Tromsø Sparebank (Tromsø Savings Bank)
Description
Storgata 65, 9008 Tromsø
Tromsø Savings Bank (Sparebank), now the head quarters of SpareBank 1 Northern Norway, is popularly called the Red Bank. Designed by the architect Henrik Nissen it is situated in the very centre of the city in the main street Storgata and next to Tromsø Cathedral. For financial and practical reasons it was built in two stages. The first part, the southern wing along Bankgata and the middle section towards Storgata was completed in 1912 and the wing along Fredrik Langes gate followed in 1915. As well as the bank the building housed many other functions such as the public library, the Freemasons and Norges Hypotekbank (a now defunct governmental bank). However, the building is now solely occupied by the one bank.
The main entrance in middle section of the elevation facing Storgata has an elegantly curved and stepped gable. The proportions and grandeur of the bank are monumental compared to its immediate surroundings. It has three main floors, a basement and attic rooms under the mansard roof. The exterior walls are built in rendered brick painted in the characteristic red colour that has given it its nickname. The building's plinth also has two bands of gently rusticated granite. Between the granite bands and a band at the top part of the wall there is rough-cast rendering while the rest of the walls are smooth. There are two rounded corners and at the top the walls end with a dentil cornice in a contrasting colour. The building's style may be described as a combination of jugend (northern European Art Nouveau) and decorative elements from Louis-Seize style.
The main entrance in middle section of the elevation facing Storgata has an elegantly curved and stepped gable. The proportions and grandeur of the bank are monumental compared to its immediate surroundings. It has three main floors, a basement and attic rooms under the mansard roof. The exterior walls are built in rendered brick painted in the characteristic red colour that has given it its nickname. The building's plinth also has two bands of gently rusticated granite. Between the granite bands and a band at the top part of the wall there is rough-cast rendering while the rest of the walls are smooth. There are two rounded corners and at the top the walls end with a dentil cornice in a contrasting colour. The building's style may be described as a combination of jugend (northern European Art Nouveau) and decorative elements from Louis-Seize style.
Year of construction
1910-1915
Architect
Henrik Nissen
Client
Tromsø Savings Bank
Building Type
Business premises
bank
Construction System / Materials
Brick
Keywords
Bank
mansard
base
brick
dentil band
jugend
art nouveau
Literature
Buvik, Martin
Tromsø Athenæum 1900-2000, [s.n.], Tromsø 2000
Dæhlin, Robsahm L.
Dæhlin, Robsahm L.
Tromsø Sparebank gjennem hundre år 1836-1936. [s.n.], Tromsø 1936
Map
