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Holmens Kanal is a short street in central Copenhagen . Part of the main thoroughfare of the city centre , it extends from Kongens Nytorv for one block to a junction with a statue of Niels Juel where it turns right towards Holmens Bro while the through traffic continues straight along Niels Juels Gade . The street was originally a canal, hence the name, but was filled in the 1860s. Today it is dominated by bank and government buildings.

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109-621: Holmens Kanal was created when Christian IV extended Copenhagen's East Rampart straight through Bremerholm as part of his upgrade of the city's fortifications . The moat in front of the rampart was dug in 1606 and became known as the Canal of Holmen (Holmens Kanal) when it was expanded to serve as a new harbour for the Royal Fleet after its ships had become too large to enter the Arsenal Harbour further south. A street named Størrestrædet ran along

218-577: A masque of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba , as a drunken fiasco, where most of the players simply fell over from the effects of too much wine. The royal party went to Upnor Castle and had dinner aboard the Elizabeth Jonas . At Gravesend, when the royal party was on his ship the Admiral , Christian IV provided a firework display built on a small ship or lighter, which brought tears to eyes of King James, although

327-470: A subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfc ) in the 1991–2020 base period. and Weather Atlas Oslo has many parks and green areas within the city core, as well as outside it. Oslo (with neighbouring Sandvika-Asker) is built in a horseshoe shape on the shores of the Oslofjord and limited in most directions by hills and forests. As a result, any point within the city is relatively close to

436-798: A "guardian government" being installed until he was officially installed as King in 1596. When Christian was crowned king, Denmark-Norway held a supremacy over the Baltic Sea, which he lost to Sweden. Nevertheless, Christian was one of the few kings from the House of Oldenburg that achieved a lasting legacy of popularity with both the Danish and Norwegian people. As such, he featured in the Danish national play Elverhøj . Furthermore, his great building activities also furthered his popularity. Christian IV spoke Danish, German, Latin , French and Italian. Naturally cheerful and hospitable, he delighted in lively society; but he

545-411: A Danish king ( Christian IV of Denmark ) was inappropriate as the name of the capital of their country. The municipality developed new areas such as Ullevål garden city (1918–1926) and Torshov (1917–1925). City Hall was constructed in the former slum area of Vika from 1931 to 1950. In 1948, Oslo merged with Aker , a municipality which surrounded the capital and was 27 times larger, thus creating

654-409: A French servant. He had sailed with only three ships and captured some pirates during the voyage. More ships with his Danish courtiers arrived on 5 August. The diplomatic purpose of the visit was kept secret. The Venetian ambassador Antonio Foscarini heard that Anne of Denmark had written to him about a dispute with King James. Foscarini described Christian as, "above the average in height, dressed in

763-470: A circle of diameter 90 kilometers. Christian also restored and restructured the castle Akershus , where he invited the people of Norway to the official and age-old installment of the king in 1590, and again in 1610. When the king was busy overseeing the reparations and re-building of the fortress at Oslo, he lived in the country all summer, and at the same time tried to establish a centre for producing iron at Eiker , Buskerud . History tells he actually ruled

872-463: A city at the end of the Viking Age in 1040 under the name Ánslo , and established as a kaupstad or trading place in 1048 by Harald Hardrada . The city was elevated to a bishopric in 1070 and a capital under Haakon V of Norway around the year 1300. Personal unions with Denmark from 1397 to 1523 and again from 1536 to 1814 reduced its influence. After being destroyed by a fire in 1624, during

981-585: A consistent diplomatic policy. He would neither conciliate Sweden, henceforth his most dangerous enemy, nor guard himself against her by a definite system of counter-alliances. Christian contacted the Roman Catholic part of the Thirty Years' War, and offered to broker a deal with Sweden. However, his mediating was highly skewed in favour of the Holy Roman Emperor, and was a transparent attempt at minimising

1090-470: A few years, new large scale housing areas and infrastructure projects are being built and planned across the city, notably in Hasle , Helsfyr , Bjørvika , Nydalen and Sinsen , this is increasing the density in and around Ring 2 and Ring 3 . The Fornebu line on the metro is under construction as of 2024, and further subway lines crossing the inner city are being planned. Oslo occupies an arc of land at

1199-451: A fire in 1624, during the reign of King Christian IV , a new city was built closer to Akershus Fortress and named Christiania in the king's honour. The old site east of the Aker river was not abandoned, however, and the village of Oslo remained as a suburb outside the city gates. The suburb called Oslo was eventually included in the city proper. In 1925 the name of the suburb was transferred to

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1308-525: A fleet in case of need, and shortly afterwards a Swedo-Danish army and fleet compelled Wallenstein to raise the siege of Stralsund . Thus with the help of Sweden, the superior sea-power enabled Denmark to tide over her worst difficulties, and in May 1629 Christian was able to conclude peace with the emperor in the Treaty of Lübeck , without any diminution of territory. However, the treaty bound Christian not to interfere in

1417-641: A formal coat of arms , but which uses a city seal instead. The seal of Oslo shows the city's patron saint , St. Hallvard , with his attributes, the millstone and arrows , with a naked woman at his feet. He is seated on a throne with lion decorations, which at the time was also commonly used by the Norwegian kings . Oslo has various nicknames and names in other languages. The city is sometimes known as "The Tiger City" ( Norwegian : Tigerstaden ), probably inspired by an 1870 poem by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson which referenced then-Christiania in central Oslo. The nickname

