Christiania - Virkeligheten fra en annen tid

This is an audio experience for a specific area in Oslo, Vulkan.

The experience of the area with this audio, takes you back to the 19th century.

Some of the construction still stands and Vulkan holds a lot of historical memories. Let us walk you through the area with different sound effects and facts.

The year is 1856. On the other side of the river you see the location of Nedre foss Kornmølle (mill). Grain is milled there using the currents in the river. Production has been going on for close to six hundred years, and perhaps even longer.

It was exactly here that the mill business along the Akerselva began, which became important for the town. You can say that it is the start of industrialization, even if the business started long before the sawmills came into operation. You can get all the way up to the mill by boat, since Nedre foss is the lowest waterfall in Akerselva.

It is a stormy autumn day in 1881. You are standing inside a cool industrial hall, the center of the Vulkan mechanical workshop and iron foundry. Both here and up the river, Akerselva, is characterized by industry.

The company's specialty is fireproof safes and castings for households and the construction industry. Later they also make steam engines. Several hundred bridges and industrial steel constructions are and are produced here.

It is a cold spring day in 1855. You now look down on the buildings of Bagaas Brug. What you hear is the sound of a sawmill, a chair factory, a brickworks and a cement factory. The noise from the industrial premises dominate the area.

The brickswork is built here along the river due to good access to clay and water to drive the gears.

The bridge you are standing on now is the oldest bridge connection between the eastedge and westedge. Already during the dispute between the Birkebeinerene and the Baglerne at the beginning of the 13th century, a bridge existed here. Since then, the bridge connection has been destroyed twice in war.

The bridge connection is named after the Grüner family. They owned Kongens mølle (the mill) which you can hear up along the river and Nedre Foss which you see to your right.

Only now, in 1859, do you avoid paying fee here because the municipality becomes the owner of the bridge.

The year is 1873, and Vulkan Iron Foundry and Mechanical Workshop are located here. This is the first phase of the industrial revolution in Norway. The area around you is characterized by the breakthrough with a modernized industry and mechanical workshops.

It says AA on the facade- the initials of engineer Aksel Amundsen. He started Vulkan mechanical workshop and iron foundry earlier this year. Around 50 employees work here, producing fireproof safes and castings, steam engines and steam boilers.