Hotel Christiania Teater first opened its doors in 1918 as the Opera Comique, a performing arts theater designed by the architects Henry Fearnley Coll and Hack Kampmann. The theater welcomed and nurtured aspiring artistes from all over, with many careers taking flight, such as that of famed opera singer Kirsten Flagstad. In 1921, it transformed into the Casino theater, a lively venue for operettas and revues led by the Swedish impresario Ernst Rolf. Another renovation took place in 1928, when the property was acquired by Oslo Kinomatografer (Oslo Cinemas) and repurposed as a movie theater. Unfortunately, the old building would burn down only a few years later in 1931, forcing a reconstruction. The new edifice that emerged was designed in the Nordic Neo-Renaissance style, once again designed by the architect duo of Coll and Kampmann.
During the dark years of the Second World War, the theater was commandeered by Nazi authorities and renamed Die Deutsches Theater. Though performances continued, it was also used by the Nazi German forces for gatherings and briefings. It even reserved private boxes for elite personalities like Reichskommissar Josef Terboven, who was effectively the governor of Norway during its occupation. After liberation, the venue became home to Det Norske Teatret, which adapted many beloved productions in the Norwegian language, such as Oklahoma! in 1949 and West Side Story in 1965.
It wouldn't be until 1985 that the building was once again repurposed, reopening as Filmteatret after a major renovation by architect Kjell Castberg Voss. It served as a cinema focused on artistic and international films before closing in the early 2000s.
The building's induction into Oslo's hospitality industry did not take place until 2010, when it was acquired by the DoubleTree by Hilton brand. A few years later, in 2014, it was acquired by Norwegian hotel magnate Petter Stordalen. Now part of the Nordic Hotels & Resorts brand, Hotel Christiania Teater operates as a boutique hotel that evokes the magic and grandeur of its theatrical past while presenting itself as a paragon of Norwegian luxury hospitality.
As another feather to its proverbial hat, the hotel's building was officially listed as a protected heritage property by the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage (Riksantikvaren) in 2015, cementing its status in Oslo’s living history.
