The capital of Norway is the name of the capital. Musical, opera and dance art. Holidays and events

City Oslo is the capital of Norway is the oldest of the northern European capitals. It was founded as a trading settlement in 1048 by King Harald III of Norway the Severe. After the death of this king in the battle for the English throne, the 3rd century Viking Age ended.These brave and cruel seafaring warriors began their campaigns at the end of the 8th century. The reason was simple: there was not enough fertile land in the homeland, the population grew, and the kings wanted wealth. They did not find another way to solve their problems, like robbery of neighbors.At first, the Vikings terrified neighboring countries, but over time, the geography of their invasions expanded. They ravaged Paris, Hamburg, noted in Lisbon, regularly attacked England, settled Iceland, and in 986 viking ship sailed to the shores of North America, 500 years ahead of the caravel of Christopher Columbus.The Vikings were willingly taken into service by the Russian princes, under whose command the Slavic-Varangian squads went on campaigns to Constantinople. In turn, the Byzantine emperors also resorted to the services of these mercenaries. So Harald III and his warriors managed to fight both for and against the rulers of Constantinople, while amassing a considerable fortune, which later helped him to seize the Norwegian crown. He also married the daughter of Yaroslav the Wise, Elizabeth, to whom he dedicated poetry.

Viking ships and the Fram by Fridtjof Nansen

In memory of those old times On the peninsula of Bygdeuns in 1926, the Norwegians opened a museum where they placed the Viking funeral ships found on the coast Oslo fjord during archaeological excavations. Gokstad, the oldest of them, dates back to the 8th century. The exposition also presents other items found in the burials: wagons, sledges, buckets, wooden ornaments - everything that brave warriors took with them forever, setting off on their journey to Odin.

On the same museum peninsula, Bygdejuns, there is another ship - the famous Fram, the brainchild of Fridtjof Nansen. The great polar explorer designed it specifically for the Arctic, in particular, for a long drift in multi-year ice. Two trips to the North Pole were made on this ship, the first - under the leadership of Nansen, the second - by Sverdrup. The Fram also made a voyage to the South Pole, which was conquered by another famous traveler and scientist, Roald Amundsen. Rightfully proud of its polar explorations Norway, photo the ship "Fram" is one of her calling cards.

Akershus Fortress and Royal Palace

Oslo became the capital 250 years after the founding with the light hand of King Hakon V the Holy, who built the first stone structure on its territory - the Akershus fortress. She withstood the siege of the Swedish army in 1308, but two centuries later, ironically, burned to the ground due to a lightning strike. A new complex was built on the site of the ashes, consisting of a fortress and a castle.

In 1624 there was another fire, but this time all wooden buildings in Oslo perished in flames. At the behest of Christian IV, near Akershus, the city is rebuilt in stone. But from that moment on, the capital of Norway was renamed Christiania, in 1877 the letter "X" in the name changed to "K". And only in 1925 the name given at birth was returned to the city.

And the Akershus fortress either fell into decay or was reborn. Since 1811 there was a prison in it, then there was a museum. During World War II, the fortress was desecrated by the presence of the Gestapo. After the restoration, a museum of the Norwegian Resistance was opened in it.

Oslo's main street is named after King Charles XIV Johan, the birth of Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, a brilliant Napoleonic military commander who made a dizzying career from private to marshal. When the mercy of the emperor changed to anger, Jean-Baptiste went into voluntary "exile", becoming the adopted heir to the Swedish and Norwegian thrones. In 1818, the dashing Frenchman received the crown and the name Charles XIV Johan.

7 years later, Bernadotte began the construction of the Royal Palace in Christiania, which was conceived as a summer residence. Due to financial problems, construction progressed sluggishly, and the provincial status of the main city of Norway did not contribute to its acceleration. As a result, Karl Johan died without waiting for his new palace.

Now here is the residence of the current king Harold V, the third representative of the Glücksburg dynasty.

Cathedrals and churches of the capital of Norway

On Karl Johan Street is the Cathedral of the Lutheran Diocese of Oslo. The current version is the third one. The first building was laid in the 12th century by Jarl Sigurd I the Crusader in honor of the heavenly patron of Oslo, Saint Hallvard. For almost 5 centuries, this cathedral was the main temple of the capital; coronations, royal weddings and funerals were held here.

After the transfer of the city in 1624 to the fortress of Akerushus, the Cathedral of St. Hallvard fell into disrepair, and in the center of Christiania, near the market square in 1639, a new one was built in the Baroque style, named after the Holy Trinity. But after 50 years, this cathedral burns to the ground. In its place, a new one was erected, which, with some changes, has survived to this day.

The main temple of the Catholic diocese of the Norwegian capital is the Cathedral of St. Olaf, built in 1856 in the neo-Gothic style. Over the years, famous people presented it as gifts: in honor of the consecration of the cathedral, Queen Josephine presented a copy of the Sistine Madonna, in 1857 Pope Pius IX presented a marble tabernacle. In 1989, another pontiff, John Paul II, donated the relics of St. Olaf to the temple.