1526-733: A fortress. He also founded the Danish East India Company ( Asiatisk Kompagni ) inspired by the similar Dutch company . Christian is the longest-reigning monarch in Scandinavian history in terms of holding the title. However, the Danish Royal House recognized Margrethe II as having the official record in July 2023. The Danish Royal House noted that Christian IV was not of the legal age to become King upon his father's death, which resulted in

1635-736: A large number of buildings in Dutch Renaissance style. His sister Anne had married King James VI of Scotland , who succeeded to the English throne in 1603. To foster friendly relations between the two kingdoms, Christian paid a state visit to England in 1606. The visit was generally judged to be a success, although the heavy drinking indulged in by English and Danes alike caused some unfavourable comments: both Christian and James had an ability to consume great amounts of alcohol, while remaining lucid, which most of their courtiers did not share. Sir John Harington described an entertainment at Theobalds ,

1744-577: A level of stability and wealth that was virtually unmatched elsewhere in Europe. He engaged Denmark-Norway in numerous wars, most notably the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), which devastated much of Germany, undermined the Danish economy, and cost Denmark-Norway some of its conquered territories. He rebuilt and renamed the Norwegian capital Oslo as Christiania after himself, a name used until 1925. Christian

1853-801: A more efficient distribution of the traffic at its busy junction. This decision was met with severe criticism, including protests from the Royal Naval Museum , and in 2003 the Danish Heritage Agency decided to stop the move. Egon Ove Sprogøe steals a suitcase with money from a bank in Holmens Kanal by replacing it with another suitcase at0:56:18 in the 1972 Olsen-banden film The Olsen Gang's Big Score . 55°40′40″N 12°35′09″E  /  55.6778°N 12.5858°E  / 55.6778; 12.5858 Christian IV of Denmark Christian IV (12 April 1577 – 28 February 1648)

1962-522: A new Danish Crown Regalia which had been made for him by Dirich Fyring (1580–1603), assisted by the Nuremberg goldsmith, Corvinius Saur. On 30 November 1597, he married Anne Catherine of Brandenburg , a daughter of Joachim Friedrich , Margrave of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia . Christian took an interest in many and varied matters, including a series of domestic reforms and improving Danish national armaments. New fortresses were constructed under

2071-629: A paralysing effect upon Denmark. In his sixty-sixth year he once more displayed something of the energy of his triumphant youth. Night and day he laboured to levy armies and equip fleets. Fortunately for him, the Swedish government delayed hostilities in Scania until February 1644, and the Danes were able to make adequate defensive preparations and save the important fortress of Malmö . The Danish fleet prevented Torstensson crossing from Jutland to Funen , and defeated

2180-408: A population of 717,710 as of 1 January 2024. The urban area extends far beyond the boundaries of the municipality into the surrounding county of Akershus (municipalities of Asker , Bærum , Lillestrøm , Enebakk , Rælingen , Lørenskog , Nittedal , Gjerdrum , Nordre Follo ); being, to a great degree suburbs of Oslo making up approximately 500,000 of the population of the greater Oslo region .

2289-444: A preceding urban settlement. This called for the celebration of Oslo's millennium in 2000 rather than 2049. Under the reign of Olaf III of Norway (1067-1093), Oslo became a cultural centre for Eastern Norway . Hallvard Vebjørnsson became the city's patron saint and is depicted on the city's seal. In 1174, Hovedøya Abbey was built. The churches and abbeys became major owners of large tracts of land, which proved important for

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2398-526: A river "Lo" predating the work where Peder Claussøn Friis first proposed this etymology, but the very name is ungrammatical in Norwegian: the correct form would have been Loaros (cf. Nidaros ). The name Lo is now believed to be a back-formation arrived at by Friis in support of his [idea about] etymology for Oslo . Oslo is one of very few cities in Norway, besides Bergen and Tønsberg , that does not have

2507-534: A role in the government, but was denied by the council. At the death of Niels Kaas in 1594, Jørgen Rosenkrantz took over leadership of the regency council. Christian continued his studies at Sorø Academy where he had a reputation as a headstrong and talented student. In 1595, the Council of the Realm decided that Christian would soon be old enough to assume personal control of the reins of government. On 17 August 1596, at

2616-457: Is Marka (1,610 residents, 301.1 km ), that is administered by several boroughs; and Sentrum (1,471 residents, 1.8 km ) that is partially administered by St. Hanshaugen, and in part directly by the city council. As of 27 February 2020, there were 2,386 residents who were not allocated to a borough. The 9 municipalities directly included in the Urban area of Oslo. After being destroyed by

2725-399: Is July 1901 with mean 22.7 °C (72.9 °F), and the all-time high 35 °C (95 °F) was also recorded in July 1901. The warmest month in more recent years is July 2018 with mean 22.2 °C (72.0 °F) and average daily high 29 °C (84.2 °F). The record summer of 2018 also recorded the warmest May and May all-time high with 31.1 °C (88.0 °F) on 30th, and 2018

