The History of Oslo 1000AD – 1925
Oslo is the Oldest of the Scandinavian Capital Cities
Nov 18, 2008
Primitive people lived continuously in the Oslo area dating as far back as the Stone Age, Bronze and Iron Ages, as evidenced by Christian burial mounds and ritual sites found in the area. At the foot of the Ekeberg hill, to the south west of present day Oslo, is a site containing rock drawings believed to be ca. 5,000 years old.
Viking Oslo
The Viking age, as we know it, began in the year 793 AD with the first Viking attack at Lindesfarne, Northumbria, North East England. It would be almost 200 years more before Oslo would come into being.
According to the Icelandic chronicler and historian Snorre Sturlason (1178? 1179?-1241), Oslo was founded in 1048 by Harald Hardrada. However there is new archaeological evidence to suggest that it was in fact a busy settlement at least 48 years earlier. Haralds’ son, Olav Kyrre, built a Cathedral in the area and so Oslo became known as the Cathedral City.
Together with shipbuilding, fishing and agriculture, trade contributed to making Oslo the thriving centre of Viking life. Sailing from the bay at the top of the Oslo fjord, traders were able to reach places such as Scotland, England, Ireland and the western coast of Europe down through to the Mediterranean very easily.
Oslo and The Plague
Around the year 1300 a trading centre was established in Oslo as part of the Hanseatic League. The following years were prosperous for Oslo and the city flourished. However the year 1348 saw Oslo decimated and virtually wiped out following the outbreak of The Plague. Due to the growing sea trade it was just a matter of time before the plague would reach Norway. The Black Death was rampant throughout Europe and Oslo would not escape its calling. Arriving by ship from Bergen, the Plague cost Oslo 50 % of its population during the epidemic. Norway in total lost between 50 - 75% of its population. The next 300 years would see little by way of importance in connection with Oslo. The good years had disappeared and Oslo fell into decline.
Oslo Rebuilt, Renamed Re-developed
Oslo had the misfortune to be burned on no less than fourteen occasions. The fourteenth occasion was the great fire of 1624 which completely destroyed the city. Following the fire, King Christian IV decided that the city would be better sited on the west bank of the Bjøvika inlet and to the north below the Akershus Fortress so as to give the city more protection. Once the location was decided rebuilding began and the new city was renamed Christiania in honour of King Christian IV.
In 1877 Christiania was spelled with a capital K perhaps better reflecting the Norwegian culture, although both spellings remained in use up to 1924.Then in 1925, by act of parliament, the city reverted back to its original name of Oslo.
The University of Oslo was founded in 1811 and in 1849 the Royal Palace, located at the top of Karl Johans Gate (Street) in the heart of Oslo city, was finally finished for King Karl Johan III.
Sources:
Destination Norway 2001 Rajesh Joshi Horn Forlag AS
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