Selskabet for Oslo Byes Vel

Selskabet for Oslo Byes Vel (English: Society for the Welfare of Oslo), often known as Oslo Byes Vel, is a non-profit heritage association for the benefit of Oslo, Norway's capital city. It was established in 1811 by Niels Wulfsberg.

Niels Wulfsberg founded the association on 29 May 1811. It was initially named "Selskabet for Christiania Byes Vel", and was organised in seven commissions. Its first urban political cause was the establishment of a university in Christiania (now Oslo). A university was opened on 2 September the same year, named Det Kongelige Frederiks Universitet (Royal Frederick University). Christiania Byes Vel also issued a periodical, Den Norske Borgerven ("The Norwegian Citizen's Friend"), discontinued after seven installments.

In 1819, Oslo's first public park was opened thanks to the association's initiative. In the following years, Christiania Byes Vel advocated political reforms such as water purification and the construction of green valleys along the city's approach roads. Poet Henrik Wergeland joined the association in 1838, which started printing his enlightenment letter For Arbeidsklassen ("For the Working Class").

In 1842, the association started handing out a medal to citizens who had served the city in a special manner. However, in 1867, it reduced the number of medals given, since there were reportedly too many given. The association celebrated its centennial anniversary in 1911, and had in the meantime changed its name to "Kristiania Byes Vel".

In 1915, Kristiania Byes Vel started publishing the periodical St. Hallvard. The initial editors were Edvard Bull and Anton Wilhelm Brøgger. The publication of St. Hallvard was ceased for a short period of time in 1923. One year later, the city experienced a name shift, from Kristiania to Oslo. In 1927, following the advice of the architect Harald Aars, the antiquarian Arno Berg agreed to take the role as head of Oslo Byes Vel, where he stayed for the remainder of his active life. He also wrote around 450 articles and book reviews for St. Hallvard, even after his retirement.

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