2834-464: Is a historic timber framing house located on the north side of Christiania Torv; it was built in 1640. The transformation of Christiania went slowly for the first hundred years. However, outside of the city at Vaterland , Grønland , and the old town of Oslo , a new, unmanaged part of the city arose populated by citizens of lower class status. The last Black Death outbreak in Oslo occurred in 1654. In

2943-520: Is agricultural. The open areas within the built-up zone amount to 22 km (8.5 sq mi). The city of Oslo was established as a municipality on 3 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt ). It was separated from the county of Akershus to become a county of its own in 1842. The rural municipality of Aker was merged with Oslo on 1 January 1948 (and simultaneously transferred from Akershus county to Oslo county). Furthermore, Oslo shares several important functions with Akershus county. In addition

3052-496: Is also a hub of Norwegian trade, banking, industry and shipping. It is an important centre for maritime industries and maritime trade in Europe. The city is home to many companies within the maritime sector, some of which are among the world's largest shipping companies, shipbrokers and maritime insurance brokers. Oslo is a pilot city of the Council of Europe and the European Commission intercultural cities programme. Oslo

3161-513: Is also a main source of drinking water for large parts of Oslo. Although Eastern Norway has a number of rivers, none of these flow into the ocean at Oslo. Instead Oslo has two smaller rivers: Akerselva (draining Maridalsvannet, which flows into the fjord in Bjørvika ), and Alna . The waterfalls in Akerselva gave power to some of the first modern industry of Norway in the 1840s. Later in the century,

3270-569: Is considered a global city and was ranked "Beta World City" in studies carried out by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network in 2008. It was ranked number one in terms of quality of life among European large cities in the European Cities of the Future 2012 report by fDi magazine. A survey conducted by ECA International in 2011 placed Oslo as the second most expensive city in

3379-430: Is great for barbecues, swimming, beach volleyball and other activities. The municipality operates eight public swimming pools. Tøyenbadet is the largest indoor swimming facility in Oslo and one of the few pools in Norway offering a 50-metre main pool. Another in that size is the outdoor pool Frognerbadet . Oslo's cityscape is being redeveloped as a modern city with various access-points, an extensive metro-system with

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3488-763: Is mostly used by Norwegians from out of town, and rarely by people from the Oslo region. During the Viking Age , the area that includes modern Oslo was located in Viken , the northernmost province of Denmark . Control over the area shifted between Danish and Norwegian kings in the Middle Ages, and Denmark continued to claim the area until 1241. According to the Norse sagas , Oslo was founded around 1049 by Harald Hardrada . Recent archaeological research, however, uncovered Christian burials which could be dated to prior to AD 1000, evidence of

3597-403: Is the capital and most populous city of Norway . It constitutes both a county and a municipality . The municipality of Oslo had a population of 709,037 in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022, and the metropolitan area had an estimated population of 1,546,706 in 2021. During the Viking Age , the area was part of Viken . Oslo was founded as

3706-578: Is used, an oceanic climate ( Cfb ) bordering on a humid continental climate in the 1991–2020 base period. Oslo has some of the warmest summers of Norway and fairly cold winters. Oslo receives a fair amount of precipitation during the year. The driest seasons are winter and spring, and the wettest are summer and autumn. Because of the city's northern latitude, daylight varies greatly, from more than 18 hours in midsummer, when it never gets completely dark at night (no darker than nautical twilight ), to around 6 hours in midwinter. The warmest month on record

3815-555: Is −29.6 °C (−21.3 °F), on 21 January 1841, while the coldest recorded at Blindern is −26 °C (−14.8 °F) in January 1941. The coldest temperature more recently was on 6 January 2024, where the temperature reached -23.1 °C (-17 °F) at Oslo-Blindern, which is the coldest measured temperature since January 1987. The coldest month on record is January 1941 and also January 1947 with mean −12.9 °C (8.8 °F) and average daily low −16.7 °C (1.9 °F). The average date for

3924-618: The 2011 Norway attacks , Oslo was hit by a bomb blast that ripped through the Government Quarter , damaging several buildings including the building that houses the Office of the Prime Minister . Eight people died in the bomb attack. On 25 June 2022, two people were killed and 21 others injured in a mass shooting . An Iranian-born Norwegian citizen was subsequently charged with "aggravated terrorism". The city has continued to expand. For

4033-601: The Catholic League , as promises of military support from the Netherlands and England did not materialise. In the summer of 1627 both Tilly and Albrecht von Wallenstein occupied the duchies and the whole peninsula of Jutland . Christian now formed an alliance with Sweden on 1 January 1628, as he and Gustavus Adolphus shared the reluctance of German expansion in the Baltic region. Gustavus Adolphus pledged to assist Denmark with

4142-511: The National Bank of Denmark designed by Johan Daniel Herholdt was built in the street between 1865 and 1870. The large statue of Niels Juel was installed in 1881 to commemorate his achievements in the Battle of Køge Bay in 1677. It was designed by the sculptor Theobald Stein and cast in bronze. In 2002 the city council decided to move the statue to a new site on the waterfront to make way for

4251-564: The Nayak of Tanjore (now Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu) turned out to be interested in trading opportunities and a treaty was negotiated granting the Danes the village of Tranquebar (or Tarangamabadi) on India's south coast and the right to construct a "stone house" ( Fort Dansborg ) and levy taxes. The treaty was signed on 20 November 1620, establishing Denmark's first colony in India . Christian also assigned

