Gamlebyen – Then & Now: Geitabru

«In a new post created for this challenge, share a picture that reveals your NEIGHBORHOOD.»

Those of you who follow this blog already know that I’ve been working on a series of posts from my neighborhood called «Gamlebyen: Then & Now». This will be my fourth post and I’ll show some images of a bridge named Geitabru (Goats Bridge).  It’s also been known as Oslo Bru and in one of these old photos it’s referred to as Jernbanebroen (The Railway Bridge).

Tyske tropper på vei ut fra Oslo, Gamlebyen med Jernbanebroen i bakgrunnen,.april 1940.

Geitabru is a bridge in the ol part of Oslo The Old City = Gamlebyen). In 1989 Oslo Bridge was renamed Geitabru with reference to the medieval bridge which was in the area. Geitabru is mentioned in the old Norse sagas, as a key link of Alna. The current bridge was built 2007 – 2008.
Click the gallery to see the images:

Tyske tropper på vei ut fra Oslo, Gamlebyen med Jernbanebroen i bakgrunnen,.april 1940.

Oslo Gate over Geitabru. Oslo Street over Geitabru.

German troops leaving Oslo, Old town with Railway Bridge in the background. Apr. 1940.

1940. German troops leaving Oslo. Unknown photographer.

2013. Photo: cardinalguzman.wordpress.com

Christiania. Section from Oslo Bridge. Tram vehicle type SS joint line 6, Majorstuen-Oslo (Old Town). From Oslo Street towards Oslo Street Bridge (from 1989 Geitabru).

Kristiania. Parti fra Oslo Bro. Trikk motorvogn type SS felleslinje 6, Majorstuen-Oslo (Gamlebyen). Fra Oslo gate mot Oslo bru (fra 1989 Geitabru). Unknown photographer.

2013. Photo: cardinalguzman.wordpress.com

Approximately 1914. Photo: Küenholdt, J. M.

In the times of old Oslo, the bridge was linking the western and eastern part of Klemetsallmenningen (Klemet Common), also known as Oslo’s first city street. Today, the placement of the bridge is a bit North of the historic location.

The name is connected with keeping goats as livestock in medieval Oslo: The bridge was the route of the flock when it went to grass in Ekebergskrenten (Ekeberg Hill) during the summers.

The bridge is mentioned in various older sources, including the saga literature: In 1240 royal Skule resided in Oslo. Then King Håkon came from Bergen with his Birkebeiner Army to mark their territory and in this connection Skule and his accomplices tried to tear down Geitabru, without success. (Source: Wikipedia).

The historical photos in this post are from the websites of Oslo City Archives (Oslo Byarkiv) – published under a Creative Commons License by Oslo Museum (Oslo City Archives) –  and the original photos have been taken by Küenholdt, J. M. plus two unknown photographers.

Sources and links:

• http://oslobilder.no/BAR/A-70036/Ub/0010/564
• http://oslobilder.no/BAR/A-70036/Ua/0056/017
• http://oslobilder.no/ARB/0021791
• http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geitabru

if you’re interested, please have a look at my previous entries in this series of «Gamlebyen – Then & Now»:  https://cardinalguzman.wordpress.com/tag/then-and-now/
Or, check out other neighborhoods at: http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/my-neighborhood/