Oslo Cathedral in Oslo, Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Oslo Cathedral; Credit – By rheins, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59623505

Oslo Cathedral, located in Oslo, the capital of Norway, belongs Church of Norway, a Lutheran church, a denomination of Protestant Christianity. It is Norway’s national church and is used by the Norwegian royal family and the Norwegian government for events. After a previous cathedral was damaged during a city fire in 1686, a decision was made to build the present cathedral. Since the cathedral was built after the Protestant Reformation, it has always been a Protestant church.

The interior of the Oslo Cathedral; Credit – By Hans A. Rosbach – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20018487

Oslo Cathedral was built 1694 – 1697 in the Baroque style and was consecrated in 1697. Over the centuries, the cathedral has undergone several extensive changes. During a renovation in the 1850s under the direction of architect Alexis de Chateauneuf, the current tower with its bronze spire was built. In keeping with the aesthetics of the 1850s, the original Baroque interior was replaced with a Neo-Gothic interior.

Oslo Cathedral in 1929

From 1933 – 1951, in anticipation of the 900th anniversary of the city of Oslo in 1950, the cathedral was restored, under the direction of architect Arnstein Arneberg and the interior was largely restored to its original Baroque interior. Oslo Cathedral was restored from 2006 – 2010, because of extensive moisture damage. The cathedral was closed during those years and was re-opened in April 2010 in the presence of King Harald V of Norway and the Norwegian royal family.

Royal Events

The wedding of the future King Olav V and Princess Märtha of Sweden

The Kingdom of Norway was established in 872 as a merger of many small kingdoms. From 1537 to 1814, Norway was a part of the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway, and from 1814 to 1905, it was in a personal union with the Kingdom of Sweden. In 1905, upon the dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway, the Norwegian government began searching for candidates to become King of Norway.

The funeral of Crown Princess Märtha; Credit – By Unknown author – Oslo Museum: image no. OB.F12179, via digitaltmuseum.no., CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32280021

Because of his descent from prior Norwegian monarchs, as well as the British connections of his wife Princess Maud of Wales, the daughter of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, Prince Carl of Denmark, the second son of King Frederik VIII of Denmark, was the overwhelming favorite. Before accepting, Carl insisted that the voices of the Norwegian people be heard in regards to retaining a monarchy. Following a referendum with a 79% majority in favor, Prince Carl was formally offered and then accepted the throne. He took the name Haakon VII and his two-year-old son Prince Alexander of Denmark was renamed Olav and became Crown Prince of Norway and later succeeded his father as King Olav V.

The funeral of Ari Behn

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Works Cited

  • “Kirkebygget.” Oslo Domkirke, https://kirken.no/nb-NO/fellesrad/kirkeneioslo/menigheter/oslo-domkirken/om-domkirken/om-oslo-domkike/les-mer-om-oslo-domkirke/kirkebygget/.
  • Oslo Cathedral.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 June 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslo_Cathedral.
  • “Oslo Domkirke.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Aug. 2021, https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslo_domkirke.