4360-515: The Schleswig-Holstein duchies, Christian for a time stayed his hand. The urgent solicitations of other powers, and his fear that Gustavus Adolphus should supplant him as the champion of the Protestant cause, finally led him to enter the war on 9 May 1625. He also feared that Sweden could use a war to further expand their holdings in the Baltic Sea. Christian embarked on a military campaign which

4469-414: The Treaty of Brömsebro on 8 February 1645. Here Denmark had to cede Gotland , Ösel and (for thirty years) Halland , while Norway lost the two provinces Jämtland and Härjedalen , giving Sweden the supremacy of the Baltic Sea. Christian IV spent more time in the kingdom of Norway than any other Oldenburg monarch and no Oldenburg king made such a lasting impression on the Norwegian people. He visited

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4578-456: The 1630s. Christian gained both in popularity and influence at home, and he hoped to increase his external power still further with the assistance of his sons-in-law, Corfitz Ulfeldt and Hannibal Sehested , who now came prominently forward. Between 1629 and 1643 the European situation presented infinite possibilities to politicians with a taste for adventure. However, Christian was incapable of

4687-532: The 18th century, after the Great Northern War , the city's economy boomed with shipbuilding and trade. The strong economy transformed Christiania into a trading port. The Royal Frederick University (now the University of Oslo ) was founded in 1811; the fact that it was founded this late reportedly had an adverse effect on the development of the nation. In 1814 the former provincial town of Christiania became

4796-872: The 19th century, including the Royal Palace (1825-1848), the Stock Exchange (1826-1828), the Bank of Norway (1828), the Storting (1861-1866), the National Theatre (1899), and several University buildings. Among the world-famous artists who lived here during this period were Henrik Ibsen and Knut Hamsun (the latter was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature). Large areas of the surrounding Aker municipality were incorporated in 1839, 1859, and 1878. The 1859 expansion included Grünerløkka , Grønland , and Oslo . At that time

4905-559: The Copenhagen fortress Kastellet , Rosenborg Castle , workers' district Nyboder , the Copenhagen naval Holmen Church (Holmens Kirke), Proviantgården , a brewery, the Tøjhus Museum arsenal , and two Trinity Churches in Copenhagen and modern Kristianstad, now known as respectively Trinitatis Church and Holy Trinity Church . Christian converted Frederiksborg Castle to a Renaissance palace and completely rebuilt Kronborg Castle to

5014-432: The Danish overlordship of Holstein by the compact of Steinburg in July 1621. Christian IV had obtained for his kingdom a level of stability and wealth that was virtually unmatched elsewhere in Europe. Denmark was funded by tolls on the Øresund and also by extensive war-reparations from Sweden. Denmark's intervention in the Thirty Years' War was aided by France and by Charles I of England, who agreed to help subsidise

5123-501: The Dutch auxiliary fleet which came to Torstensson's assistance at the action of 16 May 1644 . Another attempt to transport Torstensson and his army to the Danish islands by a large Swedish fleet was frustrated by Christian IV in person on 1 July 1644. On that day the two fleets encountered at the Battle of Colberger Heide . As Christian stood on the quarterdeck of the Trinity , a cannon close by

5232-529: The French fashion. His nature is warlike". Despite Christian's many efforts, the new economic projects did not return a profit. He looked abroad for new income. Christian IV's Expeditions to Greenland involved a series of voyages in the years 1605–1607 to Greenland and to Arctic waterways in order to locate the lost Eastern Norse Settlement and to assert Danish sovereignty over Greenland. The expeditions were unsuccessful, partly due to leaders lacking experience with

5341-464: The King died. Christian was reckoned a typical renaissance king, and excelled in hiring musicians and artists from all over Europe. Many English musicians were employed by him at several times, among them William Brade , John Bull and John Dowland . Dowland accompanied the king on his tours, and as he was employed in 1603, rumour has it he was in Norway as well. Christian was an agile dancer, and his court

5450-482: The Swedish influence in the Baltics. His Scandinavian policy was so irritating and vexatious that Swedish statesmen advocated for a war with Denmark, to keep Christian from interfering in the peace negotiations with the Holy Roman Emperor, and in May 1643, Christian faced another war against Sweden. The increased Sound Dues had alienated the Dutch, who turned to support Sweden. Sweden was able, thanks to their conquests in

5559-449: The Swedish ships in the Bay of Kiel . But the Swedish fleet escaped, and the annihilation of the Danish fleet by the combined navies of Sweden and the Netherlands, after an obstinate fight between Fehmarn and Lolland at the end of September, exhausted the military resources of Denmark and compelled Christian to accept the mediation of France and the Netherlands; and peace was finally signed with

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5668-535: The Thirty Years' War any further, removing any Danish obstacles when Gustavus Adolphus entered the war in 1630. Christian's foreign policy did not suffer from lack of confidence following the Danish defeat in The Thirty Years' War. To compensate for lacking export revenues, and also in order to stifle the Swedish advances in the Thirty Years' War, Christian enacted a number of increases in the Sound Dues throughout

5777-663: The Thirty Years' War, to attack Denmark from the south as well as the east; the Dutch alliance promised to secure them at sea. In May 1643 the Swedish Privy Council decided upon war; on 12 December the Swedish Field Marshal Lennart Torstensson , advancing from Bohemia , crossed the southern frontier of Denmark; and by the end of January 1644 the whole peninsula of Jutland was in Swedish hands. This unexpected attack, conducted from first to last with consummate ability and lightning-like rapidity, had

