Chateau Neuf

Chateau Neuf is a building in Oslo that houses Det Norske Studentersamfund, (The Norwegian Students' Society), including cafes, bars, performance centers, and other facilities for student assembly. It is situated at Slemdalsveien 7 near Majorstuen just south of the main campus of the University of Oslo at Blindern. Det Norske Studentersamfund (The student society of Norway) is Norways oldest student society. ... Uranienborg-Majorstuen was a district of the city of Oslo, Norway up to January 1, 2004, when it became part of the Frogner district. ... The University of Oslo (in Norwegian Universitetet i Oslo, in Latin Universitas Osloensis) was founded in 1811 as Universitas Regia Fredericiana (the Royal Frederick University, in Norwegian Det Kongelige Frederiks Universitet). ... Blindern is the main campus of the University of Oslo. ...

Though the name literally means "The New Castle" from the French, it also involves a pun on "nøff," the Norwegian onomatopoeic for the sound of a pig. The highest protector of the Students' Society is His Majesty the Pig.

History

Although the Students' Society was housed in permanent facilities at Universitetsgaten 26 from 1861 onwards, the society outgrew this structure by 1918 and moved to different locations around the city. In 1940, the society was offered Logen, but this plan fell apart with the German invasion of Norway.

In the 1950s, funds were raised to build a new structure, spearheaded by Jan P. Syse among others. Based on the university's expansion plans, the site was picked, though the university changed its plans after Chateau Neuf's construction had started. Jan Peder Syse (November 25, 1930 - September 17, 1997) was a lawyer and Norwegian politician from the Conservative Party. ...

Ground was broken by C.J. Hambro in 1963 in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the society. The architects were Kjell Lund and Nils Slaatto. Construction was complete in 1971 and officially opened in 1973. Carl Joachim Hambro (usually C.J. Hambro) (January 5, 1885 – 15 December 1964) was a leading politician from the Norwegian Conservative Party. ...

Facilities