Acre Church, built in the Romanesque style in 1080, is the oldest church in Oslo.

It is located on the site of a former silver mine, which gave rise to the legend. According to her, countless treasures are hidden deep under the temple, which their formidable keeper will never give to people - troll.

Norwegian parliament and town hall in Oslo

The royal power in Norway is limited by the Storting (parliament), whose roots go back to the earlier Middle Ages, when tings (meetings of Norwegian clans) were held. At these meetings, kings were elected, criminals were judged, and treaties were concluded.

Now the bicameral Storting issues laws, adopts the country's budget and controls the work of the government. His residence is located in a beautiful eclectic building built in 1866 on Karl Johan Street. The author of the lion statues at the entrance was Gubrand, who was sentenced to death, who was recruited to work due to a shortage of sculptors. The parliamentarians liked the lions so much that they pardoned their creator.

Another iconic place in Oslo is the city hall, which was erected intermittently from 1933 to 1950. Its building is an organic mixture of classicism, functionalism and romanticism. The austerity of the brown brick facade is in harmony with the interior decoration in the tradition of Norwegian national art.

Every year on December 10, the City Hall hosts the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony.

Theater life in the Norwegian capital

Is in Oslo attractions associated with theatrical art. The Norwegian National Theater was opened in 1899 in a building on Karl Johan Street. On its stage were the most famous works of domestic and foreign playwrights (Ibsen, Bjornson, Lagerkvist, Chapek, etc.).

During the occupation in 1940, the Nazis first traditionally placed barracks in the theater building, but later they began to use it for its intended purpose, staging plays by German authors there.

The opera house in the Norwegian capital was built at the beginning of the 21st century. It is located on the banks of the Oslo Fjord, its architectural appearance is amazing. It seems that the building smoothly goes into the water, such an illusion is created by the roof, which descends at an angle to the ground.The interior design is no less original: the hall has the shape of a horseshoe, is lined with oak panels and has excellent acoustics.

The theater is partially powered by solar panels located on its southern façade.

The homeland of Vikings and trolls, glorified in ancient sagas, but which became independent only in the last century, is dynamically moving forward. According to the human development index for 10 years, it is the leader Norway, reviews about it, as about the most comfortable country, they are absolutely fair.

Valentina Balakireva


Photo: Nancy Bundt /www.visitnorway.com

Oslo (673 thousand inhabitants, 2018) is the capital and largest city of Norway. Oslo is located at the northernmost tip of the Oslo Fjord in the southeastern part of the country. Within the boundaries of the city there are 40 islands and 343 lakes, which are the most important source of drinking water. Until 1624, the capital of the Vikings was called Vikia (Vichia), from 1624 to 1925 - Christiania (Christiania). The name Oslo (Oslo) is “the mouth of the Lo” (Norwegian os is the “mouth”, Lo is the name of the river).

Oslo was founded by King Harald III the Severe in 1048. With his death, the three-century era of the armed expansion of the Scandinavian Vikings ended. King Hakon V the Saint named Oslo the capital of Norway in 1299 and built the Akershus fortress here. In the following centuries, Oslo became an important trading post associated with the Hanseatic League.

After a fire in 1624 that destroyed the wooden city, the Danish king Christian IV (at that time Norway was a province of Denmark) founded a new settlement near the Akershus fortress, named Christiania in honor of the king. The new city was built of stone in the tradition of the Renaissance with wide streets.

After the Great Northern War at the beginning of the 18th century, Christiania's economy began to grow rapidly thanks to shipbuilding and trade. As a result of the Anglo-Danish war of 1807-1814, Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden under the Treaty of Kiel. According to a spelling reform, the city was renamed Christiania in 1877, and in 1924 it returned to its original name of Oslo.

The climate of the city is moderately cold (marine), summers are cool, and winters are mild and snowy. The average annual temperature is +6.4 °C, the average July temperature is +17.2 °C, the average January temperature is -2.9 °C. The average amount of precipitation per year is 805 mm.

Due to the status of the capital, government organizations are located in Oslo, most of which are located in the Government Quarter, not far from the Norwegian Storting (parliament).

Since the 19th century, the city began to be divided into Western and Eastern parts. The western part is dominated by ethnic Norwegians and settlers from Western countries living in houses and cottage communities. Here the standard of living is considered the highest in the country. The population of the Western part is 196 thousand people.

About 360 thousand people live in the eastern part, of which up to 80% are first and second generation immigrants from neighboring Scandinavian countries, Pakistan, Iraq, North and East Africa, and Central Asia. Many local schools do not have ethnic Norwegians, including teachers. It is characterized by multi-storey block-type houses. Almost 30% of Oslo's population are immigrants. Grönland (Greenland, Greenland) is the most famous ethnic quarter in Oslo.

The most common religion in Oslo is Lutheranism, 7.4% of citizens are Muslim, and 24% of residents consider themselves atheists.

