Oslo buildings 2005
Any city can have a few beautifully decorated, elaborate buildings, and it is not hard to have a few stunning examples for the most important buildings. But in Oslo, it does not end there. So many of the normal buildings look good too. The attention to detail, and the general ornamentation far surpasses the requirements, and it makes it feel to me like a much more enjoyable city to walk through.
For five months, I have walked past these buildings without taking pictures, so I figured it was about time I took some and shared them with you.
Narvesen (one of the common newsagent/expensive-shops) at Torshov, in a fairly typical Oslo building
Some of the decoration around the windows, complete with totally unnecessary pillars under the windows. I love this attention to detail, purely for the purpose of decoration.
Our block. Even this humble building looks pretty. Unfortunately, we are located in the dull gray side, but that's ok, because the other side has structural problems, but never mind that ;) Notice how each roof has a small fence to keep the snow from falling off in winter.
What do you mean this is not a building? Delivering a new set of bikes to the city bike stand.
Holsts Gata, with the pretty arches above the windows.
One of the many industrial buildings near us. These are characterised by their red brick, tall chimneys, and copper roofs. This one dates back to 1877.
I did it my way; Markveien, with its endless decorated buildings. Walking down here, it is tempting to just take pictures of every one of them, but I will spare you my obsession. The third one actually slopes downwards like it was intended to meet up with the lines on the buildings on either side. It didn't work though, just looks funny.
The top of Markveien.
Some of them are lucky enough to have balconies, such as these on Bjerregaards Gate. Even here, the windows without balconies are still given some attention, with false pillars holding up the lintel.
The first block on Bjerregaards Gate. One after another, each section is given its own unique style. No two buildings ever the same.
Some of the overly ornate detail around the windows.
More balconies on Bjerregaards Gate, the perfect place to enjoy an early lunch and coffee.
The architecture here is wonderful. The grandure of this roadway, like an imposing portal, as you enter the fortress.
This beautiful building is at the junction of Dalsbergstien and Waldemar Thranes Gate. The acute angle is made all the more pronounced by the point on the top of the corner.
Beside the point are the round windows on the roof, moulded in, almost like an afterthought because someone decided the original flat roof was too plain.
The hospital on Ullevålsveien - a slightly more modern (and less attractive) building than the others, with the ornamentation done in brick instead of mouldings.
Once again, a roof catches my eye. This is on the junction of Thor Olsens Gata and Ullevålsveien. The shape of the roof is completely ridiculous, but it looks so good as a result. Even the windows get the required attention, with a set of miniature pillars appearing underneath them, supposedly holding up the windowsill.
I might not go in, but I still admire the outside. Saint Olav's Church on Ullevålsveien. This is fairly typical of the many churches in Oslo, with the stepped buttresses on either side of the steeple.
This large arch, almost hidden from view, serves as the gateway to a tiny cemetary, only slightly larger than the arch itself. The statue is irrelevant to me, so don't ask. He may mean something to someone, but not to me.
Another fine example just down the road - this time with a dome, and two turrets on either side of the porch.
Saint Olavs Gata, and with some relatively plain windows, more than compensated for by these pair of twin pillars, and dame(r) figurehead.
Just in case you thought it was all roses, you turn a corner, and you are confronted by a monstrosity like this. This could very easily be in Birmingham, only without any good excuses for being so ugly.
It doesn't matter what you put outside it, it's still ugly. And no, that sort of thing does not constitute "art". It's just ugly, like the building it is beside. If I were an artist, I would be ashamed to have any of my work rendered in such an offensive material.
So we hurried onwards to see Utenriksdepartementet. This buiding has some stunning ornamentation on the roof, and faux pillars around the windows. Unfortunately it also has a very bad history that makes it unpopular with some of the locals. It was used by the Germans as a headquarters during World War II, and so it was the base for the local Gestapo. Nice huh?
Not often you can say this, but while looking at the buildings, a parade of libraries happened to go past. Complete with police escort, of course. How would you like to visit a library called The Bog Bus?
Starting back up through the city, there is a small village on Fredensborgveien.
Each house or shop is a colourful wooden building. Something you might expect to see somewhere in the countryside, but they are nestled here amongst the stone buildings of Oslo.
Further up, on the upper Maridalsveien (just across the river from our flat), is another little village.
These houses seem to be associated with the nearby factory, probably the old factory workers' houses. That would make them over 100 years old, so they have probably had some serious renovation at some point, but still faithfully maintaining the traditional country style.
Again, each house has its own almost-unique style, and its own combination of colours.
A resurected photo from 5 months earlier. The wooden houses in Kjelsås, built on increasingly high platforms, and looking so pretty in the snow. A pity it couldn't have lasted longer.
Well, that's two walks in one day, and it's time for sunset over the flats of North Oslo.
