The Supreme Court Building

In 1895, the Storting granted funds for the construction of a Justice Building in Kristiania (now Oslo), which was to house all three court instances: the District Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. An architectural competition was announced, and by March 1898, 23 entries had been received. Prizes were awarded for the three best entries. 

After the deadline had expired, a late entry arrived by ship from Bergen. The competition had also caught the interest of the young architect Hans Jakob Sparre. His proposal was received so favourably that the three prize-winning entries were set aside.

Italian Neo-Renaissance

The building is a monumental example of Italian Neo-Renaissance architecture. Sparre's concept was based on a horizontal functional division corresponding to the three court levels. The courtrooms were placed on separate floors and designed with both dignity and grandeur.  

The site was long and narrow, presenting a number of architectural challenges for which Sparre found elegant solutions. 

The Supreme Court as sole occupant since 1996

In 1996, the Supreme Court took over the entire building. Renamed the Supreme Court Building, it is distinguished by a high degree of architectural coherence, extending to specially designed furniture and lighting fixtures. In connection with the takeover, extensive refurbishment works were carried out between 1994 and 1995. 

In 2014, the Supreme Court Building was litsed as a cultural monument. The listing encompasses the interior and parts of its exterior, as well as furniture and fixtures designed specifically for the building.