Oslo is Norway's largest economic and port center. Numerous companies engaged in maritime transportation, oil and gas production settled here. In terms of the number of large companies registered in the city, Oslo ranks 5th in Europe. Det Norske Veritas is one of the top three classification societies in the world. The seaport of Oslo with a cargo turnover of 6 million tons annually serves about 6 thousand ships and over 5 million passengers. Passenger ships and ferries depart from the port to Denmark and Germany.

Oslo is considered one of the most expensive cities in the world and the most visited in Norway by foreign tourists.

On the right in the picture is the City Hall from the side of the Osla Fjord. The long-term construction of the building was completed in 1950 for the 900th anniversary of Oslo. Today it is one of the most recognizable architectural monuments of the Norwegian capital. The building will annually host the international Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. The upper part of the building is decorated with two towers over 60 meters high. One of them has a huge clock in the style of the Middle Ages with 49 bells inside. Every hour a melody is played by bells.


Photo by Anton Dergachev

Entrance to the City Hall. The astronomical clock on the town hall, in addition to the usual time, also shows sidereal time. It depends on the point of the vernal equinox of the given area (pointer with an asterisk), the movement of the Sun across the sky among the constellations of the zodiac (the arrow with the sun and copper figures of the zodiac signs), the current phase of the Moon (the black-silver ball at the end of the arrow) and the eclipse (the arrow-dragon , covering the arrow of the Sun or the Moon, depending on the type of eclipse).


Photo by Vladimir Dergachev

Fountain "Swan Spring" in front of the entrance to the Town Hall. It is believed that swans embody the soul of the city of Oslo.


Here and further photos of Valentina Balakireva

The interior of the Town Hall was decorated by the best artists of the country. The interior contains unique artifacts that tell about the history of the city and the country. The elegantly decorated interior halls contrast with the austere facade of the building. In particular, the Blue and Gold Halls are remembered, in which a festive banquet and a ball in honor of Nobel laureates are held.

A fresco depicting Saint Halvard, the patron saint of the city of Oslo. The legend says that he tried to save a woman from three robbers, but both were killed. After that, the robbers hung a heavy millstone around Halvard's neck and threw his body into the water, which floated along with the millstone. The robbers were caught, and Halvard became a saint. He is depicted with three arrows. At the feet of the saint one can read the motto of the city of Oslo "Unanimiter et constanter" (One and constant).

View from the main entrance of the City Hall to the square of the famous polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen with a picturesque "swan" fountain.

The parliament building (Storting) is located in the center of Oslo, built in 1866.

Monument to the Danish-Norwegian king Christian IV (1577 - 1648), under which the Danish state reached the pinnacle of its power. He held the throne for 59 years - longer than anyone in Danish history.

Oslo Cathedral (1694-1697) was erected on the site of the Holy Trinity Church, completely destroyed by fire. The cathedral was built on public donations and for a century and a half was the tallest building in the capital. In 1950, the Cathedral was completely restored, it houses the work of Norwegian artists of the twentieth century. In 1977, a magnificent organ was installed.

Wilhelm Andreas Wexeli (Copenhagen, Denmark, 1797 - 1866, Oslo, Norway) was a catechist and curator of the Lutheran Church. His ministry was a turning point in the Norwegian church.

The Grand ***** Hotel was opened in 1874 in the center of Oslo, just 500 meters from the Royal Palace.

A monument at the railway station in the form of a hammer, dedicated to the underground anti-fascist group "Oswald", operating during the Second World War and controlled by the NKVD. The leader of this group, Asbjörn Sunde, was a communist who participated in the Spanish Civil War, and in the post-war years he served five years on charges of spying for the USSR.

city ​​tram

There is a sculpture of a tiger in front of the railway station.

Bicycles are popular with residents of the capital

Souvenir shop. Trolls are the national insanity of the Norwegians; not only children, but also many adults believe in them. They say that trolls come out of the caves in the evenings and lure lush milkmaids and blue-eyed farmers. Trolls are recognized by their tails. It is supposed to buy trolls in pairs, and in winter, during the mating season, close a couple in the closet, and then do not forget to let the happy ones out ...

Married couple of trolls

Norwegian guy seduces girl (or grandmother?) on harmonica

Pedestrianized street

Hotel Bristol

Speed ​​limits and on the streets of the capital

A man with a bag on wheels and a lady with a dog

Bronze father and son?

natural conditions

One of the main attractions of the capital, as well as the country, are the fjords, that is, river valleys processed by the glacier and flooded by the sea.

The climate is temperate, oceanic, with mild winters. In January, the temperature can drop to -5 ° C, and in July it stays within + 16 ° C. Approximately 677 mm of precipitation falls annually.

Population, language, religion

The population of the capital is 495 thousand people. As part of the suburbs and satellite cities, Oslo forms the urban agglomeration of Greater Oslo with a population of over 700 thousand people, which is about 18% of the country's population.

The official language is Norwegian. As for religion, in this respect the composition of believers is quite homogeneous: about 95% profess Protestantism (Lutheranism).

