The Cemetery of Our Saviour ( no, Vår Frelsers gravlund) is a cemetery in

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

, located north of Hammersborg in Gamle Aker district. It is located adjacent to the older Old Aker Cemetery and was created in 1808 as a result of the great famine and

cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...

epidemic of the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

. Its grounds were extended in 1911. The cemetery has been full and thus closed for new graves since 1952, with interment only being allowed in existing family graves. The cemetery includes five sections, including ''Æreslunden'', Norway's main honorary burial ground, and the western, southern, eastern and northern sections. The Cemetery of Our Saviour became the preferred cemetery of bourgeois and other upper-class families. It has many grand tombstones and is the most famous cemetery in Norway.

Notable interments

Ari Behn Ari Mikael Behn (; , or ; 30 September 1972 – 25 December 2019) was a Norwegian author, playwright, and visual artist. Known as Mikael Bjørshol until 1996, Behn achieved early literary success with his 1999 short story collection ''Trist so ...

, writer *

Eivind Astrup Eivind Astrup (; 17 September 1871 – 27 December 1895) was a Norwegian explorer and writer. Astrup participated in Robert Peary's expedition to Greenland in 1891–92 and mapped northern Greenland. In the follow-up Greenland expedition by Pe ...

, Arctic explorer * Johan Diederich Behrens, singing teacher and choral conductor * Christian Birch-Reichenwald, politician *

Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson ( , ; 8 December 1832 – 26 April 1910) was a Norwegian writer who received the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature "as a tribute to his noble, magnificent and versatile poetry, which has always been distinguished ...

, writer *

Peder Bjørnson Peder Elias Bjørnson (1798–1871) was a Norwegian priest, best known for being the father of Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson. Bjørnson was born in at the Skei farm in Søgne. He was of peasant stock and he married Inger Elise Nordraak (1808–1897) fro ...

, priest and father of

Otto Albert Blehr Otto Albert Blehr (17 February 1847 – 13 July 1927) was a Norwegian attorney and newspaper editor. He served as a politician representing the Liberal Party. He was the 8th prime minister of Norway from 1902 to 1903 during the Union between Swede ...

, Prime Minister of Norway *

Carsten Borchgrevink Carsten Egeberg Borchgrevink (1 December 186421 April 1934) was an Anglo-Norwegian polar explorer and a pioneer of Antarctic travel. He inspired Sir Robert Falcon Scott, Sir Ernest Shackleton, Roald Amundsen, and others associated with the Hero ...

, Anglo-Norwegian polar explorer and leader of the

Southern Cross Expedition The ''Southern Cross'' Expedition, otherwise known as the British Antarctic Expedition, 1898–1900, was the first British venture of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, and the forerunner of the more celebrated journeys of Robert Falcon Sc ...

Jens Bratlie Jens Kristian Meinich Bratlie (17 January 1856 – 15 September 1939) was a Norwegian attorney and military officer. He served as an elected official representing the Conservative Party. He was the 13th prime minister of Norway from 1912 to 1913. ...

, politician *

Anne Brown Anne Brown (August 9, 1912March 13, 2009) was an American soprano for whom George Gershwin rewrote the part of "Bess" into a leading role in the original production of his opera '' Porgy and Bess'' in 1935. She was also a radio and concert sin ...

, soprano singer and actress *

Olaf Bull Olaf Jacob Martin Luther Breda Bull (10 November 1883 – 29 June 1933) was a Norwegian poet. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature six times. Biography Olaf Bull was born in Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway. His parents were autho ...

, poet *

Camilla Collett Jacobine Camilla Collett (née Wergeland; 23 January 1813 – 6 March 1895) was a Norwegian writer, often referred to as the first Norwegian feminist. She was also the younger sister of Norwegian poet Henrik Wergeland, and is recognized as bein ...

