Norway's capital and largest city sneaks up on one and makes one very glad one came. Oslo has a certain staid reputation and is by no means Scandinavia's most beautiful city. But low-key Oslo nonetheless has lots to see and do - it just doesn't make such a big fuss about it.
King Harald Hardråda founded Oslo
in 1048 and in the early 14th century King Håkon V created a military presence
by building the Akershus Festning in the hope of deterring the Swedish threat
from the east. In 1624 Oslo was
destroyed by a massive fire but was rebuilt by King Christian IV, who renamed
the city Christiana after himself. Oslo
was rebuilt on the west side of the river, making it more defensible. Norway
united with Sweden
in 1814 and the unification contributed to Oslo's
strong economic and political growth right up until the break with the Swedes
in 1905. In 1925 the city reverted to its original name, Oslo.
Despite Norway
declaring itself neutral in WWII, Germany
invaded in 1940. During the war the Norwegian government continued to represent
an independent Norway
in exile. Oslo benefited from
postwar prosperity generated in large part by the discovery of oilfields in Norway's
North Sea waters in the 1960s and 1970s
Akershus Slott Festning
This medieval castle and fortress were built in 1300 and reconstructed
several times after many attacks, including one occurring during the 1563-70
War of the North. The visitor will find tiny rooms where outcast nobles were
kept, in stark contrast to the far more elaborate dining halls and staterooms
on the upper floors. The Akershus contains dungeons, plush upper floors with
banquet halls and staterooms, and the chapel used for royal events. The chapel
holds the crypts of King Haakon VII and King Olav V.
Akershus was one of the sturdiest castles in northern Europe.
Its unique layout, as well as the difficult terrain where it sits overlooking
the harbor, made it almost impregnable. In the early 17th Century, the fortress
was modernized and remodeled under the reign of King Christian IV, and got the
appearance of a renaissance castle. At the fortress one can see the changing of
the guard each afternoon. Nowadays, the fortress grounds play host to concerts
and theatre productions. The Norwegian Armed Forces museum and the Norwegian
Resistance museum can be visited there. Standing on the walls and ramparts you
will get truly great views of the Oslo
fjord and the city.