5886-634: The Torstenson War, Rigsrådet took on an increasing role, under the leadership of Corfitz Ulfeldt and Hannibal Sehested . The last years of Christian's life were embittered by sordid differences with his sons-in-law, especially with Corfitz Ulfeldt. His personal obsession with witchcraft led to the public execution of some of his subjects during the Burning Times . He was responsible for several witch burnings, including 21 people in Iceland, and most notably

5995-547: The age of 19, Christian signed his haandfæstning (lit. "Handbinding" viz. curtailment of the monarch's power, a Danish parallel to Magna Carta ), which was an identical copy of his father's from 1559. Twelve days later, on 29 August 1596, Christian IV was crowned at the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen by the Bishop of Zealand , Peder Jensen Vinstrup (1549–1614). He was crowned with

6104-417: The area called Oslo (now Gamlebyen or Old Town) was a village or suburb outside the city borders east of Aker river. The population increased from approximately 10.000 in 1814 to 230.000 in 1900. In 1850, Christiania overtook Bergen and became the most populous city in the country. Christiania expanded its industry from 1840, most importantly around Akerselva . There was a spectacular building boom during

6213-428: The capital of the independent Kingdom of Norway, when the union with Denmark was dissolved and replaced by a personal union with Sweden . Several state institutions were established and the city's role as a capital initiated a period of rapidly increasing population. The government of this new state needed buildings for its expanding administration and institutions. Several important buildings and landmarks were erected in

6322-491: The city's buildings were built entirely of wood. After the fire in 1624 which lasted for three days, Christian IV decided that the old city should not be rebuilt again. He decided that the new town be rebuilt in the area below Akershus Fortress , a castle which later was converted into a palace and royal residence. His men built a network of roads in Akershagen and demanded that all citizens should move their shops and workplaces to

6431-509: The city's economic development, especially before the Black Death. At the end of the 12th century, Hanseatic League traders from Rostock moved into the city and gained major influence in the city. On 25 July 1197, Sverre of Norway and his soldiers attacked Oslo from Hovedøya . During the Middle Ages , Oslo reached new heights during the reign of Haakon V of Norway (1299–1319). He

6540-485: The city's foreign trade in the 15th century. In 1380, Norway was the weaker part in a personal union with Denmark, and Oslo's role was reduced to that of provincial administrative centre, with the monarchs residing in Copenhagen . Over the years, fires destroyed significant parts of the city multiple times, as many of the city's buildings were built entirely of wood. After the fourteenth calamity, in 1624, which lasted for three days, Christian IV of Denmark decided that

6649-428: The city's population is small compared to most European capitals, it occupies an unusually large land area, of which two-thirds are protected areas of forests, hills and lakes. Its boundaries encompass many parks and open areas , giving it an airy and green appearance. Oslo has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification : Dfb ) or, if the original Köppen winter threshold −3 °C (27 °F)

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6758-524: The conviction and execution of Maren Spliid , who was victim of a witch hunt at Ribe and was burned at the Gallows Hill near Ribe on 9 November 1641. On 21 February 1648, at his earnest request, he was carried in a litter from Frederiksborg to his beloved Copenhagen , where he died a week later. He was buried in Roskilde Cathedral . The chapel of Christian IV had been completed 6 years before

6867-597: The country a number of times and founded four cities. He also established and took control over one silver mine ( Kongsberg ), one copper mine ( Røros in Trøndelag ), and tried to make an iron plant with limited success in Eiker. In 1647 he gave the crown privileges of the Røros Copper Works to his banker and his privy councillor ( Geheimrat ) Joachim Irgens von Westervick , including rights to forests and water resources within

6976-406: The courts. Christian IV is renowned for his many city (town) foundations, and is most likely the Nordic head of state that can be accredited for the highest number of new cities in his realm . These towns/cities are: A short-lived town was: Furthermore, Christian is known for erecting many important buildings in his realm, including the observatory Rundetårn , the stock exchange Børsen ,

7085-589: The daughter of Kirsten's lover, Otto Ludwig: With Kirsten Madsdatter : With Karen Andersdatter : With Vibeke Kruse : In the 1621 Treaty of The Hague and Treaty of Bremen between Denmark-Norway and the Dutch Republic, Christian was styled "Lord Christian the Fourth, King of all Denmark and Norway , the Goths and the Wends , duke of Schleswig , Holstein , Stormarn , and Ditmarsh , count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst , etc." Oslo Oslo ( Norwegian: [ˈʊ̂ʂlʊ] or [ˈʊ̂slʊ, ˈʊ̀ʂlʊ] ; Southern Sami : Oslove )

7194-431: The difficult Arctic ice and weather conditions. The pilot on all three trips was English explorer James Hall . An expedition to North America was commissioned in 1619. The expedition was captained by Dano-Norwegian navigator and explorer, Jens Munk . The ships, searching for the Northwest Passage , arrived in Hudson Bay landing at the mouth of Churchill River , settling at what is now Churchill, Manitoba . However, it

