Asylet

Asylet stands in Grønland, Oslo, as one of the city’s oldest surviving wooden houses. Its two-story timber structure began as a merchant yard around 1730. An annex followed in 1798, while two wings now frame a small courtyard. Street-facing half-timbering meets modified brickwork across the façade. Small stones pave the courtyard under the surrounding buildings.

The structure served as a children’s asylum from 1839 to 1865. It later housed a courthouse, Akers Sparebank, Spareskillingsbanken, and Krohgstøttens Hospital. A nursing home occupied the building from 1903 to 1965, before conservation protected its historic character in 1967. Since 1992, offices, shops, and Kafe Asylet have filled the rooms.

Traditional Norwegian food and vegetarian dishes are served inside the café. The courtyard provides outdoor seating, while a fireplace offers a winter gathering place. Private dining rooms support parties, conferences, and other events. The building’s clearest signature remains its courtyard, where timber, brick, stone, and centuries of changing use meet.