Kulturkirken Jakob

Kulturkirken Jakob is a former parish church in Oslo that now serves purely cultural purposes. It stands at Hausmanns gate 14, surrounded by green space beside the Akerselva river, and it is one of Norway's most interesting examples of a sacred building given a new life.

What is Kulturkirken Jakob?

The neo-Gothic church was designed by architect Georg Andreas Bull and completed in 1880. It was originally called St James's Church (Jakobs kirke), named after the apostle James the Great. Bull spent around forty years as chief building inspector of Christiania, as Oslo was then known, so he had a real hand in shaping the look of the city in the second half of the nineteenth century.

For more than a century the building served as the church of Jakob parish. In 1985 it closed for restoration work. Shifts in Oslo's demographics were the background: the city centre simply had too many churches for the number of people living nearby.

How did the church become a cultural venue?

In February 2000 the building reopened as a "church of culture". The organisation Kirkelig Kulturverksted had agreed a long-term arrangement with the Church of Norway for using the space. According to available sources it is the only church in Norway with a purely cultural purpose. Regular services are not the focus here; instead the stage is open to artists.

What can you see and hear here?

The programme includes concerts, theatre, dance and other artistic events. Sources give slightly different capacities, from about 500 up to 600 seats, with roughly 550 often quoted for concerts. Check the current programme before you go, because access depends on whether an event is taking place.

Inside, look for the altarpiece from the year the church was built, painted by Eilif Peterssen and showing the adoration of the shepherds. A relief of the Archangel Michael hangs in the porch. The basement contains exhibition rooms used for displays.

Where is it and how to plan a visit?

The church is at Hausmanns gate 14, in a park-like setting by the Akerselva. It is a good chance to combine a cultural evening with a walk along the river that runs through the city. The coordinates are roughly 59.918 N, 10.754 E.

Frequently asked questions

Are religious services held at Kulturkirken Jakob? No. The building is used for cultural activities and is described as the only church of its kind in Norway.

Who designed the church? Georg Andreas Bull, and it was completed in 1880.

When did it close and reopen? It closed as a parish church in 1985 for restoration work. It reopened as a cultural centre in February 2000.

Can you see exhibitions? Yes, the basement has exhibition rooms. Check the events programme for details and dates.

How many people does the hall hold? Sources give roughly 500 to 600 seats, depending on layout and type of event.