The building is located at Karl Johans gate 22 in central Oslo, Norway.

[1][2][3] Following the establishment of the Parliament of Norway in 1814, which had happened at a private home belonging to Carsten Anker in Eidsvoll, the newly established legislature started meeting at Christiania lærde Skole at Tollbodgaten and Dronningsgate.

A design competition was initiated in 1856, and this was won by the architects Heinrich Ernst Schirmer and Wilhelm von Hanno.

[4] Initially, the building was too large for the needs of the legislature, and several other government agencies, including the Office of the Auditor General of Norway, the National Archival Services, the Mapping and Cadastre Authority and the Director of Canals were also housed there.

The Lagting Chamber was refurnished, with the ceiling lowered and the interior redecorated with mahogany panels and funkis style.

[7] The building is built in yellow brick with details and basement in light gray granite.

[4] The inclining roads leading up to the entrance plateau from Karl Johans gate and Stortingsgata is called Løvebakken (en: The Lions Hill).

The lions were designed by Norwegian sculptor Christopher Borch and carved into nordmarkite granite by the convicts Søren Andersen Buskerudseie and Theodor Pedersen Vøyen.