – 1764)
- Johan Adolph Pløen (1764 – 1769)
- Johan Krøyer (1769 – 1809)
- Fredrik Christian Groth (1809 – 1828)
- Frederik Christian Lindeman (1820 – 1826)
- Jacob Andreas Lindeman (1828 – 1840)
- Ludvig Mathias LindemanLudvig Mathias LindemanLudvig Mathias Lindeman was a Norwegian composer and organist. He is most noted for compiling Norwegian folk music in his work Ældre og nyere norske Fjeldmelodier. -Background:...
(1840 – 1887) - Christian Cappelen (1887 – 1916)
- Wilhelm Huus-Hansen (1913–1916)
- Eyvind Alnæs (1916–1932)
- Arild Sandvold (1933–1966)
- Rolf Karlsen (1966–1982)
- Terje Kvam (1982 -)
- Kåre NordstogaKåre NordstogaKåre Nordstoga is a Norwegian organist.Nordstoga had his early studies under Harald Aune and Odd Jacob Unhammer in Notodden where he grew up. He went on to study at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo, where his teachers included Kaare Ørnung, Søren Gangfløt, Magne Elvestrand and Bjørn Boysen...
(1984 – )
Other sources
- Gervin, Karl Oslo domkirke: mennesker og miljøer i 900 år (1997) ISBN 82-03-22191-2,
- Storsletten, Ola Kirker i Norge, b. 5: Etter reformasjonen : 1600-tallet (2008) ISBN 978-82-91399-15-7
- Tronshaug, Hans Jacob Oslo domkirkes orgelhistorie : orgler, organister, kantorer og orgelbyggere gjennom fem århundrer (1998) ISBN 82-994632-0-3