History of development

The city was founded in 1048 by King Harald III Harderode. At the end of the XIII century. it became the residence of the Norwegian kings, and in 1572 the center of the Danish administration in Norway. After a fire in 1624, Oslo was rebuilt, it was rebuilt in a new place and named Christiania in honor of the King of Denmark and Norway, Christian IV. Under this name the city in 1814. was recognized as the official capital of Norway. This date is, as it were, a starting point for the development of the city in industrial and commercial terms. In 1924 it was renamed Oslo.

During the Second World War, the Norwegian capital was occupied by Nazi troops, and was also one of the centers of the Resistance movement.

cultural significance

Unfortunately, few old houses of the 19th century have survived, even fewer of the 14th-18th centuries. Mostly modern buildings predominate. The city is located on two banks of the Akerselv River near the Eastern Railway Station. On the eastern shore of Pipervika Bay, the remains of the Old Town with the Akershus Fortress, which was built around 1300, in the 15th-16th centuries, have been preserved. rebuilt. From the Old Town to the north and northwest depart the regular quarters of the center of modern Oslo with the main street Karl-Juhansgate. It starts from the station and goes from east to west to the royal palace, built at the beginning of the 19th century. The street, as it were, connects these two architectural sights. It has clear divisions into zones. The transitional part rests against the parliament building. It has many shops and street venues with performing musicians. The second part of the street stretches from the National Theater and the University to the palace. Other architectural monuments include the Baroque Cathedral (1690s) and the Functionalist Government House. In the northern part of the same bay is the City Hall building with rich sculptural decorations on the outer walls and paintings on historical themes in the interior. Behind the Town Hall, on Karl-Juhansgate Street, and behind the port, the business part of the city is concentrated. West Side Oslo (Vestkante) is replete with numerous parks, among which is the famous Frogner Park with a giant sculptural ensemble of G. Vigeland.

The royal residence is very beautiful, literally immersed in greenery. Near the Queen's garden there are ponds where swans swim. In the same garden there is a bronze figure of one of the rulers of the past era. In total, the park contains about 150 works by the sculptor Vigeland (1869-1943). The style of the park is close to French (regular layout, as well as fountains, stairs and flower beds), but the sculptures of this master give the park a special, purely Norwegian hue. In general, there are a lot of sculptures in the city. One of them is the statue of the first King Haakon by Niels Aas, located on the 7th of July Square. Also noteworthy sculptural composition on an old pastoral plot, located among the flower beds near the theater building.

There are many museums in the city. In the center, next to the old buildings of the State University, there is the University Historical Museum (Museum of National Antiquities), which contains unique archaeological exhibits from the ancient and early Middle Ages. Near it is the National Gallery with the most significant collection of art works in Norway, the creations of the painter and graphic artist J.-K.-K. Dahl, paintings of various schools of the 19th and 20th centuries. Fans of expressionism can recommend the museum of the world-famous artist Edvard Munch. Also in the center is the Museum of Applied Arts.

The Norwegian Museum of Folk Life and the log buildings of its branch, the Open Air Museum, are very interesting. There are collected log buildings of old peasant estates from all over Norway. Nearby are three more unique museums. The first is the Viking Ship Museum with a collection of amazing archaeological exhibits - ancient Scandinavian elegant keel ships, on which the ancestors of modern Norwegians plowed the seas. Another museum is "Fram". Its main exhibit is the egg-bottomed keel ship of the same name, built to withstand the pressures of the Arctic ice. The third museum, Kon-Tiki, houses a private collection owned by Thor Heyerdahl. The two main exhibits of this museum are the Kon-Tiki balsa raft and the Ra-2 papyrus boat.

There are quite unusual museums in Oslo: the Ski Museum with their collection from ancient times to the present; Museum of conservation. The city has the National, Norwegian, New and Norwegian Opera Houses. There are educational institutions: the university, opened in 1811 in architectural complex middle of the 19th century; Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters; conservatory; State Academy of Arts. The largest libraries in Oslo are the university and the city.

Oslo is the main cultural center of the country.

Information for tourists

Despite the fact that tourists usually stay for a short time in the quiet and modest capital of Norway, Oslo is worthy of attention. Once on the Aker Brigge embankment, any tourist will surely want to look into one of the many fish restaurants that were schooners and yachts in the past.

It will be interesting to visit the mini-brewery on Bogstadvien Street, where anyone can follow the whole process of its production. An extract from the law on alcoholic beverages is also interesting, stating: “It is forbidden to serve strong alcoholic drinks on Sundays and holidays, as well as before 13.00 and after midnight on weekdays. Wine and beer are allowed to be served daily.” In Oslo, adding vodka to water and milk is common.

One of the most visited areas of Oslo, in addition to the waterfront, is the Bygde peninsula, where the famous museums of the capital of Norway are concentrated. Perhaps, most of all tourists are interested in the Museum of Thor Heyerdahl - Kon-Tiki - and the famous papyrus boat "Ra-2". A feature of Oslo is that the roads are located underground. Perhaps for this reason, the city seems quiet, even provincial, compared to other Scandinavian capitals. The rhythm of life also corresponds to this, as if conducive to calm philosophical contemplation.

