Kvadraturen for children

14 recommendations

This tour is aimed at children and families and will take approx. 1 hour to complete. It is especially well suited for children aged 9–13, but younger and older children will also find it enjoyable.

In 1624, Oslo burned to the ground for the 19th time. All the buildings in the old city were made entirely from timber, but King Christian IV decreed that the new city would have brick buildings. That was how Kvadraturen came to be, and there is a lot of interesting history to discover here.

Sights

1. Kvadraturen for children - Christiania Torv

9 recommendations

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.

2. Kvadraturen for children - Kontraskjæret

4 recommendations

400 years ago, people lived here in large apartment buildings, but the buildings burned down in a great fire in 1686. After the fire, the fortress was expanded to include this area.

3. Kvadraturen for children - Akershus festning

5 recommendations

Akershus is Oslo’s fortress, which once defended the city from enemies. It is several hundred years old and has never been conquered.

Sortieporten ved Akershus festning. Mange bruker denne porten som inngangen til festningen.

4. Kvadraturen for children - Waisenhuset

Kongensgate 1

3 recommendations

Waisenhus is an old term for orphanage, and Kongens gate 1 was an orphanage for boys for more than a hundred years. 

5. Kvadraturen for children - Norges Bank 

Bankplassen 3

3 recommendations

This was the scene of a dramatic incident. Infamous thief Ole Høiland pulled off his most spectacular heist here at Norges Bank. Some of his loot was never recovered... 

6. Kvadraturen for children - Bankplassen and Christiania Theater

Bankplassen 4

4 recommendations

Bankplassen was once home to the Christiania Theater. One of the more infamous incidents in old Christiania was the great theatre riot, which took place right in front of the theatre.

7. Kvadraturen for children - Grev Wedels plass

Grev Wedels plass

4 recommendations

Grev Wedels plass has seen some strange things through the ages. Once, the square was semi-submerged in water. What is that large, pink timber building doing here? 

8. Kvadraturen for children - Garmanngården

Rådhusgata 7

3 recommendations

Garmanngården was built some 400 years ago. This was what a mansion in Kvadraturen looked like at the time. This was where rich families lived.

Map