Norsk Folkemuseum
Imagine a museum that allows you to tour most of Norway in just
one day. Picture wandering the streets of old Norway and getting
a feel of what life was like hundreds of years ago. One of Oslo's
biggest drawcards, the Norwegian Folk Museum, allows you to do
just that. This fascinating open-air museum contains around 150
buildings from different regions, mostly dating from the 17th
and 18th centuries, including one of Norway's oldest structures,
the Gol Stave Church, built early in the 13th century in Gol and
moved to its present location in 1885. You'll wander past old
banks, pharmacies, post offices, barns and farmhouses and see
folk dancing and weaving and people dressed in festive costumes.
The Old Town section reproduces an early 20th century town and
contains a petrol station and a general store, and the first thing
you'll come across as you step through the main entrance is a
huge display of old toys, costumes, tools and appliances from
around the country. The museum is on the Bygd?y peninsula, a 10-minute
ferry trip from central Oslo.
Vikingskipshuset
If you want to get a better idea of how the Vikings sailed around
the world then the excellent Viking Ship Museum is is your port
of departure. This museum houses Viking ship discoveries from
Gokstad, Oseburg, Tune and around the Oslo Fjord. Here you will
see the world's two best preserved wooden Viking ships built in
the 9th century. The ships were used as tombs for noble people
and they were buried with everything they thought would be needed
in the afterlife - jewels, food, furniture - even servants! The
ships are beautifully preserved, courtesy of the blue clay in
which they were buried. The museum is just west of central Oslo,
on the Bygdøy peninsula.
It's worth spending time checking out each of the three ships.
The Oseberg was found in 1903 and in its heyday required 30 oarsmen.
It's magnificently decorated with dragon and serpent carvings
and its burial chamber held the largest collection of Viking-age
artefacts ever uncovered in Scandinavia. It is thought that this
ship was purely a pleasure vessel for sailing in peaceful waters
because the wood used to build its mast was not as strong as in
other ships. The impressive Gokstad was built around 890 AD and
it's believed to have been a warship. Although not as elaborately
decorated as the Oseberg, the Gokstad was sturdier and had several
smaller boats measuring from 7m (23ft) to around 10m (33ft) in
length. These were used for ferrying people ashore and for fishing.
Only a few boards and fragments remain of the third ship, the
Tune.
Vigeland Park
This is Norway's most popular attraction, with more than one million
visitors each year. Here you can spend hours wandering around
and seeing 192 sculptures made by Gustav Vigeland. Vigeland's
work is out there: sculptures of entwined lovers, tranquil elderly
couples and downtrodden beggars dot this beautiful park. It's
just about impossible to remain impassive to the humanity that
suffuses Vigeland's work.
The park is situated in the middle of Frognerparken, a leafy,
green park, perfect for lazing about on a sunny day. The park's
highest point, a 14m (46ft) monolith carved out of a single block
of stone, consists of 121 writhing human figures.
Activities
If you crave the great outdoors and you're visiting Oslo in summer,
then you're in luck. Oslo is very much a 'get out and do it' place.
In summer, swimming is possible at the nearby beaches and hiking
can be enjoyed by following a good selection of trails. Oslo's
fresh air is good for cycling, climbing and horse riding - your
lungs will thank you. Boat trips, folk dancing and fishing are
also popular activities. Winter visitors don't miss out either.
Aside from the awesome skiing opportunities, ice skating can be
enjoyed, particularly when the Narvisen outdoor rinks freeze over
naturally. Dog sledding and sleigh rides are a winter novelty
for many visitors. |
