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 This great old photograph comes from an old postcard, photographed and published by E. A. Schjørn, Christiania. It was posted by one of the passengers on the ship in October 1909. It is showing the Wilson Line steamship Montebello at the Bjørvika Pier in Christiania. This is not the first time we have selected a motive like this as picture of the month, and I guess you are starting to figure out that I have weakness for motives like this. The Montebello was one of the feeders which brought thousands of Norwegian emigrants on their first lap of their voyage, sailing on a regular route between Christiania, Christiansand and Hull in England. The large buildings in the background are part of the railway station "Østbanen". In the background at the right we can see smoke raising from where the platforms for the trains was located. In the surrounding areas the agents of the great transatlantic steamship lines had their offices, and the emigrants were met by the agents as they arrived Christiania by train. The pier from where the emigrants departed on the Wilson Line ships on their way to Hull, is at the same place where "Scandinavian Star" departed from in 1990, on her last voyage before the terrible fire in which 158 lives were lost. The new opera which is being built in Oslo, will be located just to the right from where the Montebello is moored on the picture. More info on the S/S Montebello page.
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