The
1952 Winter Olympics (
Norwegian:
Vinter-OL 1952), officially known as the
VI Olympic Winter Games (
French: Les
VIes Jeux olympiques d'hiver), took place in
Oslo,
Norway, from 14 to 25 February. Discussions about Oslo hosting the
Winter Olympic Games began as early as 1935; the city wanted to host the
1948 Games, but
World War II made that impossible. Instead, Oslo won the right to host the 1952 Games in a contest that included
Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy and
Lake Placid in the United States. All of the venues were in Oslo's metropolitan area except for the
alpine skiing events, which were held at
Norefjell, from the capital. A new hotel was built for the press and dignitaries, along with three dormitories to house athletes and coaches, creating the first modern
athlete's village. The city of Oslo bore the financial burden of hosting the Games in return for the revenue they generated.