Notable Norway

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– 08/08/2011Posted in: Exploration Blog

The impressive marble Oslo Opera House

Not only does Oslo have lots of historical buildings and a history, it is also a modern city constantly adding to itself.  I roamed about on my last day checking out some of the features that were new since 1988 but also that I did not get to see then as well.  Notably I went to see the Opera House and the Fortress.  Both entirely different from each other but both very impressive.

One of the many roof areas that you can walk on

The Opera House is this imposing marble structure on the waterfront.  When you stand back and see the whole building it has lines that remind you of a sailboat.  The angular roof can be walked upon for great views of Oslo.  It was a good thing that it was actually cloudy when I went to see it because the reflection off the marble can be blinding.  I can’t even imagine what such a structure as this might weigh.  It definitely has a modern clean Scandanavian feel to it.

A nifty sculpture that was floating out on the ocean - I am not sure what it is supposed to be so decide for yourself

Unfortunately the day was pretty grey and rainy so my original thought of maybe taking a ferry to one of the local islands was nixed from the plan.  Instead I wondered along the waterfront making my way to the now refurbished area of the old fishermen’s docks.  Enroute I stumbled into the Akershus Fortress.

Unfortunately the fortress was having a lot of work done to it – infrastructure work – so there was a lot of scaffolding and the like covering walls and buildings.  But I was still able to wonder about and visit the castle.

Entrance to the fortress

The Akerhus Fortress contains buildings and structures from the Middle Ages to the present.  Its history ranges from dramatic military events, through tragedies of prison and occupations, to its present role as host to military schools and offices, cultural activities, and government entertainment.  It is not a place held static in the past but is used and updated for present day use.

A soldier waits for the changing of the guard infront of the guardhouse which was built in 1724

Akershus was begun at the end of the 1200s and is first mentioned in the year 1300.  It was created by a man named Hakon V, the great Norwegian castle-builder.  The first attempt to modernize the castle was in the 1500s.

Looking at the eastern curtain wall built in about 1300

It is mostly the walls and sections of the castle that date back to the 1300 and they are all pretty interesting.  I liked the castle too and sections of it are used for events and dinners.  There is some amazing furniture from the 1500 – 1600s that furnish sections of the castle and are used for display purposes.  They are quite beautiful.

A furnished room within the castle interior.

From 1592 the castle was slowly converted into a a modern Renaissance palace.  From the outside though it would still fit well in the middle ages.  There is also the Resistance Museum within the fortress area which displays information about the time during the second world war that Norway was occupied by the Nazis.  I didn’t go in there as a slew of cruise ship passengers were lined up to take a look and I couldn’t be bothered to deal with the crowds.

Heading out of the fortress