Hotel Royal Christiania Hotel Royal Christiania Hotel Royal Christiania is a hotel located on Biskop Gunnerus' gate in Oslo, Norway. Formerly known as the Hotel Viking, the building was the design work of architects Knut Knutsen and Fredrik Winsnes for which they were awarded the Houens fonds diplom in 1961. The hotel was financed and built by Oslo Municipality to accommodate the 1952 Winter Olympics. At the time of its formal opening on December 10, 1951, it was the largest hotel in Scandinavia. Today, the hotel remains one of the largest in Norway, with 532 rooms and 21 conference rooms, and is now
European Capital of Culture of designating an annual Capital of Culture to bring Europeans closer together by highlighting the richness and diversity of European cultures and raising awareness of their common history and values. It is strongly believed that the ECoC significantly maximises social and economic benefits, especially when the events are embedded as a part of a long–term culture-based development strategy of the city and the surrounding region. The Commission of the European Union manages the title and each year the Council of Ministers of the European Union formally designates European Capitals of Culture: more than 40 cities have been designated so far.