Kristparken

Kristparken is a small park in Hammersborg, right in central Oslo, laid out on the grounds of a former cemetery. Today it serves local residents as a playground and sports area, but beneath the lawns and the ball court lies several centuries of the city's history. It is also known as Hammersborg lekepark, although the older name is still familiar to some locals.

Where is Kristparken and what does it look like?

The park sits in the Hammersborg district of central Oslo, next to the street Grubbegata. It is not a grand garden with promenades. It is a practical neighbourhood space with children's play equipment and a ball court, used mostly by families who live nearby. Visitors looking for lesser-known corners of the Norwegian capital will find historical traces here rather than a classic attraction with signs and ticket booths.

What is the history of the site?

The land was once part of Krist kirkegård, a cemetery founded in 1654 beside Kristkirken church. It was established when plague struck Oslo again, and it served as a burial ground for its victims. The Peststøtten, or plague monument, dates from the same year and is regarded as the oldest grave monument in the city. The cemetery was extended during the cholera outbreak of 1835, and new burials stopped in 1924.

After the Second World War, the extension of Grubbegata split the cemetery in two. The lower part was cleared and turned into a park, after a forty-year protection period that ended in 1964. Protected gravestones were moved to the upper part of the cemetery, and the rest were removed. Sources differ on exactly when the lower section became a park, giving dates from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s.

What happened to the upper part of the old cemetery?

The upper section did not disappear. In autumn 1999 it was restored and reopened as a memorial park. It is a quiet, intimate place where old gravestones have been preserved, with the main entrance from Grubbegata. The memorial park has seasonal opening hours and is closed during the winter half of the year, so check current information from the City of Oslo before visiting.

Who is this place for?

• Families with children looking for a playground in the city centre.
• Local history enthusiasts interested in plague and cholera in Oslo.
• Travellers who enjoy discovering everyday, non-touristy corners of the capital.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kristparken the same as Hammersborg lekepark? Yes, it is the same park. Kristparken is the older name and is used less often, but some residents still know it.

Are there still graves in the park? In the lower section, now a play and sports park, gravestones were removed or relocated. Preserved monuments are in the upper section, restored as a memorial park in 1999.

Is there an entrance fee? No fees are documented. The lower part is an ordinary city park, while the upper part has seasonal opening hours.

Is it worth a special trip? More as an addition to a walk through the centre. Its main value is historical context: the park shows how burial grounds in Oslo gave way to everyday urban space.

Where does the plague monument come from? The Peststøtten dates from 1654, when the cemetery was founded after an outbreak of plague, and it is considered the oldest monument of its kind in Oslo.