Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-07
NORWEGIAN ARCHITECTURE.
Characteristics of the Capital frog
ner Hovedgnard and Its Gardens
Christianla LetterJ

Christiania Letter.
Although the building interest OF Nhils-
tiania is very considerable, and latteriy'
especially, of rapid growth, architecture
as an art by no means fiourishes. lheIe
are. TO be sure, some few Instances Oh
originality TO be pointed out here ana
there. but. generally speaking, Ihouei ~
building shows a depressing sameness Oh
design. Houses OF a given materlal ar
commonly almost uniform IN outer Con-
strlctfon Nor are the materials IN US
sufficiently diverse TO create NarlSsy o,s
themselves In the region or the hoteIs,
ofice-buildings. and largest shops, SOM
stone has lately been employed, anu !el
decoration one sees more or Tess OF 'ne
curious native "labradas,' whlch IS
hroueht from an island quarry in the
ford. In the rough, this = 10; unlike
n dark quartz. Polished, II suggests plaCh
glass, showing here and there, scatleItu
through it's depths small scales or III
DESCENT blue. silver or green. turned al
angles varying vita the SURFACE ylane
of the block. Labrador, both fouSh-heNH
and polished. appears enectiVely Ia som,
facades and elsewhere IN columns ana
nedestals Some other ornamental rocks
are occasionally used, but the Storthense
Bygning parliament House,, az llnposlh5
Byzantine Romanesque structure no
over thirty years old, IS one or the Colli-
partiVely very few wholly stone buildings
which the town can show ,,.1...,,
Brick is as seldom seen, TOT, alulouEii
il forms the basis Of nine tenths OF ins
citv's architecture, IL Is almost inNariaDly
hidden under coat Of white stuccO,
which grows rapidly uingy WIN. lhe
smoke of it's first winter. Especially du-
ring the long months when the snow j.
on the ground. a little good red brick, al
lowed to stand forth uncovered, In its
native warmth Of color, would be greal
relief from the present endless walls OF
plaster, dull or glazing, according 10 lheli
AS one approaches the outskirts OF the
town. many gabled villas of hard-nnish-
| ed natural wood become the RUE IN W
| early DAYS, wood was almost exclusively
used in the city itself. and as Chris.
l tiania has often suffered by nre the lesul.
| has been that very few buildings are now
| left standing at an age suihcieht 10 u
| interesting. ,., -.
\ OF 200 years ago may still be seen, how
ever In F'rogner Hovedgaard. the estate
| of MIR Gerhard Gade. the American Con,
sui. Here. for the twenty-five years oil
| MIR. Gades consulate, Americans have
| been made welcome. and the OLD place
! well repays a visit, as few OF It's age nc
Importance are now in existence withii
nleasant northward drive OF abou
twenty minutes from the Storthing bring
| one 10 Frogner gates on entering Whic p
passing the vine-covered porter ioagS
| one finds ones self I'm large courtyard
frees and shrubs concealing its QUITE
limits and an ancient sun-dial marklns
the grass-plot in the centre. The oppo
site gate leads through a hedge OF bar
berry TO the gravel-paved inner court o.
"gaard." where fountain plays in ~
stucco basin. The northern boundary o
this second enclosure is the house Itself
while two great wings. holding the ser
wants quarters, granaries, store-rooms
etc.. shut in OH cast and west.
House and wings alike are OF WOO
covered With white stucco, through whic
the beams alone show, and alike az
rooted with the curious fiuted and glaze
| tiles common TO the country. Both wing
are two-storied. as Is the main buildin
except in its central part. where thir
story Is added and capped with red
peaked clock-tower. A portico extend
from end 10 end Of the house facade an
partly down each wing. In It's main pal
rs roof rs supported by eighteen woode
pillars wreathed In the strange gree
and purple flowers Of the coooea scar
dens and placed some u or 10 feet apar
; | At the western end Of the portico wher
| house and wing meet, "A door stands
= into a garden, aud there, beneath iestooi