, writer *

Niels Christian Ditleff Niels Christian Ditleff (29 October 1881 – 18 June 1956) was a Norwegian diplomat, noted for his humanitarian efforts on behalf of captives of the Germans during World War 2. In spite of opposition from his own and allied governments, he initi ...

, diplomat *

Frederik Due Frederik Gottschalck Haxthausen Due (14 April 1796 – 16 October 1873) was a Norwegian military officer and statesman. Born in Trondheim, he entered the military at an early age, and took part in the Swedish-Norwegian War of 1814. After the two ...

, military officer and statesman *

Birger Eriksen Birger Kristian Eriksen (17 November 1875 – 16 July 1958) was a Norwegian officer (with the rank of Oberst) who was instrumental in stopping the first wave of ''Gruppe 5'' of the German invasion force outside Oslo. Eriksen was the comman ...

, army officer * Edward Evans,

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

officer and member of the

Terra Nova Expedition The ''Terra Nova'' Expedition, officially the British Antarctic Expedition, was an expedition to Antarctica which took place between 1910 and 1913. Led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott, the expedition had various scientific and geographical objec ...

Thomas Fearnley Thomas Fearnley (27 December 1802 – 16 January 1842) was a Norwegian romantic painter, a pupil of Johan Christian Dahl and a leading representative of Norwegian romantic nationalism in painting. His son Thomas Fearnley (1841–1927) founded t ...

, painter *

Carl Gustav Fleischer Carl Gustav Fleischer KCB (28 December 1883 – 19 December 1942Fleischer 1947, p. 216) was a Norwegian general and the first land commander to win a major victory against the Germans in the Second World War. Having followed the Norwegian gove ...

, general *

Hans Gude Hans Fredrik Gude (March 13, 1825August 17, 1903) was a Norwegian romanticist painter and is considered along with Johan Christian Dahl to be one of Norway's foremost landscape painters. He has been called a mainstay of Norwegian National Roma ...

, painter *

Francis Hagerup George Francis Hagerup (22 January 1853 – 8 February 1921) was a Norwegian law professor, diplomat, politician for the Conservative Party and women's rights advocate. He was the 7th prime minister of Norway from 1895 to 1898 and from 1903 ...

, professor, diplomat and politician * C. J. Hambro, journalist, author and politician *

Aasta Hansteen Aasta Hansteen, also known as Hasta Hanseen (born December 10, 1824 – April 13, 1908), was a Norwegian painter, writer, and early feminist. Life and career Aasta Hansteen was born in Christiania, modern day Oslo, the daughter of Christopher ...

, painter and early feminist *

Viggo Hansteen Harald Viggo Hansteen (13 September 1900 – 10 September 1941) was a Norwegian lawyer. He was executed during the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany. Biography Harald Viggo Hansteen was born in Oslo, Norway. As a student he was a part o ...

, lawyer *

Knut Haukelid Knut Haukelid ( May 17, 1911 - March 8, 1994) was a Norwegian military officer. He was a Norwegian resistance movement soldier during World War II, most notable for participating in the Norwegian heavy water sabotage. Early life Knut Anders Ha ...

, World War II commando *

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential playw ...

, playwright *

Lillebil Ibsen Lillebil Ibsen (née Sofie Parelius Monrad Krohn) (6 August 1899 – 12 August 1989) was a Norwegian dancer and actress. Personal life Lillebil was born in Kristiania, as the daughter of engineer Georg Monrad Krohn and actress Gyda Martha Kristi ...

, dancer and actress *

Tancred Ibsen Tancred Ibsen (11 July 1893 – 4 December 1978) was a Norwegian military officer, aviator, film director and screenwriter. Background Ibsen was the son of Sigurd Ibsen and Bergljot Bjørnson. He was the grandson of both Henrik Ibsen and No ...

, director, screenwriter, World War I pilot *

Gina Krog Jørgine Anna Sverdrup "Gina" Krog (20 June 1847 – 14 April 1916) was a Norwegian suffragist, teacher, liberal politician, writer and editor, and a major figure in liberal feminism in Scandinavia. She played a central role in the Norwegian l ...