7303-449: The direction of Dutch engineers. The Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy , which in 1596 had consisted of but twenty-two vessels, in 1610 rose to sixty, some of them built after Christian's own designs. The formation of a national army proved more difficult. Christian had to depend mainly upon hired mercenary troops as was common practice in the times—well before the establishment of standing armies—augmented by native peasant levies recruited for

7412-433: The effect was somewhat spoiled because the show was held in daylight. After an exchange of gifts Christian sailed home, escorted by Robert Mansell with the Vanguard and the Moon . Christian IV visited England again in August 1614, coming incognito to surprise his sister at Denmark House , accompanied only by Andrew Sinclair and a page. Christian IV was recognised by the queen's dancing master Thomas Cardell and

7521-413: The eldest son Christian was not automatically heir to the throne. But Norway was a hereditary monarchy , and electing someone else would result in the end of the union of the crowns . However, in 1580, at the age of 3, his father had him elected Prince and successor to the throne of Denmark. At the death of his father on 4 April 1588, Christian was just 10 years old. He succeeded to the throne, but as he

7630-404: The entire kingdom from this area in the summer of 1603. In 1623, Christian again visited Norway for an entire summer, this time to oversee the foundation of Kongsberg . He was also present in the area in 1624, when Oslo burned in August of that year. The king was able to reach the area in a few weeks, being in Eiker. Over the years, fire had destroyed major parts of the city many times, as many of

7739-463: The fastest growing major city in Europe at the time. This growth stems for the most part from international immigration and related high birth rates, but also from intra-national migration. By 2010 the immigrant population in the city was growing somewhat faster than the Norwegian population, and in the city proper this had become more than 25% of the total population if the children of immigrant parents were included. The municipality of Oslo has

7848-399: The forest. There are two major forests bordering the city: Østmarka (literally "Eastern Forest", on the eastern perimeter of the city), and the very large Nordmarka (literally "Northern Forest", stretching from the northern perimeter of the city deep into the hinterland). The lake's altitude above sea level is 183 metres. The water is in a popular hiking area. Near the water itself, it

7957-539: The heyday of his youth his high spirits and passion for adventure enabled him to surmount every obstacle with elan. But in the decline of life he reaped the bitter fruits of his lack of self-control, and sank into the grave a weary and brokenhearted old man. The Christian IV Glacier in Greenland is named after him. His first queen was Anne Catherine . They were married from 1597 to 1612. She died after bearing Christian seven children. In 1615, three years after her death,

8066-493: The invasion, most notably the sinking of the Blücher , delayed the occupation of Oslo for several hours which allowed King Haakon to escape the city. Oslo remained occupied throughout the war until Germany capitulated in 1945. During this time, the occupying troops were harried by saboteurs in acts of resistance. On 31 December 1944, allied bombers missed their intended target and hit a tram, resulting in 79 civilian deaths. During

8175-546: The king privately married Kirsten Munk , by whom he had twelve children. In 1632, an English envoy to king Christian IV, then aged 55, primly remarked "Such is the life of that king: to drink all day and to lie with a whore every night". In the course of 1628, he discovered that his wife, Kirsten Munk, was having a relationship with one of his German officers. Christian had Munk placed under house arrest. She endeavoured to cover up her own disgrace by conniving at an intrigue between Vibeke Kruse , one of her discharged maids, and

8284-457: The king. In January 1630, the rupture became final and Kirsten retired to her estates in Jutland . Meanwhile, Christian openly acknowledged Vibeke as his mistress, and they had several children. With his first wife, Anne Catherine of Brandenburg he fathered the following children: With his second wife, Kirsten Munk , he had 12 children, though the youngest, Dorothea Elisabeth, was rumoured to be

8393-412: The last decades of the 19th century, with many new apartment buildings and renewal of the city center, but the boom collapsed in 1899. In 1877 the city was renamed Kristiania . The city and municipality used the name Kristiania until 1 January 1925 when the original name of Oslo was restored . This was because Norway became fully independent in 1905, and Norwegians argued that a name memorializing

8502-434: The last overnight freeze (low below 0 °C, 32.0 °F) in spring is 23 April and average date for first freeze in autumn is 17 October giving a frost-free season of 176 days (1981–2010 average for Blindern). Oslo sits right on the border between hardiness zones 7a and 7b. Oslo Gardermoen airport is located 35 km northeast of Oslo and has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfb ) bordering on

8611-410: The modern, vastly enlarged Oslo municipality. At the time, Aker was a mostly affluent, green suburban community, and the merger was unpopular in Aker. Other suburbs, such as Lambertseter , began to be developed in the 1950s. Aker Brygge was constructed on the site of the former shipyard , Akers Mekaniske Verksted , from 1982 to 1998. Norway was invaded by Germany on 9 April 1940. Efforts to stop

8720-400: The most part from the peasantry on the crown domains. Up until the early 1620s, Denmark-Norway's economy profited from general boom conditions in Europe. This inspired Christian to initiate a policy of expanding Denmark-Norway's overseas trade as part of the mercantilist wave fashionable in Europe. He founded a number of merchant cities, and supported the building of factories. He also built

8829-410: The municipal authorities in 1897, although 'Christiania' was also used. In 1925, the city, after incorporating the village retaining its former name, was renamed 'Oslo'. In 1948, Oslo merged with Aker , a municipality which surrounded the capital and which was 27 times larger, thus creating the modern, much larger Oslo municipality. Oslo is the economic and governmental centre of Norway. The city

