Oslo is the capital and largest city of Norway. It is also a municipality, and a county of its
own. It is the third-largest Scandinavian city, after Stockholm and Helsinki, and it forms
the third-largest urban area in the region, after Copenhagen and Stockholm.
The city centre of Oslo is situated at the end of the Oslofjord from where the city sprawls
out both to the north and to the south on both sides of the fjord giving the city area more or
less the shape of a "U".
The urban municipality (bykommune) of Oslo and county (fylke) is the same entity. Of
Oslo's total area, 115 km² is built-up and 7 km² is agricultural. The open areas within the
built-up zone amount to 22 km². The meaning of the name Oslo has been the subject of much debate. It is certainly
derived from Old Norse, and was in all probability the name of a large farm at the site of
the first settlements in Bjørvika.
A fire in 1624 destroyed much of the medieval city (the section now known as
Gamlebyen), and the city was relocated nearer to the Akershus Fortress. King Christian IV
of Denmark and Norway renamed the reborn city Christiania. From the end of the 1800s,
the city was also spelled "Kristiania" or "Christiana" (from 1878 by the government). An
official decision was never made regarding the spelling of the name of the city with a 'K',
so both forms were in use. The original name of Oslo was restored by a law of 11 July
1924, effective 1 January 1925.
The city was once referred to as Tigerstaden (City of tigers) by the author Bjørnstjerne
Bjørnson around 1870, due to his perception of the city as a cold and dangerous place.
This name has over the years achieved an almost official status, to the extent the 1000
year anniversary was celebrated by a row of tiger sculptures around city hall. The
prevalence of homeless and other beggars in newer times led to the slight rewording of
the nickname into 'Tiggerstaden', or Beggar City, and a harsh picture of the city was
drawn by Knut Hamsun in his novel Sult (Hunger) from 1890 (cinematised in 1966 by
Henning Carlsen).
It has been regarded as the capital city since the reign of Håkon V (1299-1319), who was
the first king to reside permanently in the city. He also started the construction of the
Akershus Fortress. A century later Norway was the weaker part in a personal union with
Denmark, and Oslo's role was reduced to that of provincial administrative centre, with the
kings residing in Copenhagen. The fact that the University of Oslo was founded as late as
1811 had an adverse effect on the development of the nation.
Oslo was destroyed several times by fire, and after the fourteenth calamity, in 1624, King
Christian IV of Denmark (and Norway) ordered it rebuilt at a new site across the bay, near
Akershus Fortress and given the name Christiania. But long before this, Christiania had
started to regain its stature as a centre of commerce and culture in Norway. The part of
the city built from 1624 is now often called Kvadraturen because of its orthogonal layout.
In 1814 Christiania once more became a real capital when the union with Denmark was
dissolved. Many landmarks were built in the 19th century, including the Royal Palace
(1825-1848), Stortinget (the Parliament) (1861-1866), the University, Nationaltheatret and
the Stock Exchange. Among the world-famous artists who lived here during this period
were Henrik Ibsen and Knut Hamsun (the latter was awarded the Nobel Prize for
literature). In 1850, Christiania also overtook Bergen and became the most populous city
in the country. In 1878 the city was renamed to Kristiania. The original name of Oslo was
restored in 1925.
If you are travelling to Oslo on a budget staying in a Oslo Hostel is a great option to save money and meet new people. Many hostels provide free breakfast, tours of the area and party nights too so they are great fun!
PLACE TO VISIT
The Royal Palace - is at the end of KarlJohans gate, the city's main avenue.
University of Oslo - is between the Royal Castle and Stortinget on the KarlJohans
gate. This is where the Nobel Peace Prize is presented to it's winner every year. The
building is currently only housing the Faculty of Law, the rest of the university is situated at
Blindern.
Oslo Cathedral - is none too impressive, but dominates parts of the down town
scene.
Kirkeristen - the old bazaar surrounding the church, is now used by artisans and
craftsmen, and holds a couple of cafes and restaurants.
