The Coat of Arms
The coat of arms is 700 years old and depicts the city's patron saint, St. Hallvard sitting on a lion's head throne. In front of the throne lies the woman he tried to protect. In one hand he holds the three arrows which killed both him and the woman and in the other the millstone which was tied around his neck before his body was thrown into Drammen fjord.
The Latin inscription 'UNANIMITER ET CONSTANTER' reads- 'united and constant'.
OS means 'mouth of the river'.
LO is the name of the river.
The river Lo does not exist anymore (except if underground pipeline counts)!
OSLO FACTS
Population (1999)- 507,467
Total area- 454 km2.
Total expenditure (1999)-NOK.36,600 million.
Oslo is split into 25 districts (Bydeler) with elected officials.
Annual average rainfall 30 inches, and 1,691 hours of sunshine.
There are 40 islands and 343 lakes.
Oslo's highest point is Kirkeberget, 2,064 ft.
366,456 people work in Oslo.
Municipal employees total 55,899.
2.6% of the labour force are unemployed.
6.8% receive social assistance, and child welfare look after 2,595 children. (2.6% of all under 18 years).
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Transport
Trains, buses, trams, Metro.(underground), and boats.
In 1999 162 million passengers used public transport.
There are 2100 authorised taxis.
Every working day 363,000 vehicles enter the city.
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There are 57 churches, 5 hospitals, 44 museums, 4 theatres, 1 concert hall, 1 opera house, and 11 cinemas.
Sports facilities include 26 sports halls, 13 alpine areas, 29 ski jumps, fishing in 100 lakes, rivers, and streams, bathing in 70 lakes, 360 km. cross country skiing, (100km. floodlit), 150 km. forest roads and 200 km. marked forest paths.
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A short history of Oslo
Oslo was founded in the year 1000, but was almost certainly used as a harbour long before that date. The city was founded by King Harald (the ruthless) around 1050.
Oslo became the capital of Norway in the year 1294 and was destroyed by fire in
1624.
The ruler at the time of the fire was the Danish king Christian IV. He resolved to rebuild the city and renamed it Christiania. In 1924 the city reverted to the name Oslo. In 1814 the country entered into a union with Sweden. This union was dissolved in 1905.
Any other relevant info. will be gratefully appreciated.
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