Climate
In Norway, the southern and central parts of the country have a temperate maritime climate. However, the northern areas located beyond the Arctic Circle remain in the cool temperate climate zone. The influence of the subpolar climate is observed on the northern coasts.
In the months of July, August and June. Oslo has the highest temperatures. July is a particularly warm month, when thermometers show up to 21 degrees Celsius. If you are looking for a winter break or simply prefer to explore the world in winter, choose January, December and February. These are the coldest months of the year. The month with the lowest temperature in Oslo is January – thermometers then show approximately -1 degrees Celsius.
Interesting facts about Oslo:
– Oslo was founded around the year 1000.
– Oslo’s previous names were Kristiania and Christiania. It has had its current name Oslo only since 1925, and it became the capital of Norway in 1814.
– On July 22, an attack took place in the center of Oslo, resulting in the death of 8 people. It was a bomb explosion that Breivik planted before the attack on the island of Utøya. To date, original objects destroyed by the explosions are found in the city center.
– Public transport in Oslo includes metro, trains, buses and ferries. A recent curiosity has been electric buses that operate without drivers.
TOP ATTRACTIONS
1. Oslo Opera House
The Oslo Opera House is located right next to the port, and its white facade seems to grow out of the water, sometimes being compared to an iceberg. You can go up to the roof and admire the wonderful panoramic view of Oslo and the fjord. With a rich history of musical performances, from opera to ballet to concerts, the Oslo Opera House is a cultural center in the center of the Norwegian capital. The striking waterfront architecture of Oslo’s famous Norwegian Opera House and the spectacular performances held at this music venue attract plenty of visitors.
2. Vigeland Park
Also worth visiting is Vigeland Park, a fascinating sculpture park that is the life’s work of Gustav Vigeland and includes over 200 sculptures made of granite, bronze and wrought iron. It was installed mainly in the years 1940-1949, and we will see here the result of over 40 years of work by the author.
Most of the sculptures are placed in five units along an 850 meter long axis: The Main Gate, the Bridge, the Children’s Playground, the Fountain, the Monolith Plateau and the Wheel of Life.
One of the park’s most popular statues, ‘Sinnataggen’ (Angry Boy), can be found on the Bridge, which was the first part of the park to be opened to the public in 1940.
At the highest point in the park lies the park’s most popular attraction, ‘Monolitten’ (the Monolith). A massive monument carved out of one single block of granite weighing several hundred tonnes. The Monolith towers 14.12 metres (46.32 ft) high and it comprises 121 human figures rising toward heaven.
3. Viking Ship Museum in Oslo
The Viking Ship Museum is one of the capital’s most popular attractions. First of all, tourists can see three original Viking ships that were excavated from the Oslofjord region. The ships Gokstad, Oseberg and Tune have been partially restored and play a major role in this purpose-built museum. Combined with weapons and personal items, they provide a rich imagination of past times.
4. Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress is a medieval castle situated in Oslo city centre. Throughout its history it has had great strategic and symbolic value for Oslo and Norway. Akershus Fortress is still a military area, but it is open daily to the public until 21.00. The building of Akershus Castle and Fortress commenced in the late 1290s under King Haakon V. The medieval castle, which was completed in the 14th century, had a strategic location at the very tip of the headland, and withstood a number of sieges throughout the ages, primarily by Swedish forces. Its immediate proximity to the sea was very important as naval power was vital in protecting the interests of Norwegian commerce, which was largely carried out by sea during the period.
5. Holmenkollbakken
Winter sports lovers will definitely want to see the famous ski jumping hill in Oslo –
Holmenkollen. The Holmenkollen ski jump is 134 meters long, the construction point is 120 meters and the stands can accommodate 70,000 spectators. The ski jump has been known in its current form since its reopening in 2010, after it was demolished and rebuilt in 2008 – after over 100 years of existence. Ski competitions were held on the Holmenkollen ski jumping hill from the very beginning of its existence, and in 1952 the 6th Winter Olympic Games took place there.