Oslo's City Hall - is located by the waterfront, with Fritdjof Nansensplass on the
inland side. It's open to the public, with a spectacular main hall featuring huge murals
with typical Nordic socialist themes. There are also some displays of historical artifacts in
the side rooms upstairs.
Akershus festning - is a medieval castle built in 1299, located close to the city
center. There are several excellent viewpoints to the Oslofjord and surrounding areas.
The stone walls create an exciting atmosphere, and you are free to roam around in tight
passages and staircases. There are two museums here, both related to Norwegian
military history.
Holmenkollen - the ski jump located on the west side of Oslo . It was first opened in
1892, but has been re-built many times since then. It has more than 1 million visitors
every year. You can get all the way up to the top of the ski jump tower, where you have a
great view of the city. The ski jump will be replaced before the FIS Nordic World Ski
Championship held in Oslo in 2011. There is also the oldest ski museum in the world,
opened in 1923. Walking and mountain bike riding are popular activities here during the
summer.
Henrik Ibsen Museum - in the crossing between Arbins gate and Henrik Ibsens
gate have just re-opened, and is a treat.
Munch Museum - is definitely worth a visit if you want to enjoy paintings of the
famous Norwegian painter Edward Munch. (The museum had been closed, but is now
reopened with security improvements.) There is of course also the National Gallery,
featuring Norwegian art from the national-romantic period, as well as some art by
international artists. National Gallery entrance is free.
Viking ship museum - which in addition to two 900 year old viking-ships
(apparently the best preserved in the world) also contains various other viking artifacts
and a viking burial chamber, complete with ancient skeletons.
Holocaust Center - is also located at Bygdøy, in the former residence of the
Norwegian World War 2 collaborator and nationalist leader, Vidkun Quisling. The center
houses exhibitions and provides research on Holocaust and the plight of religious
minorities.
Frogner park with the Vigeland Sculpture Park is a large green area about
10 minutes by subway from the city center. In addition to being a nice green recreational
area, it is also decorated with hundreds of sculptures by the Norwegian artist Gustav
Vigeland. There is a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere here, and if your children want to
climb the statues, nobody will even bother to look twice at you. There is also a cafeteria,
and two museums, the City Museum of Oslo and the Vigeland Museum.
WHAT TO DO
You have to visit the wooden housing areas of Oslo like . They are a "must" for lovers of
old wooden town houses. These areas were likely to be erased from Oslo in the
seventies by eager town planners who wanted highways for cars rather than living areas
for the citizens, but luckily they were stopped by idealists who really loved their city. Their
effort has really made these parts of Oslo into something special, even though other
Norwegian cities have bigger wooden areas. Still these areas are a plus for Oslo and
their inhabitants as well as for the tourists. They are not a common sight for tourists, but
some of the areas have cafes/restaurants worth a visit. In Kampen you can find a very
cozy Elvis café by the church.
In summertime, you can also take one of the ferries out to various islands in the
Oslo-fjord. There is also a bathing bus (number 87) running from mid-June to
mid-August from Jernbanetorvet to the brilliant beaches Hvervenbukta, Bestemorstranda
and Ingierstrand. Additionally, for Hvervenbukta you may take the train to Hauketo, then
bus 76. Outdoor swimming pools can be found at Frognerparken and Tøyenbadet.
(Tøyenbadet is currently under refurbishment and opens again in April 2008).
Ingierstrand is a 1930's bathing resort with very special functionalist architecture.
For fresh water swimming, Akerselva is clean upstream of Nydalen. The best spot may
be at Frysja . Don't forget that most of the waters in "Oslomarka" are for swimming and
recreation. Buy a map and bring your swimming gear!
If you want to experience nightlife, Oslo has a surprisingly large selection of restaurants,
nightclubs and bars considering the population size. Many say that Oslo is the party
capital of Scandinavia
Buy at least one 19 NOK (or 29,-) Hotdog- They are referred to as "kjempegrill" and they are great for keeping the low blood sugar troll at bay and to increase your weight!
