19 May 2011 – …via a Historic Route!
Wed: lost count of the times of this walk but it still never fails to fascinate me. App 20mins walk is like walking thru’ many centuries on Ullevålsveien starting@St Hanshaugen Post Office towards the cemetery and downhill to the library. With a perfect morning walking weather, it took about twice as long with the new camera! Had to be at the library to print out some documents and courier them to Malaysia costing NOK573/S$128 taking 3 days and that is the speed post!!
Vår Frelsers gravlund is a cemetery created in 1808 as a result of the great famine and cholera epidemic. Its grounds were extended in 1911. The cemetery has been full since 1952. The cemetery is known primarily for Æreslunden/Norway’s main honorary burial ground. Many famous people are buried there, just naming two which are internationally known are Henrik Ibsen & Edvard Munch. It is serene to stroll here.
Schola Osloensis or Oslo katedralskole/Oslo Cathedral School founded 1153, the only high school in Norway that offers the study of Latin & Russian. More commonly as Katta is a prestigious secondary school. Edvard Munch and the King of Norway attended this school!
St Olav Domkirke/St Olav Cathedral. A Catholic church inaugurated in 1856 and boasts a tabernacle in Italian marble, donated by Pope Pius in 1857, a bishop’s throne used by Pope John Paul II on his visit in 1989.
Vor Frue Hospital/Our Lady’s Hospital: St Joseph Sisters built this hospital in 1896 and ran it until the 1980s when Oslo municipality took over the building. Today with 39 beds, this hospital treats mostly patients with schizophrenia, long-lasting psychoses, severe personality disorders and mental illness combined with substance abuse.
Trefoldighetskirken/Holy Trinity Church was consecrated in 1858 and is one of the capital’s most beautiful churches.
Deichmanske Bibloteh/Deichmanske Library serves the county of Oslo and is Norway’s largest public library based upon a testamentary gift from the estate of Chancellor Carl Deichman/1705-1780. Through this gift, the library was bequeathed a collection of handwriting and books, nearly all of which are preserved today. The building from 1933 is much too small for the current level of activity. Plans are now underway for a new public in the vicinity of the Oslo fjord and City Hall. This will be a 24-hour Library, web-based services in addition to traditional on-site services.
Thank you to Ingrid for a yummy dinner, nice to end Wed by catching up and appreciations for the ride to and from her house in the cold rain. What started to be a lovely morning ended in rain. Luckily no rain on 17 May 🙂
A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life – Henry W Beecher