Christiana ( Oslo ), Norway
Thursday April 9, 1903
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Awoke at 5 a.m. to see the sights near Christiana- had a good nights rest in our berth in the sleeping car- dressed and had an hour of beautiful approach to Christiana. Considerable snow in the fields and ice on standing water, as ice froze during the night- a beautiful sunrise- mountains rocky as we approach to Christiana with a fine outlook over the fjord (bay). Reached the Grand Hotel the “Grand Hotel” at .30 a.m.. Parted fro our Norwegian Singer, Rode at the station- this being Holy Thursday , it is a holiday and stores all closed and many young men and women going to the mountains to ski- (She – skate) Mrt Mr. Melville a Scotchman in the Hotel Bus, took breakfast, dinner and spent the day with him driving aboutcity, and on the mountains. HolmenKolbanen and FrognerSalter- at breakfast we met Anthony Fialu, a member of the Ziegler Polar Expedition. |
W.E. in carriage at Christiana Fjord
The snow on the mounts is about two feet deep- beautiful view of the Bay and snow-capped mountains stretching for 50 miles and more. Took numerous photos. Looked into a large plain church, the aisles being filled with worshipers and overflowing- Saw King's Palace and finest sections of Christiana.
W.E. with Mr. Sidney S. Melville. Photo Courtesy of the Good Doctor
Considerable snow on all the fields in different directions- principle products Fish & Lumber, with shipping interests and fair farming lands. The seasons are two months late compared with the U.S. Snow often as late the last of April and as early as the first Sept. Short summers with long days, with rapid growth of vegetation & fruits.
Trains run slowly, car fare not expensive, sleeping cars fairly good, at 75 c for a nigh, but no towels in the morn. At the side of the cars is a passageway through the car, and toilet room at the end of the car- 3 rd class comfortable, but no cushions. Today we have had lovely weather. Sunshine and no rain. After coming down from off the mountain, we had dinner with at “The Grand Hotel” and then left Christiana 5.30 p.m. for Stockholm in a sleeping car- Mr. Melville (Scotsman) coming to station- saw many pretty Norwegian women during the day, Houses beyond the city limits, nearly all frame.
Some log houses of the finer sort- In Christiana many brick houses painted yellow. Not dark until 8 p.m. Sun arose this morn 5.30 and sets around 7 p.m.
(Below) Hotel at Holmancolna- W.E. Reddig
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On the road from Holmancoln to Wexecoln, near Christiana , Norway . “English woman in foreground” |
W.E. On the platform, preparing to depart for Stockholm, Sweden
Notes:
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Baldwin-Zeigler Polar Expedition: Anthony Fialu was the official photographer of the 1901 expedition to find the North Pole. William Ziegler, President of the Royal Baking Powder Company, hoped to gain his fame by sponsoring the first team to get there. No expense was spared, but he selected Robert Peary's meteorologist, Evelyn Baldwin to lead the team. He was a failure in Command, and was replaced. This picture is of the members of the 1901- 02 Baldwin-Ziegler Expedition. Fiala took the picture, and was later appointed leader of Zeigler's next attempt at the Pole, the Fiala-Zeigler Expedition in 1903-05. That expedition failed as well. (Photo courtesy of Holly Giesen) |
Grand Hotel:
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The Grand Hotel was founded in 1874, and when it first opened, the block on Karl Johans Gate consisted of three buildings: the Bardoe, the Fuhr and the Heiberg buildings. The latter, a three-story building at the corner of Rosenkrantz gate, was equipped as a hotel. The hotel continued to expand, and became the center of the city's civic life. On December 15, 1886, Speilsalen (the Mirror Room) opened its doors. For the first time, people could dine to music played by the restaurant orchestra. Academics and foreign diplomats gathered here for lunch. The most elegant reception room in Norway opened in 1894 in the presence of playwright Henrik Ibsen. The Rococo Room extended over two floors and was elaborately decorated with murals by Krogh on the walls and ceiling. It provided an elegant setting for countless balls, artistic exhibitions and shows. W.E. would not have recognized this view of the hotel; the white granite and clock tower were added between 1911-1913. In his time, the hotel had over a hundred rooms and baths for nearly half of them. |
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This picture is from a stereo pair dated 1905, looking up the principal business street of Christiana. On the hill is the King's Palace, which during the period of union with Swden, was only used when the King came from Stockholm . In 1905, the union was dissolved, and the Danish Prince Carl agreed to take the Norwegian throne as King Haakon VII . The national Parliament House is just ahead at the left in the Ejdsvolds Square . Christiana at the time had a population of about 150,000 The great market and the Church of Our Saviour are farther back down the street on the right side; the main railway station is still farther away at the east end of the street, near the harbor. As W.E. noted, the export business included timber, fish, oats and ice. |
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This is a southern view of the docks and the head of the Christiana Fjord. At the time that W.E. visited, one of the primary Norwegian exports was people. Emigration was booming. in 1901 there were 12,488 emigrants to America ; in 1903 the registration reached 25,109. |