Oslo City Hall is the political centre of the municipality of Oslo and the place of work for 450 municipal employees and politicians.

The City Hall is also a building with a unique history, architecture and art collection. It is visited by over 300 000 national and international guests every year.

The City Hall is an important public venue for over 400 smaller and larger events every year.

Oslo City Hall is a public building and open to visitors. You are welcome to visit the building from Monday to Sunday between 09:00 and 16:00 (9am to 4pm). They offer pre-booked tours for larger groups.

History

The construction started in 1931, but was paused by the outbreak of World War II, before the official inauguration in 1950. Its characteristic architecture, artworks and the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, held on 10 December, makes it one of Oslo's most famous buildings. It was designed by Arnstein Arneberg and Magnus Poulsson. The roof of the eastern tower has a 49-bell carillon which plays every hour. It is situated in Pipervika in central downtown Oslo. The area was completely renovated and rebuilt to make room for the new city hall, back in the late 1920s. In June 2005 it was named Oslo's "Structure of the Century", with 30.4% of the vote.

The Nobel Peace Price

On December 10 (anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death) each year, Oslo City Hall hosts the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in which the annual laureate gives his or her lecture and is awarded the medal and diploma. A podium for the laureate and the Nobel Committee is erected in the far end of the hall for each ceremony. The Norwegian Royal Family and Prime Minister are attendants.

How to get there

The city hall is located in the middle of Oslo and is easily accessible by foot.