In 1814 the Kalmar Union ended and Norway fell under the
rule of Sweden. This move led to the official shifting of
the capital to Oslo and the beginning of the city's growth. The new government
(which existed, but still fell under Swedish rule), began to build their new capital
with governmental buildings, such as the Royal Palace and Parliament, a university,
houses, and commercial buildings. The city also began to rapidly expand as it became
both the political and economic center of the country as by the mid-1800s Oslo had
surpassed Bergen in population.
Changes continued in the 1900s as Norway gained independence
from Sweden in 1905 and in 1925 the city was re-named Oslo,
which was its historic name. In more recent decades the city has grown as a modern
city. Sky scrapers have been built, political power and public institutions are
centered in the city, and the city has become the country's transportation hub.
Although signs of the past exist, due to the city's recent growth Oslo appears
and feels very modern.
Oslo Today
Oslo is not just a modern city today, Oslo is a leading city in the modern and post-modern
movements, both in architecture as well as in other realms. The city has an incredible
infrastructure and skyline as every modern amenity is easily accessible, although
you may have to pay a lot to access them.
The capital is also home to a thriving arts scene as museums, performances, and
other forms of architecture are all popular among locals and foreigners alike. This
scene creates a sense of prestige and high culture that is also apparent as the
city is home to the Nobel Peace Prize. Despite this, the city rarely feels inaccessible
or out of reach.
Oslo is also constantly on the move and always changing as the universities draw
students from throughout the country, the government and government-run programs
bring in a large educated population for work, and the social and welfare benefits
offered by the government attract numerous foreigners who settle in the city as
they struggle to find work and a new life. It seems Oslo is a city on the move and
in constant motion focused more on future progress than on past successes, an attitude
that perhaps contributes to the accessibility of the city and its people.
However, the progress, technology, social benefits, and the large number of goods
that must be imported make Oslo one of the world's most expensive cities. Despite
the expense, the city has numerous jobs in various fields which pay well so most
locals make a lot, but also must pay a lot for housing, food, transportation, etc.
For the tourist the expense become quickly apparent as few people have a salary
suited for life in Oslo.
Historical & Architectural Sights
Akershus Castle & Fortress (Akershus Festning): This
fortress and former military stronghold from the 1200s offers incredible buildings,
museums, and a great view of the harbor. For more information visit their website
at: www.forsvarsbygg.no/festningene/
(Norwegian only).
Nobel Peace Center (Nobels Fredssenter): This building
is the home of the Nobel Peace Prize and it houses a museum honoring all past laureates,
information about the award's founder, Alfred Nobel, and other displays about
peace and war. The award itself is not presented here though, it is presented in
Oslo Town Hall. For more information visit their website at: www.nobelpeacecenter.org/en/.
Norwegian Opera House (Operahuset): This post-modern building
appears to be an iceberg to the trained eye and to others is perhaps the most visually
stunning man-made structure in all of Norway. Most visitors only picnic on the slowly
slanting roof, but inside the building is home to world class operas, ballets, and
other performing arts. For more information visit their website at: www.operaen.no/en/.
Parliment (
Stortinget)
Parliament (Stortinget): The Parliament building stands
in the center of Oslo and serves as the home to the legislative body in Norway.
It is also available for tours to the public. For more information visit their website
at: www.stortinget.no/en/In-English/.
Royal Palace (Slottet): The royal palace (1824-1848) is
centered in the middle of Oslo and is home to the royal family. It is also available
for tours to the public. For more information visit their website at: www.royalcourt.no.
Museums, Arts, & Entertainment
Fram Museum (Frammuseet): This museum houses the ship,
"Fram," which is one of the most famous polar ships. Visitors can actually
step on board the ship to understand how the people lived on polar expeditions.
For more information visit their website at: www.frammuseum.no.
National Gallery (Nasjonalgalleriet): A part of the National
Museums (Nasjonalmuseet), this museum is Norway's largest art museum
as it's home to paintings, drawings, and sculptures. The most famous of its
paintings is "The Scream," by Edvard Munch, also recognized by Guinness
World Records™ as being the most stolen painting of all time. For more information
visit their website at: www.nasjonalmuseet.no/en/venues/the_national_gallery/.
National Museum of Contemporary Art: A part of the National Museums
(Nasjonalmuseet), this museum hosts a number of visual art pieces from
the past century and often has rotating exhibits. For more information visit their
website at: www.nasjonalmuseet.no/en/venues/museum_of_contemporary_art/.
Natural History Museum (Naturhistorisk museum): This museum
is also home to botanical gardens, a zoological museum, and a museum filled with
geological items, including rocks and minerals. For more information visit their
website at: www.nhm.uio.no/english/.
