Oslo Cathedral
Two royal weddings, two centuries of state ceremony — Oslo's main church has been at Stortorvet since 1697 and hasn't stopped working since.
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The present building replaced two predecessors lost to fire, with its foundation stone laid in 1694 and the church consecrated in November 1697. It was reshaped in 1848–1850 by German-born architect Alexis de Chateauneuf. King Harald V married here in 1968; Prince Haakon in 2001. The Norwegian royal family and government still use it for public events today.
What to look for
- The church's position on a small rocky outcrop at the east end of Stortorvet square — an unusual foundation for a city-center cathedral
- The exterior fabric dating to 1694–1697, modified in the 1848–1850 Chateauneuf restoration
- Its placement between Kirke gate and Dronningens gate — the urban frame that has defined this corner since the city moved here after the 1624 fire
At Stortorvet square, north-east of Karl Johans gate between Kirke gate and Dronningens gate — the cathedral is free to enter outside service times.
Oslo Cathedral is one of 27 sights worth the detour in Oslo, all bundled offline in Voyage GO — download the Oslo pack and it sits on your map with no signal, filling your travel passport the moment you walk past.
More to see in Oslo
- Oslo Opera HouseThe roof is a public plaza — walk straight up the white marble slope and look out over the Oslofjord.
- Munch Museum (MUNCH)Nearly 28,000 works by one artist — Munch left everything to Oslo, and Oslo built a whole museum around it.
- Akershus FortressSeven centuries of sieges, and it never fell once.
- Unity ArenaNorway's largest indoor venue — 25,000 people under one fixed roof, from handball finals to headline concerts.
- Royal PalaceParliament cut its funding mid-build — twice — and it still became Norway's royal seat.
- Oslo City HallThe Nobel Peace Prize is awarded here every December — inside the same building where Oslo files its paperwork.