8938-536: The name of a large farm at Bjørvika , while the meaning of that name is disputed. Modern linguists generally interpret the original Óslo , Áslo or Ánslo as either "meadow at the foot of a hill" or "meadow consecrated to the Gods ", with both considered equally likely. Erroneously, it was once assumed that Oslo meant "the mouth of the Lo river", a supposed previous name for the river Alna . Not only has no evidence been found of

9047-404: The naval fleet relocated to Nyholm , a newly reclaimed area north of Christianshavn on the other side of the harbour. Holmens Kanal deteriorated into an open sewer fed by the city's extensive system of gutters and a notorious nesting ground for rats which were a menace to the adjacent Royal Theatre and other prominent buildings in the area. The severe cholera outbreak which hit Copenhagen in

9156-538: The newly built city of Christiania. During the fourteenth century the Swedish kings tried to push the areas of their control towards the north, and contemporary maps depicted the now Norwegian coastal areas of Troms and Finnmark as a part of Sweden. The possibly boldest move of any Danish-Norwegian regent was to make a voyage to the Northern Lands to secure these lands under the Danish-Norwegian crown. After

9265-429: The north and east, wide forested hills ( Marka ) rise above the city giving the location the shape of a giant amphitheatre . The urban municipality ( bykommune ) of Oslo and county ( fylke ) of Oslo are two parts of the same entity, making Oslo the only city in Norway where two administrative levels are integrated. Of Oslo's total area, 130 km (50 sq mi) is built-up and 9.6 km (3.7 sq mi)

9374-567: The northernmost end of the Oslofjord . The fjord , which is nearly bisected by the Nesodden peninsula opposite Oslo, lies to the south; in all other directions Oslo is surrounded by green hills and mountains. There are 40 islands within the city limits, the largest being Malmøya (0.56 km or 0.22 sq mi), and scores more around the Oslofjord. Oslo has 343 lakes, the largest being Maridalsvannet (3.91 km or 1.51 sq mi). This

9483-451: The old city should not be rebuilt again. His men built a network of roads on the other side of the bay in Akershagen near Akershus Castle . He demanded that all citizens move their shops and workplaces to the newly built city of "Christiania", named in his honor. The part of the city built starting in 1624 is now often called Kvadraturen  [ Wikidata ] because of its orthogonal layout in regular, square blocks. Anatomigården

9592-524: The ongoing British campaigns against France and Spain. Thus Christian, as war-leader of the Lower Saxon Circle, entered the war with an army of only 20,000 mercenaries, some of his allies from Britain and a national army 15,000 strong, leading them as Duke of Holstein rather than as King of Denmark. Despite the growing power of Roman Catholics in North Germany, and the threat to the Danish holdings in

9701-572: The privilege establishing the Danish East India Company . In 1611, he first put his newly organised army to use. Despite the reluctance of Rigsrådet , Christian initiated a war with Sweden for the supremacy of the Baltic Sea . It was later known as the Kalmar War because its chief operation was the Danish capture of Kalmar , the southernmost fortress of Sweden. Christian compelled King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden to give way on all essential points at

9810-409: The reign of King Christian IV , a new city was built closer to Akershus Fortress and named Christiania in honour of the king. It became a municipality ( formannskapsdistrikt ) on 1 January 1838. The city functioned as the capital of Norway during the 1814–1905 union between Sweden and Norway . From 1877, the city's name was spelled Kristiania in government usage, a spelling that was adopted by

9919-548: The resulting Treaty of Knäred of 20 January 1613. However, despite Denmark's greater strength, the gains of the war were not decisive. He now turned his attention to the Thirty Years' War in Germany. Here, his objectives were twofold: first, to obtain control of the great German rivers—the Elbe and the Weser —as a means of securing his dominion of the northern seas; and secondly, to acquire

10028-414: The river became the symbol of the stable and consistent economic and social divide of the city into an East End and a West End ; the labourers' neighbourhoods lie on both sides of the river, and the divide in reality follows Uelands street a bit further west. River Alna flows through Groruddalen, Oslo's major suburb and industrial area. The highest point is Kirkeberget, at 629 m (2,064 ft). Although

10137-577: The secularised German Archdiocese of Bremen and Prince-Bishopric of Verden as appanages for his younger sons. He skillfully took advantage of the alarm of the German Protestants after the Battle of White Mountain in 1620, to secure co-adjutorship of the See of Bremen for his son Frederick (September 1621). A similar arrangement was reached in November at Verden . Hamburg was also induced to acknowledge

10246-469: The street from circa 1650. It was part of a small new neighborhood in which most of the streets—;with names such as Laksegade , Ulkegade, Hummergade and Delfingade—;were named after fish species and other sea creatures. Several public buildings was situated along the canal, including the General Commissioner's Office ( Generalkommissionariatet ). The canal lost its practical use after

10355-566: The summer of 1853 made it clear that the canal posed a hazard to the health of the population. When the Navy decommissioned their last operations in the area in 1859, it was decided to fill the canal in connection with the redevelopment of the Gammelholm neighbourhood, converting it into a street. The new street was inaugurated in 1864. It was the first street in Copenhagen to be installed with pavements and individually numbered houses. A new building for

