Gamle Logen
Gamle logen, or the old Freemasons Lodge was built for the freemasons in 1836 in Christiania, present Oslo [1] It was built in empire-style after an initiative from Wedel Jarlsberg. It was a banquet and concert hall for the city of Oslo. Gamle Logen was inaugurated in 1839 and the main hall was officially opened in 1844 with the great Norwegian violinist Ole Bull.
The hall has been centre stage for many historical and cultural events in the city of Oslo and Christiana. Ole Bull is said to have discovered Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and Henrik Ibsen there, it was Edvard Griegs concert hall and Johann Svendsen wrote several of his most famous orchestral pieces for the artists carnival in Gamle Logen (notably Svendsvens FestPolonaise).
Gamle logen was left to the city of Oslo when the freemasons built their present hall in 1898, and the hall has served for meetings in the student society and for the town council of the city of Oslo. Archives and the chandeliers were lost during the German occupation of the second world war (1940–45). The hall was neglected for many years after world war II, but reopened fully restored in 1988 and is again a venue for concerts, banquets and balls.
Literature
- Andersen, D. (red): Et hus i Europa. Gamle Logen 150 år, Oslo, 1994