Christiania Torv, Square in Kvadraturen, Oslo, Norway

Christiania Torv is a paved square in Oslo's Kvadraturen district, sitting between Rådhusgata and Øvre Slottsgate. Low buildings with cafes and a larger glass-fronted structure frame the open area, while a bronze hand fountain stands at its center.

The square served as the first market and civic center of Christiania, beginning in the 1600s, with a church consecrated here in 1639 and a town hall built in 1641. The church burned down in 1686, and the market moved to Stortorget in 1736, after which the square lost much of its original role.

The bronze hand in the fountain is understood by many locals as a nod to the city's origins and its old name, Christiania. Around the edge, the former town hall still operates as a restaurant, so you can have a meal inside a building that has served the square for centuries.

The square is easy to reach on foot from the nearby fortress and the city center, and its flat paving makes walking around straightforward. Outdoor tables and benches offer places to pause, though the area can be busy with people passing through at lunchtime.

Long before the current fountain, this spot held wooden stocks and a post with an iron collar used for public punishments. The mark left by that harsh history is hard to imagine today, because the same ground is now filled with cafe tables and a quietly flowing water feature.