Trondheim - the ancient capital of Norway

Trondheim is located in the northwestern part of the country, off the coast of the Trondheims Fjord. The city was founded by Olaf Trygveson in 997 and was originally called Nidaros, which means "mouth of the river Nid" in Norwegian. Until 1152, Nidaros was the capital of the Norwegian kingdom, from 1152 it became the ecclesiastical capital of the state (the residence of the Archbishop of Nidaros was located here). In the XIV century. the city was renamed Trondheim (from the Norwegian "trondru" - the generic name of the indigenous population and the German "heim" - "village, dwelling"). The historical part of the city occupies a peninsula near the river Nid Elv.

In the XII-XVII centuries. the historical center of the city was built up, many buildings of that period are now valuable architectural monuments. In 1140, the laying of the Catholic Cathedral, made in the Romanesque-Gothic style, took place. Its construction continued until 1320. The construction of one of the main attractions of the city - the Archbishop's Palace - dates back to the 12th-13th centuries. Architectural appearance The city as a whole was formed under the significant influence of the Romanesque and Gothic styles. Great originality of the ancient capital was given by ancient wooden churches - stavkirks, the architectural forms of which were formed back in the 11th-12th centuries.

Until 1380 coronation ceremonies for Norwegian monarchs were held in Trondheim. Similar celebrations took place in the Nidaros Cathedral, which was built in the 11th century. and was repeatedly rebuilt and reconstructed in the future.

In 1774-1778. in Trondheim, Stiftegorden was built - the residence of the Norwegian kings, created in the style of classicism. For the construction of this magnificent building, ancient architects used precious wood. From the end of the 17th century city ​​streets were built according to a single regular plan.

In the XVIII-XIX centuries. In Trondheim, industry began to develop, especially handicraft production of art products and fish processing. The city has become one of the most important port centers in Norway.

Since 1814, the city of Oslo was declared the official capital of Norway, however, in Trondheim, in the Nidaros Cathedral, the solemn coronations of monarchs who assumed the Norwegian throne resumed.

In January 1930, it was decided to return the city's historical name - Nidaros, but already in 1931 it was renamed Trondheim again. In 1940, the city was occupied by the troops of Nazi Germany, and only in May 1945 Trondheim was liberated from the invaders by the Resistance army. Throughout the entire period of the Nazi occupation, Trondheim was one of the active centers of the resistance movement.

In the post-war years, the construction of modern Trondheim began. Local architects, adherents of old traditions, tried to preserve the medieval appearance of Trondheim in the general plan of the city, so even new buildings and structures are made in the styles of pseudo-Romanesque architecture, Gothic, Neo-Gothic. The designs of many modern buildings resemble examples of old Norwegian wooden architecture.

Currently, Trondheim is the administrative center of the fylke (administrative-territorial unit) of Sør-Trøidelag. The food, machine-building, ship-repair, clothing, and woodworking industries are successfully developing in the city. A university has been opened in Trondheim, there are a number of museums, including the Museum of Applied Arts, the Ringwe Music Museum, and the Folk Museum. Art Industry Museum of Northern Norway, Art Gallery. Now Trondheim is one of the largest Norwegian cities and a port with importance for the economy of the whole country (the annual cargo turnover is over 1 million tons).

NORWAY
Kingdom of Norway, a state in Northern Europe, in the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. It ranks second in size (after Sweden) among the Scandinavian countries. Norway is called the land of the midnight sun because 1/3 of the country lies north of the Arctic Circle, where the sun barely sets below the horizon from May to July. In the middle of winter, in the far north, polar night lasts almost around the clock, and in the south, daylight hours last only a few hours.

Norway. The capital is Oslo. Population - 4418 thousand people (1998). The population density is 13.6 people per 1 sq. km. km. Urban population- 73%, rural - 27%. Area (together with the polar islands) - 387 thousand square meters. km. Highest point: Mount Galldhepiggen (2469 m). Official language: Norwegian (Riksmol or Bokmål; and Lansmol or Nynoshk). State religion: Lutheranism. Administrative-territorial division: 19 county. Currency: Norwegian krone = 100 ore. National holiday: Constitution Day - 17 May. National anthem: "Yes, we love this country."

Collier Encyclopedia. - Open society. 2000 .

- the capital of the Vikings and trolls
The capital of Norway, which celebrated its millennium in 2000. A large city of international scale, in which natural natural corners are carefully protected; it is often referred to as a nature reserve for walkers and cyclists. It is located on the territory of the Estlanna region in the depths of the fjord of the same name, on the banks of three bays: Björkvik, Pipervik and Frogner. Oslo is surrounded by rolling hills. mountain peaks covered with forests. There are a number of museums in the city, including very unusual ones.

From architectural monuments the greatest interest represent the Akershus Fortress (1300), the Royal Palace (1848) and the Parliament building. In the summer, Oslo hosts a number of colorful festivals.
The capital of Norway is located in picturesque place, at the beginning of the Oslo Fjord, which is 15-30 km wide at the entrance and about 102 km long. This calm city, so unlike the others modern megacities with their crazy rhythm of life, rich in history and invariably friendly, it is a real find for the modern tourist. The ancient Viking citadel can still be proud of its surrounding forests and fjord, offering visitors all kinds of recreation. Local attractions are very interesting and original, so travelers do not regret the time spent getting to know them. And for those who like to go clubbing with friends at dusk, Oslo will be doubly interesting, since this city is a recognized center of leisure and nightlife in Scandinavia.

