Oslo: History, Former Names & Timeline
A city at the head of its fjord, founded by Harald Hardrada; Norway's capital since 1814.
OsloExplore Oslo in the interactive map
Former names of Oslo
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1048 | Ánslo | |
| 1624 | Christiania | rebuilt by Christian IV after a fire |
| 1925 | Oslo | old name restored |
Timeline of Oslo
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1048 | Founded by Harald Hardrada (traditional date) |
| 1624 | Rebuilt on a new site after a fire and renamed Christiania |
| 1814 | Norway adopts a constitution; Christiania becomes the capital |
| 1905 | Norway leaves the union with Sweden and becomes fully independent |
Who ruled Oslo
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–401 BC | Unclaimed / no data |
| 400 BC–324 BC | Germanic tribes |
| 323 BC–201 BC | Unclaimed / no data |
| 200 BC–101 BC | Norsemen |
| 100 BC–699 | Unclaimed / no data |
| 700–799 | West Getaes |
| 800–899 | Danes |
| 900–999 | Kingdom of Norway |
| 1000–1099 | Denmark-Norway |
| 1100–1399 | Norway |
| 1400–1491 | Kalmar Union |
| 1492–1499 | Denmark-Norway |
| 1500–1599 | Kalmar Union |
| 1600–1814 | Denmark-Norway |
| 1815–1913 | Sweden–Norway |
| 1914–today | Norway |