Ceremonial opening of Oslo Hospital

After several years of planning and a three-year construction period, the first tenants moved into Oslo Hospital during the summer. On Thursday, 20 August 2026, the historic property was officially opened with speeches and a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Master of ceremonies Petter Schjerven welcomed the guests. He himself grew up in the neighbourhood and remembers Oslo Hospital as a closed-off area that most people merely passed by. The changes to the property and the open apple orchard will now help bring more life to the area.

– It is not often that we can welcome something new that is nevertheless as old as this, he said.

Oslo Hospital dates back to 1290, when Franciscan monks established a monastery on the site. After the Reformation, the monastery was converted into a hospital in 1538, and Oslo Hospital eventually became an important place in the development of psychiatry in Norway. The hospital operated until 2018.

After the hospital closed, Allstad became a co-owner together with the Oslo Hospital Foundation. Since then, the area has been transformed into modern commercial premises. The historic buildings have been completely renovated, while new buildings have also been added. The work has been carried out in close collaboration with the City Antiquarian and the Directorate for Cultural Heritage, with great respect for the area's cultural and historical values. 

Opening the area to the neighbourhood

– It is important to us to preserve and share this history, but also to move it forward. Through this project, we have been able to contribute a new chapter, and we hope it will benefit the neighbourhood, the people who will work here, and the surrounding city – for many years to come, says Cecilie Martinsen, CEO of Allstad.

Those who moved in during the summer include Kirkens hus and the entertainment company Plan B. Around 25 psychologists and psychiatrists have already been based in the administration building, making this the country's largest co-located community of private-practice psychologists and psychiatrists. Around 70 per cent of the premises are now leased.

The area has several outdoor spaces, including a large orchard that is open during the day. It is open not only to those who have their offices here, but to the entire neighbourhood. A café will also be opening facing Oslo gate.  

The mayor was present

Through speeches and conversations, the audience learned more about both the history of Oslo Hospital and the transformation of the area.

The event concluded with Oslo's mayor, Anne Lindboe, taking the stage. After a joint countdown with the audience, she declared Oslo Hospital officially open.