Oslo Domkirke, the city's cathedral, stands at Stortorvet in the heart of the old town. The foundation stone was laid in 1694, and the church was consecrated on All Saints' Day, 7 November 1697, by Bishop Hans Rosing. It was probably designed by Jørgen Wiggers, a prominent councillor in Christiania, though no definitive architectural drawings survive to confirm this.
The cathedral has been through several major transformations. Between 1848 and 1850, the German-born architect Alexis de Chateauneuf redesigned the interior in the neo-Gothic style that was fashionable at the time. A century later, that makeover was itself undone when architect Arnstein Arneberg led a restoration in the 1950s that stripped away the neo-Gothic additions and brought back the original baroque furnishings. What visitors see today is closer to the 1697 original than it has been in generations.
The cathedral ceiling features painted decorations from 1936 to 1950 by Hugo Lous Mohr. The stained glass windows in the choir were created by Emanuel Vigeland, the brother of sculptor Gustav Vigeland. The cathedral serves as the parish church for the royal family and is used for royal weddings, coronations and state funerals. It is also where the official memorial service was held after the 22 July 2011 terrorist attacks, when thousands of Norwegians gathered in and around the church.
The cathedral is open to the public and free to enter. It is not a large church, so a visit takes around twenty to thirty minutes.
The cathedral has been through several major transformations. Between 1848 and 1850, the German-born architect Alexis de Chateauneuf redesigned the interior in the neo-Gothic style that was fashionable at the time. A century later, that makeover was itself undone when architect Arnstein Arneberg led a restoration in the 1950s that stripped away the neo-Gothic additions and brought back the original baroque furnishings. What visitors see today is closer to the 1697 original than it has been in generations.
The cathedral ceiling features painted decorations from 1936 to 1950 by Hugo Lous Mohr. The stained glass windows in the choir were created by Emanuel Vigeland, the brother of sculptor Gustav Vigeland. The cathedral serves as the parish church for the royal family and is used for royal weddings, coronations and state funerals. It is also where the official memorial service was held after the 22 July 2011 terrorist attacks, when thousands of Norwegians gathered in and around the church.
The cathedral is open to the public and free to enter. It is not a large church, so a visit takes around twenty to thirty minutes.
