The Many Names of Oslo: A Journey Through History

When we were first asked to create a relief map of the city of Oslo, among the historical maps we examined there was one that particularly fascinated us: a depiction of the Norwegian capital from 1901, when it was not called Oslo, but Kristiania. This detail prompted us to explore the surprising history behind the different names this city has had over the centuries.

From Oslo to Christiania

The city we now call Oslo has very ancient origins; it already existed as a settlement long before the year 1000. The original name, attested in the Middle Ages in various forms such as Ásló, Óslo, or Opslo, derives from Old Norse and probably meant “meadow near the hill” or “meadow sacred to the gods.”

Things changed after the fire of 1624, which destroyed much of the medieval city. It was subsequently rebuilt further west, near the Akershus Fortress, by order of the Danish and Norwegian king Christian IV, who renamed it Christiania in his honor.

From Christiania to Kristiania

During the 19th century, reflecting a national linguistic trend toward Norwegianizing names and words, the spelling of Christiania was changed to Kristiania. This followed an orthographic reform that replaced the Danish “Ch” spelling with the more characteristically Norwegian “K.” The new form was adopted in government use starting in 1877 and later by municipal authorities toward the end of the century.

Oslo in the 20th Century

With the arrival of the 20th century and the rise of nationalist sentiment after independence from Sweden in 1905, many Norwegians felt it was inappropriate for the capital to bear the name of a Danish king. Oslo, the historic medieval name, became increasingly popular among historians, intellectuals, and part of the population.

Thus, in 1924 the Norwegian parliament decided to restore the name Oslo for the entire city, effective January 1, 1925. From that moment on, Kristiania became just a chapter in history, while Oslo remained the official name of the capital.