Wilhelm de Tonsberg

King Frederick realized that some change ought to be made in the Norwegian administrative system, and in 1704 a commission was created in Christiania called Slotsloven paa Akershus,  consisting of one military and four civil members, who should assist the vice-slatholder, and in general perform the duties which the statholder had hitherto had. The military member was a German officer, Tritzschler, and three of the civil members were Norwegians, who might be supposed to have more direct knowledge of Norwegian affairs.

The building was given to the city as a new City Hall in 1734 by King Christian VI (this was 3 years after Wilhelm\’s death), after the town’s first Town Hall at was abandoned because of decay. Meetings of City Hall currently still exist in the farm, including the Town Hall auditorium on the 2nd floor towards Queen Street and Town Hall Rd. It was used partly as a courtroom, as a meeting room for citizen representatives and magistrate, and as theater, concert and party venue. The farm also contained police, detention facilities and prisons cells, including imprisonment for debt in the attic. Lay preacher Hans Nielsen Hauge had in years 1804 – 1807 his prison cell in a back building which is now re-erected in Old Town Norwegian Folk Museum. 29th June 1822 was Christiania Sparebank (later Bank of Norway) established in part of the building’s premises, as Norway’s first savings bank. The facility became too small for many purposes and different functions and the town hall had to move out until after Møllergaten police station was completed in 1866. One room was used police station which was operational until 1963 .

In 1970 took over the current tenants. The building was listed in 1927 and currently houses AUTHORS House, a common localization of Norwegian Critics Association, The Norwegian Writers Association, Norwegian Association of Literary Translators, Norwegian children’s and youth book authors and Norwegian Playwrights’ Association.