Kvadraturen for children - Christiania Torv
Photo: Nina Reistad / Kulturetaten
A part of the tour Kvadraturen for children
Christiania Torv was where it all began. In 1624, the old city across the fjord had burned, and a new city was being built. The square was the heart of the city.
History tells that king Christian IV of Denmark and Norway in person took out to the not yet established streets of what was to become the new Oslo. There he showed everyone exactly where he wanted the city to be build. The old medieval town of Oslo across the sea of Bjørvika had burned down 19 times, and the king was fed up with old fashioned timber towns. The new, modern city had to be build of bricks, and the king named it after himself – Christiania.
Photo: Foto: Wikimedia commons
King Christian IV