[mlm]

Show me the oldest building in your city/town. Feel free to add two if it's the same case as mine (with the oldest outside the city limits, but still in the municipality).


The oldest building inside the city limits of Herning is the Herningsholm, located in the northeartern part of town. The manor was built in 1579 by Josua van Qualen. The building was surrounded by moats on 3 sides (pretty much intact today). It was rebuilt about 1750 where it got todays look. Now it's one of very few buildings in Herning that are on the national protection list:

Not inside the city limits, but still in Herning Municipality we find the Gjellerup Kirke (some 4-5 km from Herning). This is known as The earliest dated village church in Denmark, and the first parts of it was built in 1140. The tower was added around 1500:

Sign in front with information:

Show me yours.

 

[Geex]

Gediminas castle

The history of the castle is closely connected with the formation of the city. According to the legend found in the Chronicle of Lithuania, the castle on the Castle Hill was founded by Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas, who once had a prophetical dream. In his dream he saw an iron wolf standing on this place and howling like a hundred wolves. The pagan priest Lizdeika interpreted this dream as gods' will. Gediminas should build a castle and a city that would soon become famous and prosperous, and would be unassailable for enemies. According to other historical facts, in the 5-6th centuries there had already been large settlements on the banks of the Vilnia River and Gediminas chose this place for the construction of the new town because of its favorable geographical position. About 1230 the castle was built and soon the capital was moved from Trakai to the new town named after the Vilnia River.



It seems i don't have any good Gediminas castle pictures in my collection. Other Lithuanians should help me

 

[Ringil]

if you dont include churches then our oldest house in Uppsala which still is here today Domtrappshuset built in the mid 13th century. It was some sort of a prison for nasty students

 

[PC]

From my hometown, Vantaa:

Helsingin Pitäjän Kirkko/Pyhän Laurin kirkko - Helsinge Kyrka St. Lars - St. Lawrence Church

The exact year that it's been built is unknown, but according to the latest studies it's been there since 1460's - 90 years before Helsinki was founded - and it's the oldest building in the Helsinki area. The place, Helsinge, has been known since the 1300's and was back then an important and wealthy Swedish speaking district. Still today it remains mostly Swedish speaking and is one of the wealthiest and most beautiful areas in Vantaa with beautiful old red wooden houses. It's located in the Aviapolis area.

 

[Gatis]

Inside Riga city borders, still existing - Jura baznica (St. George's church) - 1207. It could be 8th oldest masonry building in Latvia - some places outside Riga (Salaspils, Ikskile, Cesis, Krimulda) have older buildings.
One of the few Romanesque architecture monuments in RIga. Now here is museum. It was part of larger building - the first Riga castle (not existing)

Older building inside Riga city borders was Daugavgriva cloister (1205) near the sea but it doesn't exist anymore.

 

[NorthStar77]

Gamle Aker church, from around 1070-1100, is the oldest building that is not in ruins. The newest parts of it is from the 1940'ies though. There are a silvermine under the church that dates back from before Oslo was founded.

I'm not sure what non-church building that is oldest, but I will find out later today.

Btw, there are no difference on municipal and city borders here in Norway, but Gamle Aker church is a 10 minute walk from city centre.

 

[jimm]

it seems it was a double post

 

[jimm]

This church is also pretty old. It was constructed somewhere in the XIV century in Vilnius.
CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS

 

[mlm]

Thanx for the replies all.

Btw, there are no difference on municipal and city borders here in Norway, but Gamle Aker church is a 10 minute walk from city centre.

Don't you have signs or something when you enter a city? Here we have these when you enter another municipality:

And these when you enter "city area":

 

[NorthStar77]

In Kristiansand there is a sign that says Kristiansand some 3 km from the city centre. Who decides where that sign should stay I have no idea. There are no historical borders there. Other not so big cities with large municipalities have that same type of sign.

But Oslo has only the municipal sign.

 

[NorthStar77]

Ofcourse I should have known it. Akershus fortress is the oldest non-church building that is not a ruin. Built in the 1290'ies, and successfully withstood a siege for the first time 1308 by the swedish duke Erik av Södermanland. It has been rebuilt some times after that, but quite alot of it originates from when it was built.

 

[_alonso_]

I am not sure, which construction is older in Bergen - Brygen or Gamle-byen..?

 

[Geex]

BTW i forgot to add that another old castle is standing near Gediminas castle. Both of them are called UPPER castle too

 

[NorthStar77]

I am not sure, which construction is older in Bergen - Brygen or Gamle-byen..?

Mariakirken aparently.

Most probably built between 1130 and 1170. http://fuv.hivolda.no/prosjekt/cathrinesnipsoyr/mariakirken2.htm

 

[_alonso_]

since nobody mentioned Kaunas, I will try to repesent it.
I am not sure, which exactly building is the oldest, to be honest. however, as far as I know, Perkuno Namas (Thunder House) should be the one:

 

[_alonso_]

nope, sorry, I have found out the fact, that Castle of Kaunas is the oldest castle of whole Lithuania, what makes it the oldest building not only in Kaunas, but Lithuanian too

didn't find any more pictures.

 

[Jape]

Built 1757 - not very old

 

[Qualtagh]

There are some 16th century country houses in Seinäjoki, but I haven't photographed them. This one is an abandoned 18th century iron mill building that's presumably the oldest building after those ordinary wooden houses.

 

[kjetilab]

Oldest buildning within muncipal borders, but far from the city center. Skoger gamle kirke, a medival church from around 1200..

(c) www.drammensbilder.com

Oldest building I know of in town is a wooden house from the 16. century. (Crappy weather, so no picture though)