In the east, the boundary runs just west of the river Akerselva, then down Storgata before it turns north, up Grensen, Pilestredet and Suhms gate.

The borough has its name from St. Hanshaugen Park that lies centrally within it, where the citizens used to celebrate summer solstice (St. Hans in Norwegian).

The neighbourhood St. Hanshaugen is located west and south of the park, with shopping, eating and public transport where the streets Ullevålsveien and Waldemar Thranes gate meets.

To the southeast of the park is Oslo's oldest building – Aker Kirke, built around 1100, but restored from ruins around 1860, and then again in the 1950s in a more authentic style.

Next to the church is the cemetery Vår Frelsers gravlund, created in 1808 as a result of the great famine and cholera epidemic of the Napoleonic Wars.

The nearby area around Damstredet and Telthusbakken is interesting since it retains the small town character of Oslo in the first part of the 19th century.

The borough also contains the cemeteries Nordre Gravlund and Vestre Aker, and Youngstorget – home of the Norwegian labour movement.

Labour and the Conservatives each gained 4 seats, the Socialist Left have 3, the Liberals 2, the Progress Party and the Red Electoral Alliance 1 each.