Europe

[Visited: July 2005]

Named after Friedrich Grüner who bought a mill here from king Christian V of Denmark, Grünerløkka was a separate town until mid-19th century when it became part of Oslo. In the same century, it turned into a working class area. Workers would find a job in one of the factories on the river Akerselva which runs North-South and separates Grünerløkka from downtown Oslo. Not too long ago, the area was run-down, but it has had a face lift.
Walking from the city centre, I turned the corner of Torggata and walked up to the bridge over the Akerselva river. This is a pleasant green area to walk in itself, cycling and walking paths along the river. As I crossed the sculpture-decorated Ankerbrua bridge, I felt I was leaving Oslo proper and walking into another area. In fact, Grünerløkka is considered Greenwich Village of Oslo, a separate entity, a village within the Norwegian capital.
Everything is small scale, the shops, the bars, the many parks, it is all easy to absorb and enjoy for the visitor. This is the home of youngsters, home of large mansions, bustling with life. The area is small enough to easily walk around in little time, you can while away your time in one of the parks or bars. Going back to Oslo gives you a feeling of going to the city and leaving the sympathetic town of Grünerløkka behind.

Around the World in 80 Clicks

Personal travel impressions both in words and images from Grünerløkka (Norway). Clicking on the pictures enlarges them and enables you to send the picture as a free e-card or download it for personal use, for instance, on your weblog. Or click on the map above to visit more places close to Grünerløkka.
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