St. Hallvard's Church and Monastery, Brutalist church and monastery in Enerhaugen, Norway
St. Hallvard's Church and Monastery is a concrete church building with attached monastery in Enerhaugen, arranging three functional sections around a circular central nave. The walls combine brick and concrete to create the building's distinctive form.
The original sanctuary of St. Hallvard served as the spiritual center of eastern Norway for 500 years before a fire in 1624 caused its decline. The present-day building was constructed in the 20th century to restore the community's religious continuity.
The building serves as the primary place of worship for Norway's largest Roman Catholic community, blending religious traditions with contemporary design. The space brings together believers from diverse backgrounds in daily practice.
The building is accessible by bus 37 from downtown Oslo toward Politihuset or by walking from the Tøyen and Grønland neighborhoods. Its location in a quiet residential area makes exploring the surroundings on foot easy and straightforward.
The interior features an inverted dome that hangs from the ceiling, creating an unconventional architectural effect. The roof gradually descends toward the center of the space, making the ceiling height progressively lower in an unusual way.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
