Viking Magazine - September 2021 - 26

had shifted by the time of Oslo City Hall's design. Arneberg
and Poulsson's plans consequently followed the tenets
of Functionalism rather than National
Romanticism, and as a result Oslo City Hall
possesses a more modernist appearance
than either of the two earlier city halls that
helped inspire it.
The design and construction of Oslo
City Hall spanned a 30-year period in
Norway's history. Construction began in
1931, was ready for occupation in 1947
(after a building hiatus during World
War II) and was officially inaugurated in
1950 to coincide with the city's 900 year
anniversary.
The Central Hall's
massive walls
are ornately
decorated with huge
murals depicting
themes alluding
to Norwegian life,
history and folklore.
Prior to the outbreak of war and the
German occupation of Norway, the city had hosted a
competition for the artwork that would adorn its new hall.
The competition's jury included Arneberg and Poulsson, the
director of the Norwegian National Gallery, the leader of
the Norwegian Labor Party and the Prime
Minister of Norway. The outcome of this
competition resulted in the creation of some
of Norway's most spectacular 20th century
art. The pieces range from sculpture to
portraiture to tapestries to large murals,
which are present throughout the inside and
outside of the building.
architecture meets art
As one approaches Oslo City Hall from the
direction of Karl Johans gate (the hugely
popular shopping street that cuts through
the heart of the city, linking the Royal
Palace to the Central Station), the very first piece of artwork
visitors will notice is Svanefontenen ( " The Swan Fountain " )
by Dyre Vaa. It's a large bronze and granite sculpture that
dominates the exterior courtyard located along the landward,
north-facing side of Oslo City Hall. The courtyard is
bordered by the building façade on three sides and opens out
in the direction of downtown Oslo, welcoming passersby to
approach.
In addition to the graceful, spiral-form and waterflow of
Svanefontenen, the courtyard also hosts Joseph Grimeland's
Oslopiken ( " The Oslo Girl " ), which watches over the entire
space from its perch high on the façade near the building's
roof, directly over the main entrance. Flanking the two wings
of the courtyard are a combined total of 16 large, elaborately
painted wooden reliefs created by Dagfin Werenskiold.
Known as the Yggdrasilfrisen ( " The Yggdrasil Frieze, "
a reference to the ancient world tree in Norse mythology),
Werenskiold's reliefs depict many mythological motifs,
ranging from Odin astride his eight-legged horse to Thor
and his goat-pulled chariot to the coming of Ragnarök, the
cataclysmic end of days according to Old Norse thought.
Dagfin Werenskiold was the son of Erik Werenskiold, who
was one of Norway's most prominent painters in the late
19th century and who, alongside Theodor Kittelsen, helped
establish the popular image of trolls as we know them today,
thanks to his many illustrations for Asbjørnsen and Moe's
collection of Norwegian folktales.
When exploring the exterior of Oslo City Hall, visitors will
marvel at the elaborately painted wooden reliefs created by
Dagfin Werenskiold. They depict many mythological motifs.
26 VIKING SEPTEMBER 2021
sonsofnorway.com
After passing through the courtyard and entering the
building through the elegantly carved main doors directly
beneath Oslopiken, visitors cross a narrow foyer and enter
the Central Hall, a large, light-filled, rectangular room with a
nearly 70-foot-tall ceiling. As the setting for the Nobel Peace
Prize ceremony since 1990 (prior to that, the ceremony took
place at the Nobel Institute initially and then at the University
of Oslo), the prestigious event space is awe-inspiring,
PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP): ANDREA PISTOLESI / GETTY IMAGES, BE&&W AGENCJA FOTOGRAFICZNA SP. Z O.O. / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, GRETHE ULGJELL / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, BERNARD BIALORUCKI / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

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Viking Magazine - September 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Viking Magazine - September 2021