, suffragist and activist *

Christian Krohg Christian Krohg (13 August 1852 – 16 October 1925) was a Norwegian naturalist painter, illustrator, author and journalist. Krohg was inspired by the realism art movement and often chose motifs from everyday life. He was the director and s ...

, artist and author *

Sophus Lie Marius Sophus Lie ( ; ; 17 December 1842 – 18 February 1899) was a Norwegian mathematician. He largely created the theory of continuous symmetry and applied it to the study of geometry and differential equations. Life and career Marius Sophu ...

, mathematician * Jorgen Gunnarsson Lovland, Prime Minister of Norway *

Agnes Mowinckel Agnes Mowinckel (25 August 1875 – 1 April 1963) was a Norwegian actress and theatre director. Born in Bergen into a distinguished family, she became Norway's first professional stage director. A pioneer in bringing painters to the theatre, she ...

, actress and theatre director *

Edvard Munch Edvard Munch ( , ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter. His best known work, ''The Scream'' (1893), has become one of Western art's most iconic images. His childhood was overshadowed by illness, bereavement and the dr ...

, painter *

Rikard Nordraak Rikard Nordraak (12 June 1842 – 20 March 1866) was a Norwegian composer. He is best known as the composer of the Norwegian national anthem, "Ja, vi elsker dette landet". Biography Rikard Nordraak was born and grew up in Oslo, Norway. His family ...

, composer * Harald Nørregaard, lawyer, art collector and Chairman of the Norwegian Bar Association *

Sigurd Odland Sigurd Vilhelm Odland (December 5, 1857 – April 30, 1937) was a Norwegian theologian and church leader. Odland was born in Bergen. After receiving his theology degree in 1879, he studied at various universities in Germany. He was the recipient o ...

, theologian * Ole Olsen, musician * Christopher Tostrup Paus, count, papal chamberlain and philanthropist *

Bernhard Pauss Bernhard Cathrinus Pauss (born 6 April 1839 at Tangen, Drammen, died 9 November 1907 in Christiania) was a Norwegian theologian, educator, author and humanitarian and missionary leader, who was a major figure in girls' education in Norway in his ...

, theologian and educator * Henriette Pauss, teacher, editor, humanitarian and missionary leader *

Alf Prøysen Alf Prøysen () (23 July 1914 – 23 November 1970) was a Norwegian author, poet, playwright, songwriter and musician. Prøysen was one of the most important Norwegian cultural personalities in the second half of the 20th century. He wor ...

, writer and musician *

Marcus Gjøe Rosenkrantz Marcus Gjøe Rosenkrantz (25 January 176211 May 1838) was a Norwegian Government Minister and Member of Parliament. Biography Marcus Gjøe Rosenkrantz was born at Vigvoll, Tveit near Kristiansand, Norway. His father, Otto Christian Rosenkrantz ...

, government minister *

Hedevig Rosing Hedevig Rosing (16 May 1827 – 30 November 1913) was a Danish-born Norwegian author, educator, school founder, and suffragist. She specialized in teaching the deaf-mute. She was the first woman to teach in Copenhagen's public schools. Biography D ...

, author, educator, school founder; first woman to teach in Copenhagen's public schools * Evald Rygh, banker and politician *

Kirsten Sand Kirsten Eleonore Helena Sand (27 November 1895 – 12 May 1996) was a Norwegian architect. In 1919, she became the first woman to graduate with full technical competence in architecture from the Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH). Until the S ...

, architect *

Christian Homann Schweigaard Christian Homann Schweigaard (14 October 1838 – 24 March 1899) was a Norwegian politician of the Conservative Party. He served as the 3rd prime minister for two months in 1884, a period after the impeachment of his predecessor Christian August ...