Norwegian Museum of Science, Technology, and Medicine (Norsk Teknisk Museum):
This hands-on museum is great for children as most of the displays are interactive
and educational. For more information visit their website at: www.tekniskmuseum.no/ (Norwegian only).
Norwegian Opera House (Operahuset): This post-modern building
appears to be an iceberg to the trained eye and to others is perhaps the most visually
stunning man-made structure in all of Norway. Most visitors only picnic on the slowly
slanting roof, but inside the building is home to world class operas, ballets, and
other performing arts. For more information visit their website at: www.operaen.no/en/.
Oseberg in the Viking Ship Museum
Vigelandsparken Sculpture Park (Vigelandsanlegget): This
huge park (which is a part of Frogner Park) features over 200 sculptures by Gustav
Vigeland and is a center of modern art as locals and tourists alike flock to this
public park. For more information visit their website at: www.vigeland.museum.no/en/vigeland-park.
Viking Ship Museum (Vikingskipshuset på Bygdøy): The highlight
of this museum is the two well-preserved Viking ships from the 800s, but it also
offers an insight into the Viking way of life and culture as it displays tools,
carvings, and clothing among other items. For more information visit their website
at:
www.khm.uio.no/english/visit-us/viking-ship-museum/.
Sports, Activities, & Parks
Holmenkollen Ski Jump & Museum (Holmenkollbakken):
This ski jump offers more than just the jump itself, this area offers great views
of the city of Oslo and the world's oldest ski museum, a fitting attraction
for the country that invented ski jumping and many other winter sports. For more
information visit their website at:
www.holmenkollen.com/eng.
Tusen Fryd (Tusenfryd): This is Norway's largest and
most popular amusement park as it boasts water rides, roller coasters, and other
games and rides; the park is only open from April to October. For more information
visit their website at: www.tusenfryd.no/eng.
Vigelandsparken Sculpture Park (Vigelandsanlegget): This
huge park (which is a part of Frogner Park) features over 200 sculptures by Gustav
Vigeland and is a center of modern art as locals and tourists alike flock to this
public park. For more information visit their website at: www.vigeland.museum.no/en/vigeland-park.
Areas & Neighborhoods of Interest
The Government Quarter (Regjeringskvartalet) is a cluster
of government buildings near Parliament. Although few of these buildings stand out
from an architectural perspective, the area is the center of Norway's political
scene.
Transportation
Transportation options from Oslo are numerous as the capital is also
Norway's largest transportation hub. SAS Airlines has a hub in Oslo
and from here there are daily flights to all large Norwegian cities and even many
towns. Train routes in Norway are limited, but from Oslo trains travel to many large
cities, including Bergen and some further afield,
including Trondheim. Buses also service the country
quite extensively and from Oslo you can get to nearly any city in Norway, although
some bus routes take a long time to navigate the geography. Boat routes are more
limited, but travel to some cities in Norway.
Like the domestic routes, Oslo is also the largest hub for international transportation
routes. The airport services flights to dozens of countries throughout the world,
although regional routes are more common as getting to any major European city is
easy from Oslo's airport. Boats from Oslo primarily service locations in Denmark,
but there are further routes as well. Bus and train routes from Oslo are primarily
limited to traveling to Sweden.
Airport: Oslo has a few airports, but the largest is Gardermoen
International Airport, which is located about 31 miles (50 kilometers) from the
city's center. The airport code is OSL and the airport's website is: www.osl.no/en/osl. This airport is a hub for Scandinavian
Airlines (SAS), Norwegian Air Shuttle, and Wilderoe.
Oslo is also home to a couple small regional airports, including Moss Airport, which
is in the town of Rygge and serves numerous budget airlines. Its airport code is
RYG and it is located about 40 miles (65 kilometers) from Oslo's city center.
The airport's website is: www.en.ryg.no/).
For the location of these airports or for directions, see the map below.
Train Station: Oslo's main train station is located on the
center of town. For train times and schedules, their website is: www.nsb.no. For its location or directions, see the map
below.
Bus Station: There are numerous private bus companies that service
Oslo. There are a couple bus stations and stops, but the main bus station is located
next to the train station and most long-haul bus routes begin or end here. For its
location or directions, see the map below.
Local Transportation: Oslo has an extensive public transportation
system, including a Metro (subway), buses, trams, and ferries. These services are
run by Ruter; for times and prices, visit their website at: ruter.no/en/. There are also services from the airports
to downtown. For more information on these services go to their website at: www.visitoslo.com/en/transport/transport-airport/.
Official Websites
City of Oslo:
www.visitoslo.md
Kingdom of Norway:
www.visitnorway.com
Map & Directions