OSLO. - Called Christiania for three centuries, until 1925 (after King Christian IV), O. is the capital of Norway, situated on the Aker river, at the northern end of the O. fjord, which has a length of about 100 km. and constitutes a maritime route of great traffic.
Owing to its geographical position, to the east of the Norwegian mountains and far from the Skagerrak, O. has a more continental climate than is generally found in the country. The present population of the capital, including the wide suburban zone of the neighbouring municipalities, is about half a million inhabitants, that is, about 18-20% of the total population of the State. The principal centre of Norwegian maritime traffic,
O. is favoured by having a port in which storms are extremely rare and the average range of the tides is minimal (average 20 cm.). The mean annual temperature is 5.8° with a mean annual precipitation of 645 mm; snow is abundant and frequent. Imports are far greater (about 3 times) than exports and the industries are varied. The city of O. forms a county: topographically, one distinguishes in it the original city of Christiania, which currently constitutes the business and banking quarter. Founded in 1050 by King Harald III the Severe, it saw the establishment in it, through the work of Duke Håkon, later Håkon V, king of Norway, of the fortress of Akershus, which later became the principal one of the Kingdom. A fire that broke out in 1624 destroyed the city, which subsequently took on an appearance typical of the cities of the Renaissance. Among the museums, the historical one and the ethnographic one are notable. - See plate XXVII.
Bibliography3 works
Gastone Imbrighi
APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF OSLO
It comprises the whole of southern Norway.
The vicariate has an area of 155,000 sq. km. with a population of 2,340,000, of whom Catholics number 3,800 with 41 catechumens; the others are Protestants. There are 2 native priests and 27 foreign priests; 1 brother, 183 sisters. Primary stations 33, secondary 1, churches 19, chapels 21. Elementary schools 8. The work of evangelization is very difficult. For the history, v. NORVEGIA, II. Storia civile ed ecclesiastica.
Saverio Paventi