The new Christiania

In the square today stands a statue of the king where he is pointing with his right hand. This statue was unveiled in 1880 and was made by Carl Ludvig Jacobsen.

The only building with 'Stortorvet' in its name, Stortorvets Gjæstgiveri, is located at Grensen 1. This building is believed to have been completed around the year 1700, and has changed owners countless times. Even with its many restorations, the building still retains a historical character and stands out among newer buildings in the area.

Cathedral

At the address Stortorvet 1 lies Oslo Cathedral. The cathedral, which at that time was called Our Savior's Church, was consecrated in 1697 and is the main church of the Oslo diocese. The weddings of the heirs to the throne and royal funerals have taken place in the church since Norway became independent in 1905.

Apart from the castle church at Akershus, Oslo Cathedral was the only church in Christiania for over 150 years. The church was granted cathedral status in 1950. The interior of the cathedral is largely characterized by the Baroque style. In 1699, the interior was equipped with a magnificent altarpiece and pulpit. These were carved by a Dutch master who later became a role model for woodcarvers in the valleys of Eastern Norway.

The altarpiece in the cathedral marks the beginning of the Acanthus Baroque in Norway, which is a style period characterized by carvings of leaves from the acanthus family.

Christiania Glassmagasin

Christiania Glassmagasin is located at Stortorvet 9–12. The glassware store established itself at this address in 1862, but has a long history before this. The company traces its beginnings to 1739, with a charter from Christian VI (the king of Denmark-Norway) to the Norwegian Company. The company's intention was to acquire rights to almost all Norwegian natural resources.

The king wanted to establish glassworks in Norway, as Denmark lacked the natural prerequisites for glass production. In the first 100 years after its establishment, the company contributed to the construction of several glassworks in Eastern Norway. After several rounds of ownership changes, Christiania Glasmagasin became a retail outlet at Jernbanetorget in 1856, where the majority of the merchandise came from Hadeland Glassverk. The business had to move in 1862 due to an expansion of the railway. The choice then fell on the then (Stor)Torvet 10, which is the location where Christiania Glasmagasin still stands today.

Images and videos on other websites

• See more pictures at digitaltmuseum.no
• Watch the movie "Stortorvet's Bazaars" on digitaltmuseum.no
• Watch the movie "Revealing the Bronze Doors of Our Savior's Church" on digitaltmuseum.no
• Watch the movie "Oslo Trams turn 60 years" on digitaltmuseum.no

Sources

• Christiania Glassware at snl.no
• Oslo Cathedral on snl.no
• History of Stortorvets Gjæstgiveri at stortorvet.no
• Stortorvet on lokalhistoriewiki.org