{{Short description|Historic building complex in Oslo, Norway}}{{Not to be confused with|Victoria Terrace, Beaumaris}} '''Victoria Terrasse''' is a historic building complex located in central Oslo, Norway. The complex now houses the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://lokalhistoriewiki.no/wiki/Victoria_terrasse|title= Victoria Terrasse|publisher= lokalhistoriewiki.no|access-date= November 1, 2017}}</ref>
==History== Victoria Terrasse was built between 1884 and 1890 as an apartment complex. It was designed by architect Henrik Thrap-Meyer, assisted by Paul Due and Bernhard Steckmest. An early design for the project by Wilhelm von Hanno dates back to 1876.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Utkast til Victoria Terrasse |url=https://art.mfa.no/en/collection/item/6563/ |access-date=2025-10-12 |website=art.mfa.no}}</ref> It consisted of three quarters and provided a fashionable residential complex. The complex's features included rich profiling and a wide variety of wrought iron detail. The building complex utilized electric power and had the largest apartments along the main facade. The facades are articulated with relatively deeply profiled horizontal bands that mark the two main floors. The exterior is made of polished tiled brick painted white, enhanced by decorative towers, domes and cupolas.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://kulturminnesok.no/minne/?queryString=https://data.kulturminne.no/askeladden/lokalitet/163380 |title= Victoria Terrasse|publisher= Kulturminnesøk|access-date= November 1, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.artemisia.no/arc/historisk/oslo/bygninger2/victoria.terrasse.html|title= Arkitektur og historie i Oslo:Victoria terrasse |publisher=arc!/arkitekturhistorie.no|author=Geir Tandberg Steigan |access-date= November 1, 2017}}</ref>
From 1891 to 1895, Henrik Ibsen lived on the first floor of the southern quarter. It was taken over by the Norwegian government in 1913 and put to use by the police and various political departments.<ref name="VT">{{cite encyclopedia |last=Nøkleby |first=Berit |author-link=Berit Nøkleby |editor=Dahl, Hans Fredrik |editor-link=Hans Fredrik Dahl |encyclopedia=Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-45 |title=Victoria Terrasse |url=http://mediabase1.uib.no/krigslex/v/v1.html#victoria-terrasse |year=1995 |publisher=Cappelen |location=Oslo |language=no |access-date=29 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120621045057/http://mediabase1.uib.no/krigslex/v/v1.html#victoria-terrasse |archive-date=21 June 2012 }}</ref>
Infamously, it was taken over by the Sicherheitspolizei and Sicherheitsdienst in April 1940, serving as headquarters during the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany. The offices held the interrogation centre for all prisoners in Oslo. Allied bombers tried to destroy Victoria Terrasse on 25 September 1942 and 31 December 1944 but missed the complex and instead hit civilian targets.<ref name="VT"/>
== Gallery == <gallery mode=packed> File:IMG 0911 Nationalteateret stasjon i Oslo.jpg|Victoria Terrasse, May 2018 File:Victoria terrasse, Oslo.jpg|May 2018 File:2025-09-27-Victoria-Terrasse-Ruselokka-Oslo.jpg|September 2025 File:Vikaterrassen, 2024.jpg|November 2024 </gallery>
==See also== *Oslo Mosquito Raid (1942) *Oslo Mosquito Raid (1944) {{commons category| Victoria Terrasse}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Coord|59|54|51|N|10|43|43|E|source:nowiki_region:NO_scale:2000|display=title}}
Category:Buildings and structures completed in the 19th century Category:Buildings and structures in Oslo Category:World War II sites in Norway Category:Official residences in Norway
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