Take walks in Oslo's many forests. Nice gateways to the beautiful nature are T-bane to
Frognerseteren (line 1), Sognsvann (line 3), Romsås (line 5) or Skullerud (line 3) or the
train to Movatn (local trains towards Hakadal or Jaren).
The area around Holmenkollen (T-bane 1) is well suited for cross-country skiing, but also
a nice area for hiking during summertime. While you are there, you can also visit the
ski-museum which is located close to the ski-jump. For additional fun, buy a cheap
sledge or "akebrett", or rent a proper one from Frognerseteren, and sleigh down from
Frognerseteren to Midtstuen station. This was actually the venue of the sleighing
competitions in the 1952 Winter Olympics, and the hill is referred to as "Korketrekkeren"
(the corkscrew). If you buy a day-card for the subway, you can race all day long, but make
sure you are well dressed, as you are going to get wet.
HOW TO REACH
By plane - Oslo Airport is Norway's largest airport, located in Gardermoen, 45
kilometres north-east of Oslo. It's 19-22 minutes and NOK 160 (NOK 80 with student I.D.)
by the Flytoget high speed train from Oslo central station. Alternatively, try one of the
cheaper Flybussen buses which take roughly 45 minutes to the city centre (NOK 120), or
the slower local trains (two lines, schedules here and here) (NOK 86). There are also a
comprehensive bus service to other parts of Oslo and the region, through
Flybussekspressen.
Taxis can, and should, be ordered in the booth inside the terminal for different fixed prices
from NOK 395 to Oslo downtown. Going outside to flag one from the queue always work
out more expensive.
By train - Oslo Central Station is at the eastern fringe of the city centre, by the end of
the main pedestrian street Karl Johansgate. Internationally, there are three daily services
to Gothenburg (Sweden) (4 hours). Four daily trains travel in the direction of Stockholm
(Sweden) (6 hours), two of which will require a change in Karlstad (schedules here). In
addition, night trains run Thursday and Sunday nights. For Copenhagen (Denmark) and
beyond, you have to change trains in Gothenburg.
Tickets for the Gothenburg line should be bought at the NSB website, where the
Minipris-fares run as low as NOK 199. Tickets for the Stockholm line is cheaper if you buy
it of the Swedish train company SJ's website, where the "Just Nu"-tickets can end up as
cheap as SEK 150.
By car - International highways E6 (from Malmö and Gothenburg) and E18 (from Saint
Petersburg, Helsinki and Stockholm) meet in Oslo. There is a road tax of NOK 20 to enter
Oslo with a car. The money is used for road construction and public transport.
The E6 is the main north-south road of Norway, and continues north to Trondheim, Alta
and Kirkenes, with branches to most Norwegian cities. The E16 runs west to Bergen, the
E134 to Haugesund and the E18 run south-west to Drammen, Grenland
(Skien/Porsgrunn) and Kristiansand. Other notable roads into Oslo include Rv4 from
Gjøvik, Rv2 from Charlottenberg (Sweden) and Kongsvinger and Rv7, an alternative road
to Bergen passing Gol and Geilo.
By bus - Oslo is well served by bus from most of Europe. The biggest operators of
international buses are Swedish companies Swebus Express and Säfflebussen. Both
run inexpensive services to and from Stockholm, Gothenburg and Copenhagen several
times a day, Säfflebussen even goes to Berlin. Lavprisekspressen also has buses twice
a day to Gothenburg and Copenhagen. Norwegian company Nor-Way Bussekspress
runs services to Gothenburg, while Eurolines have connections to a number of countries,
most notably Poland, Germany and the Netherlands. Moravia Express run direct buses to
Prague and Brno.
By boat - Oslo is connected to Denmark and Germany by car ferry. Color Line runs
services to Frederikshavn(Denmark) and Kiel (Germany) daily. DFDS runs daily services
to Helsingborg (Sweden) and Copenhagen (Denmark), while Stena Line runs to
Frederikshavn (Denmark).
