Brannvakten, Former fire station in Sentrum, Oslo, Norway

Brannvakten is a former fire station and protected building on Karl Johans gate in central Oslo, standing beside the cathedral and the old market halls known as Basarene. Its main body is unpainted red brick in a medieval-inspired round-arch style, with a single upper floor over the middle section and a four-story hose-drying tower capped in copper.

The station was built from 1854 to 1856 on part of the old church graveyard, where a funeral chapel had already been used to store fire equipment. After the great city fire of 1858 and the arrival of high-pressure water, a permanent corps of about 35 men moved in during the 1860s and stayed until the main station relocated to another square in the late 1930s.

For many years the fire watch kept a round-the-clock lookout from the cathedral tower, and the public was warned of a fire by bells and a cannon shot. A torch or a red flag in the tower window pointed toward the direction of the flames, a duty that is now only recalled by the old brick forms and the blue heritage plaque on the wall.

The building stands at the edge of Domkirkeparken, so you can combine a look at its brick arches and tower with a short rest in the small green space in front. The surrounding stone square is flat and easy to cross, and the cathedral next door makes a simple way to orient yourself when approaching from the main street.

The tall brick tower was not built for watching the city but for hanging wet fire hoses to dry after use. A small food cart named Vaffelbageriet often appears in front of the arcade, turning the old emergency station into a spot where people now stop for a waffle.