One of the boats uncovered from the archaeological diggings in OperaKvarteret will be put on public display in the new head quarter of the Norwegian bank DnB NOR.
The Savings Bank Foundation DnB NOR has donated 5 M NOK to restore the boat and to make it ready for display to a wide audience. The bank has entered into an agreement with the Norwegian Maritime Museum which has given its consent to letting the boat have a permanent home in the bank.
- “We find it important to safeguard this cultural gem in our bank. The donation from the Savings Bank Foundation makes it possible for us to take care of the boat to the benefit of the Norwegian society, our customers and employees”, says Managing Director Liv Fiksdahl of DnB NOR.
Vice executive of OSU, Thor Thoeneie, is very satisfied with this solution.
- “As developer for the entire excavation and construction for the whole Opera Quarter, we see this as a natural part of our role as a responsible urban developer”, he underlines.
As many as 15 boats together with thousands of items originating from the 14th and the 15th century have been dug out in connection with the development of OperaKvarteret. During the excavations in Bjørvika, it was also discovered traces after plans for developing a larger settlement in the harbour area. All findings can be dated to a period prior to the big city fire in 1624, when the ancient Oslo was laid in ruins. The archaeological exploration in Bjørvika is the most important of its kind ever to take place in Norway.