Oslo, Norway Oslo ( Norwegian pronunciation: [ùʃlu] or [ùslu] ) is a county and municipality , as well as the capital and largest city in Norway . Oslo was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt ). Founded around 1048 by King Harald III "Hardrada" of Norway , the city was largely destroyed by a fire in 1624. The Danish–Norwegian king Christian IV rebuilt the city as Christiania (briefly also spelt Kristiania ). In 1925 the city reclaimed its original Norwegian name, Oslo. The diocese of Oslo is one of the five original dioceses in Norway, which originated around the year 1070. Oslo is the cultural , scientific , economic and governmental centre of Norway. The city is also a hub of Norwegian trade, banking, industry and shipping. It is an important centre for maritime industries and maritime trade in Europe. The city is home to many companies within the maritime sector, some of them are amongst the world's largest shipping compa...
