A historic look around Ullevålsveien 1

What I find extra interesting about Frogner House apartments' different addresses, is that each location has historic significance. In the area surrounding Ullevålsveien 1, one can clearly define the development through time by the architechtural styles of the buildings.



(Map: St. Hanshaugen 1917)

 Remnants from early Iron Age habitation has been found in the area. Several man-made mounds towards the Stensberg park distinguish what was probably a defence point from 400 – 600 AD, before the population was Christianized in the late 1000’s. One of the oldest roads from medieval Oslo ran from the Aker church, crossing the St. Hanshaugen district and Ullevålsveien, connecting this church to the Akershus fortress by the Aker Brygge waterfront. Aker church is probably the oldest standing building in Oslo, built in the late 1000’s to support the local community silver-rich galena miners. This was the first mine in Norway, named Akersberget, and it continued production until 1579.

Surrounding Aker church were mainly farms and farmland, which were divided in 1629 by King Christian IV (Danish king and head of Union, see blog from May 16^th) and given to citizens of the city, which was then called Christiania (now Oslo). The citizens built houses there, creating a suburb of small houses and narrow streets. The area east of the ‘Akersveien’ street, including streets ‘Dops gate’, ‘Telthusbakken’ and ‘Damstredet’, consists of small wooden houses from the late 1700s, which are very well preserved. The upper part of the ‘Akersgata’ street developed in the early 1800s with more wooden houses with the typical fenced-in gardens.     

('Dops Gate' street)



As the settlement expanded and the population in Oslo increased towards the mid 1800s, the neighbourhood gradually grew part of Christiania city. St. Olavs catholic cathedral, just across the road from Ullevålsveien 1, was built in 1856, and the protestant ‘Trefoldighetskirken’ church just down the street followed in 1858. Both are built in the Gothic Revival architectural style. From the 1860’s, the area around Ullevålsveien 1 and the ‘St. Olavs gate’ street was developed with more mason townhouses ("swiss villas") . The St. Hanshaugen hill was developed by the district council in 1865, when 1275 trees were planted. The entire city, including the St. Hanshaugen area, experienced a tremendous growth spurt. In 1899, collective transportation ran up Ullevålsveien in the form of a horse drawn tramline.   

(Making of St. Hanshaugen Park stream, 1889)

Some Art Nuveau, or "Jugend", buildings mark the turn of the 19^th century, such as Ullevålsveien nr 48 and 50, as well as the old government building (now treasury department) in ‘Apotekergata’ street, towards the city centre. Further buildings in the 1900s are dominated by functionalism and neo-classicism, for example by the south-east corner of St. Hanshaugen Park by the streets ‘Collets gate’ and ‘Louises gate’. The public library, "Deichmanske bibliotek", from 1933 is the light green, neo classisist building seen on the left hand side down the street from Ullevålsveien 1. Further down 'Apotekergata' street, the government centralised in buildings resulting from an architechtural competition in 1939. These buildings form the government quarter, or "Regjeringskvartalet", represent what we call the 'brutalist' style, stemming from the "beton brut" idea of massive, untreated concrete exteriors popular in this industrial development era.

(View from the Government quarter, with Deichmanske library in the background)

 In 2005, the entire district of St. Hanshaugen, together with ‘Bislett’ and ‘Ila’, were proposed established as a conservation area. The real estate market prices in the district are the second highest in the country (after the Frogner district), and the current population is typically upper middle class persons between 20 and 39 years old and of higher education.

What are these landmarks known for today?

Iron Age mounds -> ‘Stensbergparken’ Park

Aker Church -> Still in use, and especially popular for weddings

Akersberget mine -> A wonderful restaurant is operating in the red wooden house by the mine entrance, serving high quality food and a great selection of wines and beers.

17-1800s wooden houses -> Still in remarkably good shape and habited by locals who often tend to their gardens with great diligence!

St. Olav’s Cathedral -> Only current catholic cathedral in Oslo

St. Hanshaugen Park -> Very popular for park-lounging, exercising and Sunday pizza at the restaurant on top. 

Deichmanske Bibliotek -> Still functions as a public library, although the building itself is criticized for being too ugly...

(Foto: visitnorway.no - Akersberget restaurant, interior)




(Foto: vibb.no - Akersberget Restaurant, exterior)