We have been here for over five months now, and as the sun sets on our stay in Norway, so it also sets over the buildings of Oslo. We will be back home in Cardiff soon.
I am not usually a fan of glass buildings, but the dying sun manages to give it some extra quality, and it even breathes life to the unlit streetlamp.
Narvesen (one of the common newsagent/expensive-shops) at Torshov, in a fairly typical Oslo building
Some of the decoration around the windows, complete with totally unnecessary pillars under the windows. I love this attention to detail, purely for the purpose of decoration.
Our block. Even this humble building looks pretty. Unfortunately, we are located in the dull gray side, but that's ok, because the other side has structural problems, but never mind that ;) Notice how each roof has a small fence to keep the snow from falling off in winter.
What do you mean this is not a building? Delivering a new set of bikes to the city bike stand.
Holsts Gata, with the pretty arches above the windows.
One of the many industrial buildings near us. These are characterised by their red brick, tall chimneys, and copper roofs. This one dates back to 1877.
I did it my way; Markveien, with its endless decorated buildings. Walking down here, it is tempting to just take pictures of every one of them, but I will spare you my obsession. The third one actually slopes downwards like it was intended to meet up with the lines on the buildings on either side. It didn't work though, just looks funny.
The top of Markveien.
Some of them are lucky enough to have balconies, such as these on Bjerregaards Gate. Even here, the windows without balconies are still given some attention, with false pillars holding up the lintel.
The first block on Bjerregaards Gate. One after another, each section is given its own unique style. No two buildings ever the same.
Some of the overly ornate detail around the windows.
More balconies on Bjerregaards Gate, the perfect place to enjoy an early lunch and coffee.
The architecture here is wonderful. The grandure of this roadway, like an imposing portal, as you enter the fortress.
This beautiful building is at the junction of Dalsbergstien and Waldemar Thranes Gate. The acute angle is made all the more pronounced by the point on the top of the corner.
Beside the point are the round windows on the roof, moulded in, almost like an afterthought because someone decided the original flat roof was too plain.
The hospital on Ullevålsveien - a slightly more modern (and less attractive) building than the others, with the ornamentation done in brick instead of mouldings.
Once again, a roof catches my eye. This is on the junction of Thor Olsens Gata and Ullevålsveien. The shape of the roof is completely ridiculous, but it looks so good as a result. Even the windows get the required attention, with a set of miniature pillars appearing underneath them, supposedly holding up the windowsill.
I might not go in, but I still admire the outside. Saint Olav's Church on Ullevålsveien. This is fairly typical of the many churches in Oslo, with the stepped buttresses on either side of the steeple.
This large arch, almost hidden from view, serves as the gateway to a tiny cemetary, only slightly larger than the arch itself. The statue is irrelevant to me, so don't ask. He may mean something to someone, but not to me.
Another fine example just down the road - this time with a dome, and two turrets on either side of the porch.
Saint Olavs Gata, and with some relatively plain windows, more than compensated for by these pair of twin pillars, and dame(r) figurehead.
Just in case you thought it was all roses, you turn a corner, and you are confronted by a monstrosity like this. This could very easily be in Birmingham, only without any good excuses for being so ugly.
It doesn't matter what you put outside it, it's still ugly. And no, that sort of thing does not constitute "art". It's just ugly, like the building it is beside. If I were an artist, I would be ashamed to have any of my work rendered in such an offensive material.
So we hurried onwards to see Utenriksdepartementet. This buiding has some stunning ornamentation on the roof, and faux pillars around the windows. Unfortunately it also has a very bad history that makes it unpopular with some of the locals. It was used by the Germans as a headquarters during World War II, and so it was the base for the local Gestapo. Nice huh?
Not often you can say this, but while looking at the buildings, a parade of libraries happened to go past. Complete with police escort, of course. How would you like to visit a library called The Bog Bus?
Starting back up through the city, there is a small village on Fredensborgveien.
Each house or shop is a colourful wooden building. Something you might expect to see somewhere in the countryside, but they are nestled here amongst the stone buildings of Oslo.
Further up, on the upper Maridalsveien (just across the river from our flat), is another little village.
These houses seem to be associated with the nearby factory, probably the old factory workers' houses. That would make them over 100 years old, so they have probably had some serious renovation at some point, but still faithfully maintaining the traditional country style.
Again, each house has its own almost-unique style, and its own combination of colours.
A resurected photo from 5 months earlier. The wooden houses in Kjelsås, built on increasingly high platforms, and looking so pretty in the snow. A pity it couldn't have lasted longer.
Well, that's two walks in one day, and it's time for sunset over the flats of North Oslo.
We have been here for over five months now, and as the sun sets on our stay in Norway, so it also sets over the buildings of Oslo. We will be back home in Cardiff soon.
I am not usually a fan of glass buildings, but the dying sun manages to give it some extra quality, and it even breathes life to the unlit streetlamp.