6. Oslo Ski Museum
The Ski Museum in Holmenkollen is the world’s oldest museum specialising in skis and the history of skiing. The museum is situated inside the actual Holmenkollen ski jump, where visitors can experience a magnificent view of Oslo. The Ski Museum illustrates 4000 years of skiing history with rock carvings, skis from the viking age. Skis from various parts of Norway show local handicraft skills and traditions. We show modern racing- and cross-country skis, as well as skis used by athletes throughout the last century. A snowboard exhibition illustrates this new trend in winter sports. The polar equipment used in the historic expeditions of Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen show the great contrast to the equipment used by today’s expeditions. Historic glimpses from the Winter Olympics at Lillehammer in 1994 and in Oslo in 1952 can be seen, as well as many other exciting aspects of skiing history.
7. Royal Palace in Oslo
Built in the early 19th century, the Royal Palace is the official residence of King Harald V of Norway and Queen Sonja. It is also the daily workplace of the Royal Court and the site of many official celebrations, such as gala dinners and visits by foreign heads of state. The southern and eastern gardens are open to the public and provide quiet places to relax and feed the ducks on the pond. Tours of the palace are also possible from late June to mid-August, and the always popular Changing of the Guard takes place every afternoon at 1 p.m.
8. Fram Museum
The Fram Museum houses the world’s most famous polar ship, the Fram. The museum is located at Bygdøy, a short distance from the centre of Oslo. The main exhibition has explanatory texts in nine languages and describes the three great Fram Expeditions. We also tell the stories of the expeditions of the Gjøa and the Maud, of the airplanes N24 and N25 as well as of the airship Norge. Temporary exhibitions are made continually concerning different polar issues. In museum houses an exclusive polar merchandise and probably the world’s biggest polar bookstore with 220 different titles.
9. Nobel Peace Center
Visit the Nobel Peace Center located in a historical building built 1872 in Oslo. You get an interesting view of the Peace Prize laureates, their work, tells the story of Alfred Nobel and the Peace Prize. The Center also acts as an arena for debate about important social issues. Through permanent and temporary exhibitions, guided tours, various events and family activities, the museum reflects and show the engagement on topics related to war, peace and conflict resolution. The Nobel Peace Center has achieved international recognition for the use of documentary photography and interactive technology.
10. Munch Museum
The new museum dedicated to the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch opened in October 2021 and takes over from its predecessor, opened in 1963. It is both the largest collection of the artist’s works and a new architectural object on Bjørvika Bay in Oslo. What’s interesting is the way the tower tilts twenty degrees towards the bay. The resulting structure allows museum guests to learn about Munch’s artistic career as well as the Scandinavian capital and its history.
11. The Oslo National Museum
On June 11, 2022, the new National Museum opened in Oslo. It is the largest museum in Scandinavia. Design and fine art dominate here. The new museum now consists of the collections of the former National Gallery, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design. Permanent exhibition a museum with around 6,500 objects and highlights interesting connections between different collections that were previously presented in three different museums.
Additionally, viewers will be able to see the most famous paintings by the Norwegian painter Edvard Munch, including: The Scream (1893) and Madonna (1894). At the top of the building there is a large, illuminated exhibition hall. The roof offers a wonderful view of the fjord, and in front of the main entrance there is a cafe and benches to rest.
12. St. Cathedral Olaf
13. Norwegian Folk Museum
Parish of St. Olaf is one of three Catholic parishes in Oslo, and the church of St. Olaf is the cathedral of the Diocese of Oslo. The Roman Catholic cathedral was built in 1856. And in 1953, the church of St. Olaf has the status of the cathedral of the diocese of Oslo.
14. Kon-Tiki Museum
At the Kon-Tiki Museum, guests can experience original vessels and up-to-date exhibits on Heyerdahl’s expeditions, including Kon-Tiki, Ra, Tigris, Easter Island, Fatu-Hiva, Tùcume, Galapagos, a 30-metre cave tour, an underwater exhibit with a 10-metre model of a whale shark, Thor Heyerdahl’s library, Thor Heyerdahl the person, and Tiki pop culture. The Oscar-winning Kon-Tiki documentary from 1950 is screened every day at 12 noon in the cinema on the lower level.
15. Oslo City Hall
Oslo City Hall is a municipal building in Oslo, the capital of Norway. It houses the city council, the city’s administration and various other municipal organisations. The building as it stands today was constructed between 1931 and 1950, with an interruption during the Second World War. It was designed by architects Arnstein Arneberg and Magnus Poulsson. The building is located in the city center, in the northern part of the Pipervikaneighbourhood, and it faces Oslofjord.
