Oslo Attractions

Beyond the National Gallery (entrance at Frederiksgate 2) is the Historical Museum (1903), which contains Oslo University's historical and ethnographic collections. Among the Nordic antiquities the rich collection of material on the Viking age (ca. 800-1050) is particularly noteworthy. There are also a collection of material on the Eskimo and Siberian peoples and a coin cabinet.

Spread out over an expanse of 60ha, this parks includes a number of very mature trees, a reflecting pool and informal garden space.

This privately owned museum, Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, features temporary international artist exhibitions. There is also a collection of Norwegian contemporary art.

On the eastern outskirts of Oslo is the Botanic Garden (Botanisk Have; entrance in Trondheimsveien), with a great variety of trees and shrubs, flowers and useful plants. It includes a museum containing large herbaria.

On the hill above the Botanic Garden are the Zoological Museum, the Museum of Mineralogy and Geology and the Palaeontological Museum.

North of Oslo's Museum of Applied Art, between Ullevålsveien and Akersveien, is the Cemetery of Our Savior (Vor Frelsers Gravlund), with the graves of Bjørnson and Ibsen, the painter H. F. Gude and the poet Henrik Wergeland.

The Ibsen Museum features the life and works of Henrik Ibsen as well as the apartment in which he spent his last 11 years. The Ibsen apartment features original furnishings with the library, dining room and parlours open to the public.

To the south of the Norwegian Parliament Building, in Akersgate, can be seen a monument to the poet J. H. Wessel (1742-85). Opposite it is the Freemasons' Lodge.

At the north end of Akersgate is St Olav's Church (1853; R.C.). Opposite the church, at St Olavsgate 1, is Oslo's Museum of Applied Art (Kunstindustrimuseet), which gives an excellent survey of the development of the applied and decorative arts in Norway (tapestries, including the fine Baldishol Tapestry of about 1180 from Baldishol church in Hedmark county; metalwork, glass, furniture, etc.). Associated with the Museum is a School of Arts and Crafts.

In Oslo's old Arsenal in Nedre Akershus is the Military Museum, with displays of weapons and other exhibits illustrating the history of the Norwegian forces and the defense of Norway down the centuries.

In the north of Oslo, at Kjelsåsveien 143, is the Norwegian Museum of Technology and Industry (telecommunications, transport, etc.). There are numerous press-button working models and apparatus which visitors can try out for themselves.

This museum holds a variety of aircraft used in Norway from the First World War to the 1970s.

At the north end of Akersveien is Oslo's Old Aker Church (Gamle Akerskirke), a basilican church in Anglo-Norman style which first appears in the records before 1150 and may have been founded by Olav Kyrre (restored 1861).

Beyond the Oslo's Trinity Church, to the east, are the Deichman Library (the Municipal Library, with some 1,378,000 volumes) and the Swedish Margaretakirke (1926). To the southeast, in Youngstorg, is the Norske Opera (1958).

The Oslo Spektrum is home to a variety of cultural and entertainment events. Some of the events include the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, the Eurovision Song Contest, Pop Idol finals, the Spellemannprisen award ceremony and Oslo Horse Show. It is also a popular location for trade fairs.

This scenic rail route features beautiful mountain and seaside scenery. Constant daylight for the whole trip, combined with musk and rich scenery make this a memorable voyage.

This beautiful rail trip features glacier-hewn gorges, numerous tunnels and stunning mountain scenery.

To the north of the Cemetery of Our Savior in Oslo, between Ullevålsveien and Geitmyrsveien, lies the beautiful park of St Hanshaugen (concerts in summer).

In Eidsvollplass, adjoining the Parliament Building, is a statue (by Bergslien) of the poet Henrik Wergland (1808-45). A short distance away lies the Studenterlund, originally a park with a bandstand, now the haunt of street musicians, with stalls selling a variety of wares.

From the Storting, Oslo's Akersgate leads northeast past the modern Government Buildings (1957- 59; Nos. 42-44) to the Trinity Church (Trefoldighetskirke; 1853-58), a neo-Gothic brick building. Notable features of the interior are the stained glass (by F. Haavardsholm) in the choir, the altar, with a painting of the Baptism of Christ, and the fine organ-case.

The Oslo Underground (T-Banen) was opened in 1966 and is made up of seven lines with 98km of track, 14.5km of which are underground. There are sixty-five stations, thirteen of which are underground. The system has a flat fare structure with full integration of fares with other modes of transport in the city.

The system serves about fifty-five million passengers yearly with a rolling stock of 205 cars. During peak hours trains run every one and three-quarter minutes.