Oslo’s City Hall

I’ve already written about my trip to Norway’s capital. I’ve written about my early jogs around Oslo  and my visit to the Nobel Peace Prize Museum.

But during my visit for work, I was lucky enough to attend a gala dinner at Oslo’s City Hall – the same venue where the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate is feted each year.

The town hall – at least the interior –  is easily recognizable around the world …. even to those who have never been to Oslo.

For it is here that the annual Peace Prize Award is held each December.

In 1918, the international competition to win Oslo’s new City Hall was won by Arnstein Arneberg and Magnus Poulsson, but it was only inaugurated decades later – in 1950, for the 900th anniversary of the city.

Apparently, it took years for Oslo natives to appreciate this modernist, dark brown brick monument.

The celebrated hall where the annual ceremony is held for the Peace Prize each December was decorated by famous Norwegian artists, including Henrik Sorenson, whose ‘Work, Art and Celebrations’ occupies an entire wall.

It is the largest fresco in Europe, occupying an entire wall of a room that measure 1519 square meters.

So even for all of us who are not Nobel Laureates, it’s well worth a visit to Oslo’s town hall when you are in this Scandinavian city.