Royal Palace, Oslo

Coordinates: 59°55′0.88″N 10°43′39.24″E / 59.9169111°N 10.7275667°E / 59.9169111; 10.7275667
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Slottet, Royal Palace
View of the front facade
Royal Palace, Oslo is located in Central Oslo
Royal Palace, Oslo
Location within central Oslo
General information
Architectural styleNeoclassicism
Town or cityOslo
CountryNorway
Coordinates59°55′0.88″N 10°43′39.24″E / 59.9169111°N 10.7275667°E / 59.9169111; 10.7275667
Construction started1825
Completed26 July 1849
ClientCharles III John
Design and construction
Architect(s)Hans Linstow
Other information
Number of rooms173[1][2]
Haakon VII
, the first monarch to permanently reside at the palace
Royal Guardsmen
in front of the Royal Palace

The Royal Palace (

Norwegian monarch while the Crown Prince resides at Skaugum in Asker
west of Oslo.

The palace is located at the end of Karl Johans gate in central Oslo and is surrounded by the Palace Park with the Palace Square in the front.

History

Until the completion of the palace, Norwegian royalty resided in

King Charles III John of the House of Bernadotte
resided there as crown prince and later as king during his frequent visits to his Norwegian capital.

Construction

Charles John chose the site for the permanent royal palace on the western side of Christiania in 1821 and commissioned the officer and inexperienced

speciedaler to be financed by the sale of government bonds. Work on the site started in 1824, and on 1 October 1825 Charles John laid down the foundation stone beneath the altar of the future palace chapel. Linstow originally planned a building of only two storeys with projecting wings on both sides of the main façade.[3]

The costly foundation works caused the budget to be exceeded, and the building stopped in 1827, only to be resumed in 1833. In the meantime, the Storting refused additional grants as a demonstration against the king's unpopular efforts to establish a closer union between his two kingdoms. In 1833, Linstow produced a less costly project without the projecting wings, but with a third storey as compensation. Improved relations with the king made the Storting grant the necessary funds to complete the building. The roof was laid in 1836, and the interiors were finished during the late 1840s.[4]

The Royal Palace Chapel

Main article: Slottskapellet (Oslo)

The Royal Palace contains its own chapel, consecrated in 1844. The Church of Norway is responsible for the religious services taking place there. It is the scene of many events of the Norwegian royal family like the royal baptisms and confirmations. There are also concerts of church music and chamber music.[5]

During the Bernadotte dynasty

King Charles John never had the pleasure of residing in his palace before he died in 1844, and its first occupants were his son

Josephine. It was soon found that the royal family needed a more spacious residence, and the wings facing the garden were extended. Before the official inauguration in 1849, the central colonnade
that had been axed in 1833 was reintroduced, and the provisional steep roof was replaced by a more elegant and more expensive flat roof.

The next Bernadotte kings

Crown Prince Gustaf
, paid two short visits in his vain attempts to save the union.

Permanent royal residence

The Bernadotte dynasty resigned their Norwegian throne in 1905 and was succeeded by Prince Carl of Denmark, who took the name of

throne chair
is located.

Modernization and public access

During the reign and residence of

King Harald V started a comprehensive renovation project of the palace. The renovations and improvements, all made by Statsbygg, included new fire alarm systems, the construction of new bathrooms, kitchens, offices and a general restructuring of the palace. The King was criticized because of the amount of money needed to bring the palace up to a satisfactory state even if much of this went to rectify construction deficits from a century and a half ago. With the renovations completed, the King and Queen relocated from Skaugum to the palace in 2001 as the Skaugum estate was to become the new home of Crown Prince Haakon
and his family.

The palace, like all royal residence in Norway, is guarded by

His Majesty The King's Guard; the Royal Guards. Since public tours began in 2002, the general public has been able to view and appreciate the renovation and splendor that the palace now boasts. The daily changing of the guards has also become a popular tourist attraction in recent years. [1][6]

The Palace Park

Main article: Palace Park

The Palace Park (

public park
, one of the largest parks of the capital. It is 22 hectares (54 acres).

The Queen Sonja Art Stable

Main article: The Queen Sonja Art Stable

In 2017, the former palace stables were renovated and converted into a multipurpose art venue which was named Dronning Sonja KunstStall. The building will be used as an art gallery, museum and concert hall and is now open to the public.

Gallery

  • Aerial view of the Royal Palace and the surrounding park
    Aerial view of the Royal Palace and the surrounding park
  • The Royal Palace seen from the rear end
    The Royal Palace seen from the rear end
  • The royal family standing on the palace balcony
    The royal family standing on the palace balcony
  • The children's parade passes the Royal Palace during the Norwegian Constitution Day
    The children's parade passes the Royal Palace during the Norwegian Constitution Day
  • Statue of King Charles John on the Palace square
    Statue of King Charles John on the Palace square
  • The Royal Palace seen from Karl Johan's street. The walls of the Storting can be seen on the left.
    The Royal Palace seen from Karl Johan's street. The walls of the Storting can be seen on the left.

Bibliography

  • Kavli, Guthorm (1970). The royal palace in Oslo. Dreyer.

References

  1. ^ a b Slottets historie (History from the official website of The Royal Norwegian Family)
  2. ^ Architecture of the Royal Palace (About the palace's architecture, from the official website of The Royal Norwegian Family)
  3. ^ "History of the Royal Palace". www.kongehuset.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2018-09-10.
  4. ^ "Architecture of the Royal Palace". www.kongehuset.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2018-09-10.
  5. Royal House of Norway
    (in English)
  6. ^ The reception rooms at the Royal Palace From the official website of The Royal Norwegian Family

External links

Media related to Royal Palace, Oslo at Wikimedia Commons

59°55′0.88″N 10°43′39.24″E / 59.9169111°N 10.7275667°E / 59.9169111; 10.7275667

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