A majestic lion guarding the Storting (Parliament of Norway) building
Dates visited: August 16, 2012 – August 19, 2012
When I look back on my Oslo itinerary, I think we covered a lot of attractions in the limited time we had in the city. Some of the usual suspects were the Vikingskiphuset (Viking Ship Museum) that has three 1100-year old Viking ships, Frammuseet (Fram Museum) that houses Fram, the famous Norwegian ship used on multiple polar expeditions, Nobels Fredssenter (Nobel Peace Center) that presents all the Noble Peace Prize laureates and their work, Kon-Tiki Museet (Kon-Tiki Museum) that displays the Kon-Tiki raft used by Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl in his 1947 expedition across the Pacific Ocean from South America to the Polynesian islands, and Stortingsbygningen (Parliament of Norway Building) that has one of the most majestic sculpture of a lion in the front.
However, the following attractions deserve a mention since they made quite an impression on me.
- Nationalgalleriet (National Gallery)—there are many famous paintings in here, but I came here to see Edvard Munch’s The Scream. It’s hung behind a layer of protective glass and no pictures are allowed to be taken. Thus, you can admire and appreciate it unlike the experience in front of the Mona Lisa (at The Louvre) where tourists scream and pose for a picture with her.
- Oslo Rådhus (Oslo City Hall)—this is where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded every year on December 10 (anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death). It felt humbling to be standing in the same hall where all the Nobel Peace Prize laureates have walked and accepted their medals.
- Frognerparken (Frogner Park)—home to the world famous Vigelandsanlegget (Vigeland installation), a permanent sculpture installation created by the Norwegian sculptor, Gustav Vigeland. I’d never heard of Vigeland before but after seeing his sculptures, I became a huge fan; his sculptures are of nude men, women and children with fulsome, yet realistic bodies and represent ideas as simple as “Man standing behind Woman” to as complex as “The Wheel of Life”. According to Wiki, he also designed the Nobel Peace Prize medal.
-
- Nobel Peace Center—showcases information about Nobel Peace Prize laureates and their work
-
- Nobel Peace Prize Medal… …designed by Gustav Vigeland. One side shows Alfred Nobel, the other represents a group of three men forming a fraternal bond. The inscription reads: “Pro pace et fraternitate gentium” translated as “For the peace and brotherhood of men”.
-
- I had no idea Oslo is known as the Tiger City until I researched this 4.5 meter long bronze tiger statue
-
- “Woman stooping towards numerous children”… …a granite sculpture that is a part of Vigeland’s Monolith Plateau at Frogner Park
-
- The National Theatre… …standing since 1899
-
- Karl Johans gate… …a busy main street connecting Oslo Central Station and the Royal Palace
-
- Q: Why did the chicken cross the road? A: To meet the three hens standing on a fountain.
-
- Oslo Cathedral… …completed in 1697
-
- “Man and children”… …… …part of Vigeland installation in Frogner Park
-
- Rådhusplassen (“The City Hall Square”) in front of Oslo City Hall… …the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is conducted inside every December 10th (anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death)
-
- The Norse Gods smiled that day… …
-
- “Mother and her children” statue in Rådhusplassen (“The City Hall Square”) in front of Oslo City Hall
-
- Meeting place in front of the Storting (Parliament of Norway) building
-
- Look Ma, No Hands
-
- Statue in Rådhusplassen (“The City Hall Square”) in front of Oslo City Hall
-
- Astronomical clock and statue of swans on the northern side of Oslo City Hall
-
- Oslo City Hall… …on December 10 (anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death) each year, this room hosts the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in which the annual laureate gives his or her lecture and is awarded the medal and diploma
-
- Mural by Willi Midelfart inside Oslo City Hall
-
- Multimedia displays for Nobel Peace Prize laureates inside the Nobel Peace Center
-
- Roman Charity by Lorenzo Pasinelli at National Gallery
-
- Fram Museum… …designed to accommodate “Fram”, a wooden ship used in expeditions of the Arctic and Antarctic regions by Norwegian explorers between 1893 and 1912
-
- Monolith Plateau by Vigeland in Frogner Park… …with the 14 meters Monolith totem in the center
-
- Monolith totem by Vigeland in Frogner Park… …composed of 121 human figures rising towards the sky. This is meant to represent man’s desire to become closer with the spiritual and divine. It portrays a feeling of togetherness as the human figures embrace one another as they are carried toward salvation.
-
- Bikes! Bikes!! Bikes!!!
-
- Grand Hotel in Oslo… …each year, the hotel hosts the annual Nobel Peace Prize banquet, and the prize winners stay in the Nobel suite at the hotel. We stayed at this hotel too!
-
- Statue of the Norwegian sculptor, Gustav Vigeland… …he also designed the Nobel Peace Prize medal
-
- The most famous of all Vigeland’s statues—Sinnataggen (Angry Boy)
-
- Vigeland’s Sinnataggen (Angry Boy)… …the expression is priceless
-
- Self-Portrait, à l’oreille mutilé by Vincent van Gogh at National Gallery… …its authenticity is debated in the art world
-
- Numerous tree groups by Vigeland surrounding the famous Fountain in the center… …part of Vigeland installation in Frogner Park
-
- Adam and Eve by Hans Heyerdahl at National Gallery
-
- Roald Amundsen and his team… …first men to reach the South Pole in December 1911
-
- 1000 year old original cornerstone from the first cathedral in Oslo… …now on display outside the Oslo Cathderal
-
- “Group of children”… …a granite sculpture that is a part of Vigeland’s Monolith Plateau at Frogner Park
-
- The Oseberg ship at the Viking Ship Museum… …a well-preserved Viking ship from the eighth century
-
- The Tune ship at the Viking Ship Museum… …remains of a Viking ship from the tenth century
-
- “Old woman resting against old man”… …a granite sculpture that is a part of Vigeland’s Monolith Plateau at Frogner Park
-
- Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki raft at the Kon-Tiki Museum… …Heyerdahl is known for the 1947 expedition across the Pacific Ocean from South America to the Polynesian islands
-
- Hut on Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki raft at the Kon-Tiki Museum
-
- “Sitting man and woman, their foreheads touching”… …a granite sculpture that is a part of Vigeland’s Monolith Plateau at Frogner Park