Oslo is the oldest capital of Northern Europe - was founded by Harald Hardrod. It was from here that a thousand years ago the ancient Normans set out on sharp-nosed boats on trading and conquest expeditions. And the same city witnessed the end of the Viking Age when, in 1066, its founder, Harald IV, lost the Battle of Stamford Bridge in England.
At the end of the 13th century, Oslo became the official residence of the Norwegian kings and the capital of the state. The city continued to flourish until the middle of the XIV century, when the plague came to its streets - the scourge of medieval Europe. As a result of the epidemic in the capital, most of the population died. Weakened Norway hastened to conclude an alliance with Denmark, which lasted 400 years.

In 1624, the city was almost completely destroyed by a huge fire. King Gustav Christian IV gave the order to rebuild the ancient capital. This time - in stone. But the restored city was renamed Christiania - after the name of the monarch. In 1814, Christiania was again proclaimed the capital of Norway, but the state itself was ceded to Sweden. An attempt to achieve independence was thwarted by the invasion of neighbors. But the separation of Norway nevertheless happened - in 1905 and in a completely peaceful way. The Norwegians voted for the monarchy, inviting Prince Charles of Denmark to the throne of the state. The new ruler took the name of Haakon, and named his newborn son Olaf, emphasizing respect for the history of the country, for the glorious time of the Vikings. The former name, Oslo, returned to the city only in 1925.

Although the history of the Norwegian capital goes back more than a thousand years, there are practically no buildings of the 19th century, and even more so of the 14th-18th centuries, that have been preserved in it. The exception is the Akershus fortress, built around 1300 and for a long time being the residence of kings. Akershus is a complex consisting of the fortress itself and the castle. They are located on the eastern shore of Pipervik Bay, where few remains of the Old Town remain. The fortress was partially rebuilt in the XV-XVI centuries. It offers a magnificent view of the city, the Aker Brigge promenade and the bay. Akershus Castle is a building that can amaze even seasoned travelers.

Gloomy dungeons with small dark chambers are perfectly preserved here. They contain kept women” in the conclusion of the representatives of the medieval nobility. A great contrast with these "stone bags" are the upper floors: luxurious, with spacious halls and large bright rooms. The decoration of the castle speaks not only of the wealth of its former owners, but also of their fine artistic taste. In addition, the building has a chapel, which still, like many centuries ago, keeps the relics of the legendary kings Haakon VII and Olaf. This room is still used today for events with the participation of monarchs. Following the tradition, the guards walk around the castle every 15-20 minutes, arousing great interest among a large number of tourists who came to see the museum located within the walls of the fortress. During World War II, the Nazis used Akershus as a prison and execution site. It now houses the Museum of the Resistance.

In the building of the fortress, a model of Christiania is exhibited as one of the exhibits, so that everyone can imagine what the city was like several centuries ago.
Modern Oslo stretches over 453 sq. km, its population is 495 thousand people. The capital was built on both sides of the Akerselv River, which flows into the Bjorkvik Bay near the Eastern Railway Station. Together with the suburbs and satellite cities of Asker, Sandvika, Estre-Bärum, Hollerud and others, it formed the Greater Oslo agglomeration with a population of more than 700 thousand people. Thus, every sixth citizen of the state is a resident of the capital.

The main street of the city - Karl Johansgate - stretches from the railway station to the Royal Palace. It resembles an anthill: crowds of tourists roam here, you can meet various musicians, merchants of all nationalities. This shopping and pedestrian street has been carefully restored and turned into an area of ​​popular restaurants, fashionable shops and artists' studios. Karl Johansgate rests on the Royal Palace, so that everyone can admire how the changing of the guard takes place here at noon. Built in the style of classicism, this palace is a kind of hybrid between the White House and Russian noble estates.
The Parliament building (Storting), built in 1886, is also located on Karl Johansgate. It is adjacent to the National Theatre, built in 1891-1899. Interestingly, this building with a hall in the Rococo style was created specifically to stage Ibsen's plays in it. Between Karl-Juhansgate and the port, the entire business part of the city is concentrated. In general, the center of the Norwegian capital can be safely walked around for two hours and at the same time see a lot of interesting things.
Despite the fact that Oslo is the largest city in Norway, it continues to be a surprisingly calm place. It is very easy to navigate here, and the absence of traffic jams familiar to the city dweller on its roads makes visitors even more surprised. The fact is that the roads in Oslo are laid underground, and on the streets of the city pedestrians, cyclists and scooters are full-fledged owners.