10464-412: The total population of this agglomeration was 1,546,706 in 2023. The city centre is situated at the end of the Oslofjord , from which point the city sprawls out in three distinct "corridors"—inland north-eastwards, and southwards along both sides of the fjord—which gives the urbanized area a shape reminiscent of an upside-down reclining "Y" (on maps, satellite pictures, or from high above the city). To

10573-547: The war partly because Christian was the uncle of both the Stuart king and his sister Elizabeth of Bohemia through their mother, Anne of Denmark . Some 13,700 Scottish soldiers were to be sent as allies to help Christian IV under the command of General Robert Maxwell, 1st Earl of Nithsdale . Moreover, some 6000 English troops under Sir Charles Morgan also eventually arrived to bolster the defence of Denmark though it took longer for these to arrive than Christian hoped, not least due to

10682-477: The whole city, while the suburb was renamed "Gamlebyen" , literally "the Old town", to avoid confusion. The Old Town is an area within the administrative district Gamle Oslo . The previous names are reflected in street names like Oslo gate (Oslo street) and Oslo hospital. The origin of the name Oslo has been the subject of much debate. It is nigh-certainly derived from Old Norse and was—in all probability—originally

10791-529: The world for living expenses after Tokyo . In 2013, Oslo tied with the Australian city of Melbourne as the fourth most expensive city in the world, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)'s Worldwide Cost of Living study. Oslo was ranked as the 24th most liveable city in the world by Monocle magazine. Oslo's population was increasing at record rates during the early 2000s, making it

10900-535: Was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Holstein and Schleswig from 1588 until his death in 1648. His reign of 59 years and 330 days is the longest in Scandinavian history. A member of the House of Oldenburg , Christian began his personal rule of Denmark-Norway in 1596 at the age of 19. He is remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious, and proactive Danish-Norwegian kings, having initiated many reforms and projects. Christian IV obtained for his kingdoms

11009-503: Was a disastrous voyage, with cold, famine, and scurvy killing most of the crew. In 1618, Christian appointed Admiral Ove Gjedde to lead an expedition and establish a Danish colony in Ceylon . The expedition set sail in 1618, taking two years to reach Ceylon and losing more than half their crew on the way. Upon arriving in May 1620, the establishment of a colony in Ceylon failed , but instead

11118-451: Was also passionate, irritable and sensual. He had courage, a vivid sense of duty, an indefatigable love of work, and all the inquisitive zeal and inventive energy of a born reformer. His own pleasure, whether it took the form of love or ambition, was always his first consideration. His capacity for drink was proverbial: when he visited England in 1606, even the notoriously hard-drinking English Court were astonished by his alcohol consumption. In

11227-491: Was born at Frederiksborg Castle in Denmark on 12 April 1577 as the third child and eldest son of King Frederick II of Denmark–Norway and Sofie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin . He was descended, through his mother's side, from King John of Denmark , and was thus the first descendant of King John to assume the crown since the deposition of King Christian II . At the time, Denmark was still an elective monarchy , so in spite of being

11336-425: Was even the sunniest year on record with 2133 sunhours. On 27 July 2018 , the temperature in Oslo rose to 34.6 °C (94.3 °F), the hottest recorded since 1937, when weather recordings started at Blindern. In January, on average three out of four days are below freezing (0 °C [32 °F]) and one out of four days is colder than −10 °C (14 °F) (1961–1990). The coldest temperature recorded

11445-447: Was exploded by a Swedish cannonball, and splinters of wood and metal wounded the king in thirteen places, blinding one eye and flinging him to the deck. But he was instantly on his feet again, cried with a loud voice that it was well with him, and set every one an example of duty by remaining on deck until the fight was over. Darkness at last separated the contending fleets; and the battle was drawn. The Danish fleet subsequently blockaded

11554-480: Was later known in Denmark and Norway as "The Emperor War" ( Danish : Kejserkrigen , Norwegian : Keiserkrigen ). He had at his disposal from 19,000 to 25,000 people, and at first gained some successes but on 27 August 1626 he was routed by Johan Tzerclaes, Count of Tilly in the Battle of Lutter . Christian had not thoroughly planned the advance against the combined forces of the Holy Roman Emperor and

11663-488: Was reckoned the second most "musical" court in Europe, only ranking behind that of Elizabeth I of England . Christian maintained good contact with his sister Anne, who was married to King James. Christian asked Anne to request for him the services of Thomas Cutting, a lutenist employed by Arbella Stewart . His other sister, Elizabeth , was married to the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg , and artists and musicians travelled freely between

11772-463: Was still under-age a regency council was set up to serve as the trustees of the royal power while Christian was still growing up. It was led by chancellor Niels Kaas (1535–1594) and consisted of the Rigsraadet council members Peder Munk (1534–1623), Jørgen Ottesen Rosenkrantz (1523–1596) and Christoffer Valkendorff (1525–1601). His mother Queen Dowager Sophie , 30 years old, had wished to play

11881-574: Was the first king to reside permanently in the city, and it has been regarded as the capital city of Norway since his reign. He also started the construction of the Akershus Fortress and the Oslo Kongsgård . The Black Death came to Norway in 1349 and, like other cities in Europe, the city suffered greatly. The churches' earnings from their land dropped so much that the Hanseatic traders dominated

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