Kjærlighets carousels
A public urinal in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, is known by the popular name Kjærlighetskarusellen ('love carousel') . It was built in 1937 in Stensparken , a park in the St. Hanshaugen district and in the Fagerborg district , according to functionalist principles. At the time when homosexuality among men was still illegal in Norway, the urinal was considered a meeting place for homosexuals. Its fame as a flap , in connection with the round shape, led to its popular name. Other nicknames included Lykkehjulet ('wheel of fortune'), Den rund tønne ('round barrel'), Soppen ('mushroom') and Paraplyen ('umbrella'). In 2009 it was listed as a historical monument because of its importance for Norwegian sanitary history . The official name of the building in the list of monuments is Pissoaret i Stensparken ('Pissoir in Stenspark').
construction
The urinal was built in 1937 according to plans by the Oslo city architect Harald Aars (1875–1945). The design of the structure was determined by three main goals: it should offer protection against rain, its open shape should ensure an adequate supply of fresh air and prevent the development of unpleasant smells, and users should be protected from the eyes of the public. In addition, it should also blend in aesthetically with the surroundings of the park. The round shape is typical of the style of functionalist architecture.
Meeting point for homosexuals
Until April 1972, homosexual acts between men in Norway could be punished with up to one year in prison. Therefore, contact had to be made discreetly. Several public urinals in Oslo became meeting places for homosexual men and were given humorous nicknames such as Bel Amis in the Sagene district and Klagemuren ('Wailing Wall') at the Deichmanske bibliotek . Of these public facilities, only the Kjærlighetskarusellen has survived. Kjærlighetskarusellen is also the title of a study by Hans Wiggo Kristiansen, printed in 2004, about the situation of homosexual Norwegian men before the legal liberalization.
Monument protection
The year 2009 was celebrated in Norway as Kulturminneåret ('Year of Cultural Heritage'). In this context, the Kjærlighetskarusellen was also included in the list of monuments. The monument protection authority Riksantikvaren initiated the procedure in October 2008, which ultimately led to the protection of the structure. Leif Pareli, curator at the Norsk Folkemuseum , pushed the decision, referring to the building's “simple and functional form” and its importance as a “well-known meeting place for homosexuals and therefore a testimony to old homosexual history from a time when such Meeting points were seen as a thorn in the side of the existing conditions [...]. "
On April 30, 2009, a ceremony was held in Stensparken to mark the declaration of the building as a protected object. The Norwegian Environment Minister Erik Solheim and the Oslo Mayor Fabian Stang were among those present . Nils Marstein, Director of the Norwegian Heritage Agency, said in his speech that the purpose of the monument protection for the urinal was "to preserve a significant example of plumbing history in relation to how the city provided for everyday needs [...]." According to the authority Riksantikvaren the first urinals in Oslo towards the end of the 19th century, "at a time when many were doing their business almost everywhere on the streets and alleys."
literature
- Hans Wiggo Kristiansen: Kjærlighetskarusellen. Eldre homoseksuelle men livsfortellinger and livsløp i Norge. Sosialantropologiske Institutt, Universitetet i Oslo, Oslo 2004, ISBN 82-7720-006-4 .
Web links
- Pissoaret i Stensparken (ID number 122658) in the Riksantikvaren monument database (Norwegian)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Pissoaret i Stensparken fredet , on riksantikvaren.no, accessed on March 18, 2013.
- ↑ a b c Hans Wiggo Kristiansen: Uke 25: Kjærlighetskarusellen i Stensparken ( Memento of the original from June 26, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , at Kulturminneaaret2009.no, accessed on March 18, 2013.
- ↑ Pissoaret i Stensparken ( Memento of the original from February 2, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. in the Riksantikvaren monument database, accessed on March 18, 2013.
- ↑ Reidar Engesbak: Lovlig i 40 år ( Memento of the original from April 30, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , in: Blikk of April 23, 2012 online, accessed on March 18, 2013.
- ↑ Lars-Ludvig Røed: Da homofile måtte skjule seg , in: Aftenposten from September 9, 2008, accessed on March 18, 2013.
- ↑ Sidsel Valum: Kjærlighetskarusellen fredes ( Memento of the original from April 2, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , in: Blikk from December 3, 2008 online, accessed on March 18, 2013: “enkel og god funkisform”, “kjent møtested for homofile og er derfor et spor fra gammel homohistorie, fra ei tid da møtesteder som dette ble betraktet som en Torn i øyet of the confirmed [...] "
- ↑ Pissoaret i Stensparken fredet , on riksantikvaren.no, accessed on March 18, 2013: "å ta vare på et sanitærhistorisk viktig eksempel på hvordan storbyen tilrettela for trivielle behov [...]."
- ↑ Pissoaret i Stensparken fredet , on riksantikvaren.no, accessed on March 18, 2013: "i en tid da mange gjorde sitt fornødne nærmest hvor som helst i gater og streder."
Coordinates: 59 ° 55 '36.1 " N , 10 ° 43' 46.8" E