In the northern part of the bay, behind the port, there is another local attraction - the Town Hall building, built in 1933-1950. Outside, this brick building is decorated with sculptures, and inside - beautiful wall paintings on historical themes. And in the western part of the bay is Aker Brigge - a modern complex of company offices, shops, restaurants. This is the kingdom of modern buildings made of stone and glass, a respectable and respectable part of the city. Enormous glass arrays give amazing lightness and transparency to the buildings soaring above the pavement. There are a large number of fish restaurants on this embankment. Entrepreneurial owners adapted moored yachts and schooners for them, having properly converted them. But once it was just an ordinary port with dirty docks. Since those times, a very small number of buildings have been preserved, and even those - in a greatly altered form.
An unusual modern building rises next to the station, which has become one of the symbols of today's Oslo. This is the tallest building in all of Scandinavia - the mirror hotel "Radisson SAS Plaza".
In the northwestern part of the city is the Olympic ski jumping hill, Holmenkollen, which is often referred to as Norway's "skiing mecca". On one Sunday in March, the country's largest annual ski jumping competition is held here.

In winter, it is of genuine interest to both city guests and the local population. (No wonder they say that Norwegians are born with skis on their feet!) On weekends, it seems that the whole of Oslo, including old people and kids, puts on skis and goes to Holmenkollen. But even in summer the number of vacationers here does not decrease. The fact is that in the bowl where skiers land, in the warm season there is ... a wonderful pool! And nearby, on the site, weddings are often celebrated, concerts are held and performances gather spectators.
Not far from the ski jump is the unique Museum of the History of Skiing. It contains a variety of snowmobile accessories. Next to the old skis and poles of a "respectable" age (4000 years old - no joke!) There are skis of Amundsen himself, the conqueror of the South Pole. And in the distance, modern high-tech vehicles look contemptuously at their distant unsightly ancestors, which are difficult to call even skis.
A little further from Holmenkollen is a television tower open to the public. From her top to good weather a completely fantastic view opens up: in front of the next curious tourist, a panorama with an area of ​​more than 30,000 km unfolds. That is, you can see not only the city and a piece of Norway itself, but also Lake Mjosa, and part of Sweden.

And in the center of the capital, not far from the old university building, there is the Historical Museum, which is also called the Museum of National Antiquities. Unique archaeological exhibits are exhibited here, telling about the ancient and early medieval history of Norway. Leaving this building and walking quite a bit, tourists find themselves at the National Gallery. It was created in 1837 with the participation of the famous painter and graphic artist Yu. K. Dahl. In addition to his own paintings, here you can see paintings from various schools of the 19th and 20th centuries: the works of the realist K. Krogh, A. Tiedemann, the landscape painter H. Gude and many other famous artists. And for the works of one of the classics of Norwegian expressionism, E. Munch, a separate museum was established. It boasts a collection of paintings and drawings
with a total number of more than 5,000 units, donated to the city by various celebrities. But Munch's most famous painting, The Scream, was nevertheless transferred in 1994 to the National Gallery.

Right there, in the center of Oslo, there is another museum, which is sure to be visited by all tourists coming to the city. This is the Museum of Applied Arts, which offers to get acquainted with the works of craftsmen of the past - cast and forged metal products, turned wooden figured vessels, samples of weaving, embroidery, lace, knitwear. Locals often visit here, which is not surprising, since many cultural traditions have been preserved in Norway. In the country, you can often see handmade folk costumes at weddings and various holidays. They are as much an integral part of the life of the local population as traditional folk dances, songs and fairy tales, in which trolls are sure to appear.
As for the Heni-Unstad cultural center, located in Hövikodden, it is a museum of modern art, where performances by fashion directors and exhibitions of abstract artists take place. The center was founded by Norwegian figure skater Sonya Henie. By the way, not far from it is the famous Bishlet Stadium, where major figure skating competitions are held - Norwegians love skating no less than skiing.

In general, there are really many attractions in the city. For example, there are three unique museums on the Bygdeuns peninsula. The oldest of them is the Viking Ship Museum. It contains amazing finds of archaeologists: those very ancient graceful keel ships, on which the ancestors of the modern inhabitants of Norway sailed around Europe and reached America, breaking the waves of the Atlantic. Recent discoveries have proven that the Vikings reached the shores of North America on these ships several centuries earlier than Columbus ...
A little further on is the Fram Museum. Here the main exhibit is the ship of the same name by Fridtjof Nansen. The keel boat with an egg-shaped bottom was built according to the drawings of a famous polar explorer specifically for sailing in arctic conditions. It was able to withstand compression by floating ice. The exposition of the museum tells about the scientific activity of Nansen, about his polar research, and also reveals the activities of the Norwegian as an artist and political figure. In 1922, Fridtjof Nansen received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in repatriating refugees and prisoners of war after the Second World War. ‘In addition, the scientist made a significant contribution to helping the starving in the Volga region. And a quarter of a century after Nansen's journey, another Norwegian, Roald Amundsen, fulfilled the dream of his famous predecessor: he sailed on the Fram to the shores. Antarctica, after which he was the first person to reach the South Pole on skis.

