Sagene

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For the old unit of length sometimes spelled sagene, see Obsolete Russian units of measurement and Obsolete Tatar units of measurement

Bydel Sagene

City	Oslo
Borough	NO-030103
Area	3.1 km²
Population  - Total (2004)  - Density	29 654 /km²
www.bsa.oslo.kommune.no

Sagene is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway. The area became part of the city of Oslo (then Christiania) in 1859.

The name Sagene itself is the plural of the Norwegian word for "saw", reflecting all the old industrial mechanical saws powered by the river Akerselva in this area in the 1800s and early 1900s.

Running through the borough of Sagene is the river Akerselva which has contributed in shaping the culture and history of the borough. The river has been exploited for energy, and along it for a thousand years, mills and turbines have been operating.

Norway's oldest industrial building - Glads papermill - is located in Sagene. The cradle of industrialism in Norway stood here in the mid 1800s with establishments such as Graahs spinnery and Hjula weavery. Author Oskar Braaten (1881-1939) grew up and got inspiration for his books in this environment.

Today the old factories are filled by modern industries, in large parts with media, information technology (IT) and graphical businesses.

Small wooden houses along the streets Maridalsveien and Sandakerveien are memories of the incoming dwellings of the 1700s, while the laborers' housing of the 1800s was built in concrete.

After the First World War the area around Torshov (now part of the borough of Sagene) and Sagene was planned to be a "city within the city" with some 2,000 apartments. This can still be experienced in Torshov today. The esteemed Soria Moria building from 1928 houses theatre, cinemas, restaurants and other cultural events and offerings.

The main street is called Vogts gate. and it's in Torshov. The tram goes down this street, which is the most busy street in the Sagene/Torshov borough. The street is highly urbanised with plenty of stores and coffee shops. Vogts gate is in the heart of Torshov.

The borough of Sagene includes the areas of Sagene, Bjølsen, Iladalen, Sandaker, Åsen and Torshov. It is the smallest borough of Oslo, but compared to its relatively small size, it has a noteworthy population by Norwegian standards. In the west its border is the street Uelandsgate and the cemetery (gravlund) Nordre gravlund. In the north it borders Tåsen and Storo. The border then follows the valley Torshovdalen in the east, and borders the areas of Rodeløkka and Grünerløkka is the south.

[edit] Sports

Sagene IF has its own floorball team in the top league, and a good Junior team in football

Skeid is traditionally a Torshov team

Boroughs of Oslo
Alna | Bjerke | Frogner | Gamle Oslo | Grorud | Grünerløkka | (Marka) | Nordstrand | Nordre Aker | Sagene | (Sentrum) | St. Hanshaugen | Stovner | Søndre Nordstrand | Ullern | Vestre Aker | Østensjø