If you are looking for charming wooden houses in Oslo, Telthusbakken and Damstredet are the places to find them. These two narrow, steep streets sit just behind Mathallen, a short walk from Grünerløkka, and they feel like a different century. The small, colourful wooden houses date from the late 1700s and early 1800s, a rare surviving fragment of what much of Christiania looked like before the city modernised.
The houses were originally home to workers and craftsmen. By the twentieth century, the area had deteriorated, and there were plans to demolish it. Instead, it was listed for preservation, and the houses were gradually restored. Today they are private homes, among the most sought-after addresses in the city despite their tiny size.
Next to Telthusbakken runs the Kjærlighetsstien, the Path of Love, a short and somewhat overgrown lane that connects the streets. The name is either romantic or ironic, depending on your mood and the weather.
A visit here takes only a few minutes, but the contrast with the surrounding modern city is striking. Remember that people live in these houses; they are not a museum or a theme park, so be respectful of the residents' privacy.
The houses were originally home to workers and craftsmen. By the twentieth century, the area had deteriorated, and there were plans to demolish it. Instead, it was listed for preservation, and the houses were gradually restored. Today they are private homes, among the most sought-after addresses in the city despite their tiny size.
Next to Telthusbakken runs the Kjærlighetsstien, the Path of Love, a short and somewhat overgrown lane that connects the streets. The name is either romantic or ironic, depending on your mood and the weather.
A visit here takes only a few minutes, but the contrast with the surrounding modern city is striking. Remember that people live in these houses; they are not a museum or a theme park, so be respectful of the residents' privacy.