, lawyer and politician *

Christian August Selmer Christian August Selmer (16 November 1816 – 1 September 1889) was a Norwegian lawyer and a magistrate. He served as a member of the Norwegian Parliament, Minister of Defense and Minister of Justice. He was the 2nd prime minister of Norway ...

, politician * Michael Skjelderup, first Professor of Medicine at the

University of Christiania The University of Oslo ( no, Universitetet i Oslo; la, Universitas Osloensis) is a public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the highest ranked and oldest university in Norway. It is consistently ranked among the top universit ...

Emil Stang Emil Stang (14 June 1834 – 4 July 1912) was a Norwegian jurist and politician. He served as the 5th prime minister of Norway from 1889–1891 and again from 1893–1895. He also served as the first leader of the Conservative Party from 1884–18 ...

, jurist and politician *

Frederik Stang Frederik Stang (4 March 1808 – 8 June 1884) was a Norwegian lawyer, public servant, and politician who served as Norway's 1st prime minister in Christiana. Stang was born on the Nordre Rostad farm at Stokke in Vestfold, Norway. He was the so ...

, lawyer, public servant, and politician *

Johannes Steen Johannes Wilhelm Christian Steen (22 July 1827 - 1 April 1906) was a Norwegian statesman and educator who served as the 6th prime minister of Norway from 1891 to 1893 and from 1898 to 1902. Background He was born in Christiania (now Oslo, Nor ...

, politician *

Johan Sverdrup Johan Sverdrup (30 July 1816 – 17 February 1892) was a Norwegian politician from the Liberal Party. He was the first prime minister of Norway after the introduction of parliamentarism and served as the 4th prime minister of Norway. Sverdrup was ...

, liberal politician and first Prime Minister of Norway * Jan Peter Syse, Prime Minister of Norway *

Marcus Thrane Marcus Møller Thrane (14 October 1817 – 30 April 1890) was a Norwegian author, journalist, and the leader of the first labour movement in Norway. It was later known as the Thrane movement (''Thranebevegelsen''). Early life Thrane was bo ...

, author, journalist, and the leader of the first labour movement in Norway *

Oscar Torp Oscar Fredrik Torp (, 8 June 1893 – 1 May 1958) was a Norwegian politician for the Norwegian Labour Party. He was party leader from 1923 to 1945, and mayor of Oslo in 1935 and 1936. In 1935 he became the acting minister of Defence in the governm ...

, politician *

Grete Waitz Grete Waitz (, 1 October 195319 April 2011) was a Norwegian marathon runner and former world record holder. In 1979, at the New York City Marathon, she became the first woman in history to run the marathon in under two and a half hours. Waitz wo ...

, world champion marathon runner *

Henrik Wergeland Henrik Arnold Thaulow Wergeland (17 June 1808 – 12 July 1845) was a Norwegian writer, most celebrated for his poetry but also a prolific playwright, polemicist, historian, and linguist. He is often described as a leading pioneer in the develop ...

, writer *

Rolf Wickstrøm Rolf Wickstrøm (9 December 1912 in Oslo, Norway – 10 September 1941) was a Norwegian labour activist and a victim of the German occupation of Norway during World War II. Wickstrøm grew up in a working-class family. In 1935 he was hired as ...

, labour activist *

Gisken Wildenvey Gisken Wildenvey (23 March 1892 – 14 January 1985) was a Norwegian novelist and author of short stories. Jonette Pauline Andreassen was born at Austvågøy at Vågan in Lofoten, Norway. She was the daughter of farmer Anton Lauritz Andre ...

, writer

Gallery

File:Munch grave 1.JPG, The grave of

File:Ibsen grave 5.JPG, The grave of

File:VFG SouthernSection01.JPG, Southern section

References

External links

Vår Frelsers gravlund
* Cemeteries in Norway Buildings and structures in Oslo 1808 establishments in Norway Cemeteries in Oslo {{Europe-cemetery-stub