Henrik Bull
Henrik Bull (28 March 1864 – 2 June 1953) was a Norwegian architect and designer. Among his works are the Paulus Church in Grünerløkka in Oslo, the National Theater, the Historical Museum in Oslo, and the Government Building. He also designed coins for Norges Bank, and participated at the Kristiania Jubilée exhibition at Frogner during 1914.
Henrik Bull

Photographer not named. · S. Blom (ed.): Den Kongelige Norske St. Olavs Orden, A. M. Hanches Forlag, 1934. · Public domain
- Name
- Henrik Bull
- Born
- 28 March 1864
- Birthplace
- Christiania, Norway
- Died
- 2 June 1953
- Place of death
- Oslo, Norway
- Occupation
- Architect
- Nationality
- Norway
- Known for
- Heradsbygd Church · Paulus Church · National Theatre Oslo · Historical Museum in Oslo · Ministry of Finance of Norway · Villa Otium · Centralbanken for Norge · Schou Brewery
- Honours
- Houen Foundation Award
- Languages
- Norwegian
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Henrik Bull (28 March 1864 – 2 June 1953) was a Norwegian architect and designer. Among his works are the Paulus Church in Grünerløkka in Oslo, the National Theater, the Historical Museum in Oslo, and the Government Building. He also designed coins for Norges Bank, and participated at the Kristiania Jubilée exhibition at Frogner during 1914.
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Note VALÉORINE
Henrik Bull (1864–1953) was a Norwegian architect. Born in Christiania, the architect died in Oslo. Henrik Bull lived in Oslo and Oslo Municipality.
Works include Centralbanken for Norge, Heradsbygd Church, Historical Museum in Oslo and Ministry of Finance of Norway, among others. Languages used include Norwegian. Works by the architect are held at National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design. Henrik Bull received Houen Foundation Award.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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Documentary evidence
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Authority files
wikidata · Q719782 · wikipedia · Henrik Bull
In this article
Biography
Biography
He directed the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry from 1912 to 1934. • Illustration — Paulus Church, Oslo. • Illustration — Uvdal Church, Uvdal.
The recorded working language is Norwegian. Residence is recorded at Oslo Municipality and Oslo. Works named in the authority record are Heradsbygd Church, Paulus Church, National Theatre Oslo, Historical Museum in Oslo, Ministry of Finance of Norway and Villa Otium. Work by Henrik Bull is recorded in the collections of National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design. Distinctions recorded are Houen Foundation Award.

Arkitekten Henrik Bull (1864–1953), avbildet i Eiliv Fougner (red.): «Norske ingeniører og arkitekter. Kort oversigt over Den norske ingeniørforenings og Norske arkitekters landsforbunds historie, samt biografiske oplysninger om de to organisationers nulevende medlemmer med portrætter» (Abels kunstforlag: Kristiania, 1916), s. 132.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Henrik Bull • Born — 28 March 1864 • Birthplace — Christiania, Norway • Died — 2 June 1953 • Place of death — Oslo, Norway • Parents — Georg Andreas Bull • Relatives — Ole Bull (uncle) Knud Bull (uncle) Edvard Hagerup Bull (cousin) Schak Bull (cousin) • Occupation — Architect
Early and personal life
Early and personal life
Bull was born in Christiania as the son of architect Georg Andreas Bull and Emilie Constance Hjelm. His father was among the major architects in the country, was chief building inspector in Christiania for forty years, and performed surveying and archeological research. Bull married actress Mette Marie Berntsen Wang in 1905. He was a nephew of violinist Ole Bull and Knud Bull, and a first cousin of judge and politician Edvard Hagerup Bull and architect Schak Bull.
Churches
Churches
Bull's first major commission was the Paulus Church in Kristiania. This church, built in Gothic Revival style, is located at Grünerløkka, and was finished during 1892. He also did research work on the old stave churches. His Uvdal Church was built in romantic style, and finished during 1893. Another of his works was the Åmot Church at Rena, a timber church. • Illustration — The National Theatre, Oslo.
Monumental buildings
Monumental buildings
Bull designed three of the most important new buildings in Kristiania about 1900. The National Theatre (1891-1899) is regarded as one of the most successful buildings in Norway from the historicism period. The Historical Museum (1902) was based on deceased architect Karl August Henriksen's draft from 1890. The Government Building (1904) was based on a draft by architect Stener Lenschow from 1887/1891.
Jubilée exhibition 1914
Jubilée exhibition 1914
Bull was responsible for the buildings at the 1914 Jubilee Exhibition in Kristiania. He also designed several of the exhibition buildings, including the bridge, the Machinery Hall, the Industry Hall. The buildings were demolished after the exhibition. Norway US embassy residence]]
Design work
Design work
• Bull also designed furniture and other utilitarian articles. One of his works, an exclusive dining room set, is located at the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History at Bygdøy. His most widespread works were the coins designed for Norges Bank in 1907 and in 1923-1924. • The Art Nouveau or Jugendstyle residence of the United States Ambassador to Norway, called the Villa Otium, was designed by him.
Identity
Identity
Henrik Bull is recorded as having received Houen Foundation Award.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1864
Henrik Bull was born in 1864 at Christiania.
1953
Henrik Bull died in 1953 at Oslo.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Oslo Municipality and Oslo
Residences
Christiania.
Birth place
Oslo.
Death place
Primary material
Documents and archives
Institutional database
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q719782: Henrik Bull
Scholarly · Wikimedia Foundation
reference work
- “Henrik Bull”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Henriksen, Petter. Henrik Bull. Store norske leksikon. Kunnskapsforlaget. 2007.
- 2.Indahl, Trond. Henrik Bull. Norsk biografisk leksikon. Kunnskapsforlaget.
- 3.Steigan, Geir Tandberg. Henrik Bull (1864-1953). Arc!. 2001.
- 4.Torvanger, Åse Moe. Georg Andreas Bull. Norsk biografisk leksikon. Kunnskapsforlaget.
- 5.Bratberg, Terje. Den trønderske slekten Bull. Store norske leksikon. Kunnskapsforlaget. 2007.
- 6.U.S. Department of State. Ambassador's Residence in Oslo; "Villa Otium".
- 7.U.S. Department of State. Ambassador's Residence in Oslo; "Villa Otium".
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
Institutional database
Wikidata, structured authority record Q719782: Henrik BullWikimedia Foundation
Institutional witnessreference work
Secondary witness
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
His recorded language was Norwegian. He was the child of Georg Andreas Bull and Emilie Constance Hjelm. He married Mette Bull. Work and production. Works recorded as notable number 8: Heradsbygd Church, Paulus Church, National Theatre Oslo, Historical Museum in Oslo, Ministry of Finance of Norway, Villa Otium, Centralbanken for Norge and Schou Brewery. Bull received Houen Foundation Award.
Identity and origins
Recognition and collections
Work by Henrik Bull is
National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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