Oslo

THE CITY OF OSLO

Oslo is the capital of Norway and with its 520.000 inhabitants also the country’s largest city.  Oslo lies in the southeastern part of Norway, at the beginning of the Oslofjord. The fjord, which is nearly bisected by the Nesodden peninsula opposite Oslo, lies to the south; in all other directions Oslo is surrounded by green hills and mountains. There are 40 islands within the city limits, the largest being Malmøya (0.56 km²), and scores more around the Oslofjord. Oslo has 343 lakes, the largest being Maridalsvannet (3.91 km²). This is also a main source of drinking water for large parts of the western part of Oslo, mainly Vestre Aker and Nordre Aker. The highest point is Kirkeberget, at 629 m.

The city was founded around 1048 by King Herald III of Norway.  In 1624 a fire destroyed a large part of Oslo, but the Danish-Norwegian king Christian IV had the city rebuilt and changed its name into “Christiana” after himself. In 1925 the name was changed again in Oslo, which means “plain of the gods”. During the mid-19th century, Norway and Sweden were both ruled as one kingdom, under Karl Johan. It was then that the grand main street that bears his name was built, and Karl Johans Gate has been at the center of city life ever since.

Today, Oslo is Norway's political, economic, industrial, and cultural capital as well as home to both the Nobel Peace Price and the Norwegian royal family.

THE PORT OF OSLO

In the port of Oslo cruise ships docl right next to the Akershus Fortress in only a few cruise ship docks. All these docks are within walking distance from  the downtown area of Oslo.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN OSLO

For tourists, the city of Oslo has much to offer, since the city has more than 50 museums and several galleries. Below are the attractions of the city of Oslo. Most attractions are within walking distance from the center of the city, except for the attractions on the peninsula Bygdøy.

In 1299 the construction of the Akershus fortress was ordered by King Haakon V. The fortress managed to protect Oslo against invaders. Over the years, several improvements were implemented. In the 19th century, the fortress lost its strategic position and became an administrative center for the army. Currently the fort is open to visitors as a museum.

The Rådhuset (or City Hall) of Oslo was designed by Arnstein Berg and Arne Magnus Poulsson. They won the design competition that was launched in 1918. The City Hall was opened in 1950 in honor of the 900th anniversary of the city. The interior of the hall was decorated by various artists such as Henrik Sørensen who completely decorated a wall  with his work and art . It is in the Rådhushallen that each year the ceremony for the Nobel Prize for Peace is held.

The "Karl Johans Gate”, named after King Karl Johan is the main street in Oslo. It connects the station to the royal palace in almost a straight line. Along this street is also the Norwegian parliament (the Storting) and the monumental Domkirke. The eastern section was part of the original city as it was designed by King Christian IV. The western part was built only after the construction of the royal palace. The 'Karl Johans Gate is the main shopping street of Oslo. Almost all international chains can be found in the street.  

The Slottet (Royal Palace) was built in the first half of the 19th century as the Norwegian residence of the Swedish-Norwegian King Charles III (Charles XIV John of Sweden) and is currently used as residence of the current Norwegian King. Prince Haakon and his wife live just outside Oslo in Skaugum (in Asker Municipality). The royal palace was designed by Danish architect Hans Ditlev Franciscus Linstow. Construction took nearly 25 years from 1825 to 1849.

The Storting. Literally translated,  it means the major meeting is the parliament of Norway. The parliament meets in the Storting building, designed by Emil Victor Langlet.

Museums

Bygdøy is known as the Museum Island in Oslo, although it is a peninsula. Here are several museums. In the Viking Ship Museum, which is part of the University of Oslo, both the Gokstad ship and the Oseberg ship are exhibited. These Viking ships dating from the 9th century, and were found in burial mounds in several locations in Norway.

Also located on the Bygdøy is the Norsk Folk Museum, an open air museum with 155 listed houses on display, including the Gol stave church. There are also costumes from all over Norway to see.

The Kon-Tiki Museum is a museum about the Kon-Tiki expedition. The name Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl was given to a raft during his 1947 expedition and is named after the Inca sun god Viracocha.

The city also has several other museums. The Historical Museum is located in a Jugendstil building, designed by Henrik Bull. The museum houses various exhibitions, such as Norway from Stone Age to the Viking Age, the coin cabinet (a collection of coins) and an exhibition devoted to African culture.

The National Gallery (Norwegian: Nasjonalgalleriet) is very famous for the great masters. Among the paintings is also a version of The Scream by Edvard Munch. More work by Munch is found in the Munch Museum, which opened in 1963.