The most popular museum built on the peninsula is called "Kon-Tiki". Unlike all other collections owned by the state, this exposition is the private property of the famous traveler and explorer Thor Heyerdahl. Here you can see the Kon-Tiki balsa raft, on which in 1947 the fearless navigator with a crew overcame the water space from Peru to Polynesia. Thus, he confirmed his theory of the original settlement Polynesian islands immigrants from America. In addition, the museum exhibits the papyrus boat "Ra", on which Heyerdahl crossed the Atlantic Ocean. He was able to do this twice in 1969 and 1970, getting from Africa to the islands of Central America. His "Ra" and "Ra-2" confirmed the possibility of visiting America by the ancient Egyptians. This Norwegian ethnographer and archaeologist, a national hero of the country, donated many other exhibits dedicated to his travels to the museum.

But the largest and most significant museum on the peninsula is the Norwegian Folk Museum. Here you can get acquainted with the culture and way of life of the population of the country. Its branch is the Open Air Museum. It gives you the opportunity to admire the unique log buildings: log buildings of old peasant estates were brought here from all over Norway. In addition, this original exposition has restored unique riveted wooden churches. They are considered one of the oldest wooden buildings on earth. We can say that these buildings stand with one foot in the Viking era, and the other in the era of early Christianity (XI century).
On the island of Bigdones closest to Oslo, there is another attraction - the summer residence of the royal family with adjacent farms. This place is often called the "island of millionaires", because the land on it costs a bass of word money. The king and members of his family socialize freely with their subjects during morning runs in the park. In general, the monarchs of Norway are sometimes able to surprise even the local population: for example, in the midst of the energy crisis of the 1970s, the father of the current king, an inveterate skier, did not consider it reprehensible to go on a winter Sunday tram ride.

There are many interesting things in the vicinity of Oslo, for example, located a 10-minute ferry ride on the island of Gris Holmen. Tourist groups rarely come here, so on the island you can just wander in silence and watch the local wildlife. Namely, rabbits. You could say they are everywhere. Even the grass looks like it was cut by a very responsible gardener.
Modern Oslo is the main industrial, transport and cultural center of the country. Its machine-building and metalworking enterprises provide about 1/3 of the entire Norwegian production of machinery and equipment. From here stretch all over Norway and abroad the paths of all types of modern transport. The port in the Gulf of Pipervik handles more than 2/5 of the country's cargo turnover and provides a large share of foreign trade cargo turnover. For many years, Forneby Airport, located on the peninsula of the same name, was the “air gate” of the capital and the entire state. Now an important role in international transport operates the new Gardemon Airport.

In the eastern part of the city, Estcante, most of the industrial enterprises are concentrated. In the western part of Oslo, Westkant, the mansions of the richest part of the city's population were built. There are also parks here. Vigeland is a sea of ​​greenery and duck ponds. The shady alleys of the park have long become a favorite place for recreation, walks and picnics for the townspeople. The Vigeland Museum located not far from the park will help you get a more voluminous idea of ​​the park.

Frogner Park is especially famous with its giant sculptural ensemble, created by the famous self-taught Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland. The ensemble impresses even people who are far from art: in this amazing open-air park, about 1,000 sculptural images created at the beginning of the last century are exhibited. Vigeland managed to convince the city authorities to allocate a large plot and assume all the costs of the project. The sculptor worked on the realization of his idea for almost 43 years. He left behind a creation that has become a symbol of the city, combining naturalism and symbolism with a realistic interpretation of human life. Vigeland's sculptures show the life path that every person goes through from birth to death. But besides this, the sculptor managed to convey the feelings experienced by each representative of one generation. On numerous postcards and souvenirs that tourists buy as a keepsake of Oslo, most often only one of the thousand other figures is depicted - a sculpture of a crying, angry boy. The central exhibit in the park is a monolithic column - the most famous landmark of the city. It was installed in the park in 1928. Work on the sculpture itself took 14 years. The monolith from which the column was carved was knocked out of the rock near Idde Fjord in 1922.

Initially, its weight was 470 tons, but after processing, the colossal piece of granite “lost” up to 270 tons. Four years later, in September 1926, this stone Gargantua began his journey to the capital. He arrived at his destination only in February 1927. Vigeland was in a hurry to complete the giant composition, so he did not stop working even in winter, when the air temperature was 20 degrees below zero. The efforts of the sculptor were not in vain: his brainchild - an obelisk of intertwined bodies - is considered the largest granite sculpture in the world and constantly attracts tourists. And around the column are numerous images of the 60-year-old artist himself and his young lover.

After wandering around this open-air museum, among the lush greenery, visitors often head to the Tusenfrud amusement park - a smaller copy of the Tivoli amusement park in Copenhagen, a sort of Norwegian Disneyland.
Time flies unnoticed. And it's time to say goodbye to the good-natured and smiling Oslo, a city where everyone can find joy to their taste. Waving goodbye to a big and not at all scary troll standing on the main street, we go to the navel. And, looking out the window of the plane, once again we mentally say goodbye to the capital of Norway. And Oslo, following us with his eyes, returns to normal life. When evening comes, he quietly dozes over his fjord, sorting through the memory of the events of yesterday and what happened a thousand years ago ...