Few places in Oslo have kept their historic heritage like this building in Grensen 1. The house was finished around 1700, and have since wandered through many hands. The owners have met different fates, not all fortunate, and the house has been auctioned off more than once.

The house was probably built at the same time as the "Church Of Our Savior", now "Oslo Domkirke", also situated at Stortorvet, was erected. At that time the place where the square is today was only a marsh, located well outside the city borders.

In 1735 it was decided that a new big merchant square should be built outside the new church and the citizens of Christiania were ordered to come out with picks and shovels to fill the marsh. The decision was not all that well received, but the project got underway and in 1736 the new square was finished.     

In 1768 the house was sold to a merchant, Claus Tollefsen. The same year the address "Grensen 1" was incorporated in the actual town, which gave Tollefsen the right to run a business in the building. This was a privilege that the neighbouring estates did not have until 1784.

The ownerships following was all prominent citizens from the upper class and many a classy party and royal function was held at Grensen 1.

In 1846 the house was bought by Ole Josef Moeller, one of the initiators of the re-establishment of the 17th of May festivities. The funds for this was raised by private people, and the house at Grensen 1 was a place where the donations really poured in. To this day, this house is very much connected to the celebration of the Norwegian Constitutional Day on May 17th.  

A.E. Olsen took ownership of the house in 1863, and he opened it to the public for the first time. He ran a wine bar in the cellar and used the 1st floor rooms as a guesthouse for travelling merchants and businessmen from all parts of Scandinavia. The name "Stortorvets Gjæstgiveri" translates into "the guesthouse at the large square".

In 1880 he sold it to Frydenlund breweries and they established Stortorvets Gjæstgiveri as we know it today. A big restoration project was also started in cooperation with "Norsk Folkemuseum", Dr. Harry Fett and the architect Carl Berner.

The aim was to restore the house back to its original exterior and interior look. A modern restaurant that satisfied the demands of the time with the comfort and style of a first class establishment was added. This is when the stucco ceilings in the café was made and they have remained untouched since.

The renovation was finished in 1903. Ole and Anne Iversen from Lillehammer got a lease to run the guesthouse and moved in to a newly furnished apartment on the 1st floor. The rooms were later converted into a restaurant and is now known as "Gamlestuen".

Anne continued running the establishment after her husband's death, until her son took over in 1918.

In 1920 a new law that protected old buildings was implemented and in 1927 Stortorvets Gjæstgiveri was pronounced as a protected historic building. In 1928 a big restoration project was launched, again under the supervision of Carl Berner. However, the authorities' discussions about the relocation of the roads around the building made the house loose it's protected status in 1937.   

The war took a big toll on the guesthouse, and by the end of it, it was run down and new thorough renovations had to be started. The restaurant closed for 8 months and reopened on September 7th in 1949.     

After the city plans were re-evaluated, Grensen 1 was allowed to remain where it was, and once again gained status as a protected building.

Grensen 1 has been a meeting place for generations, especially during the 125 years that "Stortorvets Gjæstgiveri" has existed. Even though it has been a long time since there were rooms to let here, the name has remained unchanged throughout the years.

In the olden days it was a tradition to go to "Stortorvets Gjæstgiveri" when the farmers and businessmen came to town to sell their merchandise. The old trading have long since been abandoned but the guesthouse continues to be a meeting place and an establishment of strong traditions such as the celebration of May 17th and the Christmas dinners throughout the late fall.