Norway’s capital city boasts a
spectacular setting at the head of a 110km (70-mile) long
fjord. One of the best ways to approach Oslo is by sea with the journey taking you along scenic fjords where fishing boats jostle with cruise liners and luxury yachts. Whilst sailing through luscious green islands and outcrops the city unfolds before your eyes - sprawling out from its compact center around the quays to the flanks of the
surrounding hills.
Drenched with historic charm, Oslo is the oldest of the
Scandinavian capitals and was founded around
1050 by Norwegian king
Harald Hardråde. The look of the city was intrinsically shaped by these early founders, as seen in the imposing castle and fortress of
Akershus Slott, which was built in the late 13th century by Håkon V Magnusson.
Originally Oslo was a wooden city, but after a
roaring fire in
1624 it was burned to the ground. However, keen to rekindle the city’s former glory, King Christian IV ordered a rebuild and the city was renamed
Christiania in his honor - a name it kept for 300 years.
Perhaps due to these early tribulations, Oslo is not noted for grand architecture. However, much of the city’s history can still be seen in
medieval buildings like
Akershus Slott, which stands across a
park from the austere angular bulk of the
1930s-style Rådhus (City Hall). A highlight is the
Slott (Royal Palace), which elegantly dominates the view west along Karl Johans Gate past the
Storting (Parliament).
As the city grew in size so did its importance as a
major financial,
military and
administrative center. The subsequent development of
shipping,
industry and
forestry helped give it the dominant role that it still enjoys in the nation’s economy.
In more recent years Oslo has undergone further expansion due to a boost in the city’s financial standing from the wealth created by the discovery of vast oil reserves in the
North Sea during the 1960s. This has prompted a modern architectural face-lift, which is reflected in the development of the
bustling docks and the
lively retail and
leisure sector around
Aker Brygge - a transformed former warehouse area along the quay.
The population of just over
half a million is small for a major city, but with its late-night shopping, crowded cafes, pubs, restaurants and theaters playing to full houses, Oslo has a self-assured and
cosmopolitan feel with a
lively nightlife and growing investment in arts and culture. With the influx of oil money, Oslo has become a
thriving and
vibrant city where visitors can enjoy a whole host of activities, from
cross-country skiing in the freezing winter months to relaxing on the fjord’s many
beaches during the gloriously long summer days.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Related Oslo Content
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
Related Norway Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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