Oslo Plads
Encyclopedia
Oslo Plads is a public square in the Østerbro
area of Copenhagen
, Denmark. The square received its name in 1962. Before then, the square was part of the street Østerbrogade. In 1962, the part of Østerbrogade that stretched from Kristianiagade to Lille Triangel ("Little Triangle") was renamed Dag Hammarskjöld
s Allé (named after the United Nations
' recently deceased Secretary-General), while the inner part of Østerbrogade was named Oslo Plads. The name also extends to the neighborhood north of Østbanegade, where many of the streets are named after Norwegian
cities.
Where Oslo Plads now lies, there used to be the old Østerport, which was demolished between 1857 and 1858 as the last of Copenhagen's old city gates in the rampart. Now in its place lies Østerport Station, which was erected between 1894 and 1897 by the architect Heinrich Wenck
. Across the square from the station lies the Den Frie Udstilling building, an exhibition hall that was originally the old Copenhagen Waterworks. Designed by the painter and sculptor J.F. Willumsen
, the building was moved to its present location in 1914 and is protected.
Another building here is the Hotel Østerport, originally built as a poverty hotel after World War II, but completely rebuilt in 1955 and 1990. On the corner of Østbanegade at Oslo Plads 12-16 is a large residential and office property in a mansion style, named Glacispalæet ("Glacis palace"). It was erected between 1900 and 1903 by architect Andreas Clemmensen, who also designed similar houses on Stockholmsgade as well as Otto Benzon's villa on the corner Kristianiagade.
Opposite Østerport Station is Nulpunktstenen ("the zero point stone"). From this stone pillar, which was designed by the architect Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint
and installed in 1925, measures the distance from where the old Østerport stood to various North Sjælland destinations. There are three other similar zero point stones in Copenhagen: at Nørreport, at Rådhuspladsen and at on Torvegade at Christianshavns Vold.
Østerbro
Østerbro is one of the 10 official districts of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located just north of the city centre, outside the old city gate Østerport which, after it was moved around 1700, used to be located close to present-day Østerport Station...
area of Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark. The square received its name in 1962. Before then, the square was part of the street Østerbrogade. In 1962, the part of Østerbrogade that stretched from Kristianiagade to Lille Triangel ("Little Triangle") was renamed Dag Hammarskjöld
Dag Hammarskjöld
Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld was a Swedish diplomat, economist, and author. An early Secretary-General of the United Nations, he served from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in September 1961. He is the only person to have been awarded a posthumous Nobel Peace Prize. Hammarskjöld...
s Allé (named after the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
' recently deceased Secretary-General), while the inner part of Østerbrogade was named Oslo Plads. The name also extends to the neighborhood north of Østbanegade, where many of the streets are named after Norwegian
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...
cities.
Where Oslo Plads now lies, there used to be the old Østerport, which was demolished between 1857 and 1858 as the last of Copenhagen's old city gates in the rampart. Now in its place lies Østerport Station, which was erected between 1894 and 1897 by the architect Heinrich Wenck
Heinrich Wenck
Heinrich Emil Charles Wenck was a Danish architect, known for the numerous railway stations he designed in his capacity of chief architect for the Danish State Railways from 1894 to 1921...
. Across the square from the station lies the Den Frie Udstilling building, an exhibition hall that was originally the old Copenhagen Waterworks. Designed by the painter and sculptor J.F. Willumsen
Jens Ferdinand Willumsen
Jens Ferdinand Willumsen was a Danish artist who was associated with the movements of Symbolism and Expressionism. Although he was Danish, Willumsen lived almost half of his life in France...
, the building was moved to its present location in 1914 and is protected.
Another building here is the Hotel Østerport, originally built as a poverty hotel after World War II, but completely rebuilt in 1955 and 1990. On the corner of Østbanegade at Oslo Plads 12-16 is a large residential and office property in a mansion style, named Glacispalæet ("Glacis palace"). It was erected between 1900 and 1903 by architect Andreas Clemmensen, who also designed similar houses on Stockholmsgade as well as Otto Benzon's villa on the corner Kristianiagade.
Opposite Østerport Station is Nulpunktstenen ("the zero point stone"). From this stone pillar, which was designed by the architect Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint
Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint
Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint was a Danish architect, designer, painter and architectural theorist, best known for designing Grundtvig's Church in Copenhagen, generally considered to be one of the most important Danish architectural works of the time...
and installed in 1925, measures the distance from where the old Østerport stood to various North Sjælland destinations. There are three other similar zero point stones in Copenhagen: at Nørreport, at Rådhuspladsen and at on Torvegade at Christianshavns Vold.