Guide Oslo
Oslo is the capital and the largest city of Norway. It covers an area of 453 km2, surrounded by forests and lakes. The area of Oslo is among the largest cities in Europe. It is located in the southeastern part of Norway, at the northernmost end of the Oslofjord. I has a population of just over half a million, which compared to other European capitals, is really not much.
Accommodation in Oslo
In Oslo, we offer accommodation in all price categories including hotels, hostels, guesthouses and apartments (private accommodation). Finding available accommodation in Oslo during a conference can be very difficult. Therefore, we recommend to book accommodation well in advance. Also, during the awarding of the Nobel Prizes, most hotels are booked long in advance and the prices go up steeply. From the cheap hotels in the center we can offer Comfort Hotel Xpress or Anker Hostel. Price for accommodation ranges from CZK 1500 per room per night. Generally speaking, the quality of accommodation in Oslo is very high. The most popular accommodation is Hotel Bristol, Thon Hotel Slottsparken, Scandic Holmenkollen Park or BJØRVIKA APARTMENTS.
History of Oslo
The area of today's Oslo was originally inhabited by the Vikings. The town was founded in 1048 by King Harald III. Sigurdsson (called "the cruel Harald"). The capital of Norway, Oslo happened around the year 1300 during the reign of King Hakon V.. He was the first king lived in Oslo, and therefore there had built Akershus Castle. Status of the capital city of Oslo, however, during the Danish domination lost and the administrative center of the country moved to Copenhagen. During the following years Oslo suffered several devastating fires. After the most devastating in 1624, the king of Denmark and Norway, Christian IV. decided to rebuild the town near the Gulf. According to the former king, then the city got a new name Christiania. Independence from other Scandinavian countries, Norway announced in 1905 and Christiania became the capital again. About 20 years later, the city was renamed back to Oslo.
How to get to Oslo
If you decide to visit Oslo by plane, you will the most likely land on Gardermoen Airport, which is located 47 kilometers north of the city. The center can then reached in 20 minutes by train (Flytoget), which runs every 10 minutes and one way will cost 170 kroner. Slightly cheaper is bus (Flybussen), which transports you to the city in less than an hour and costs 150 NOK. Urban transport in Oslo includes buses, trams, metro and boats. The fare here is expensive for a longer stay, it is highly recommended to buy the Oslo Pass card. Not only that you will receive free travel on public transport, but you will also get free admission to some museums.
Landmarks in Oslo
In comparison to other European cities, Oslo will seem different at first glance. On a closer look, however, it will impress you with its leisurely pace. From historical buildings, you can see the Royal Palace, which was built in the early 18th century. Today it serves as the residence of the royal family. The oldest sight of Oslo is the Akershus Castle, a medieval fortress. The interiors of the castle are used for museum purposes (Museum of the Norwegian Army, Prison Museum). Interesting is also the building of Town Hall with chimes. Annually in early December it bestows the Nobel Peace Prize.
Parks in Oslo
Oslo is a green city. This proves wonderful Frogner Park (also called Vigeland Park) near the center. Park covers an area of 32 hectares and part of the park is decorated with statues of famous Norwegian artist Gustav Vigeland. There are over 200 sculptures that depict human figures or groups. The highest statue is 16 meters large pillar (Monolith).
Museum in Oslo
In Oslo, you can also found numerous museums. Among the most interesting ones there belong the Kon-Tiki Museum (translation raft) on the island of Bygdoy. This museum was founded by the Norwegian seafarer Thor Heyrdalem and you can find various items from his trips around the Pacific Ocean, including the original raft, on which he sailed through the ocean. On the island of Bygdoy, there are other museums such as the Museum of Norwegian navy or Museum of Viking vessels (Vikingskipshuset). In the Fram Museum you can explore the ship of the polar explorer Roald Amundsen. With this boat he successfully sailed to Antarctica and became the first man to walk on the South Pole.
Sport in Oslo
Every sports lover would not miss a visit to the Holmenkollen ski jump and the surrounding ski area. Inside the ski jump there is a Museum of History of skis. At the top, there is a viewing platform where a panoramic view of Oslo can be seen. Holmenkollen and the surrounding ski resort has hosted many major sporting events, such as the winter Olympics in 1952 and World Cup ski jumping in 2011 or the Biathlon World Championships. Oslo is also the birthplace of several famous athletes such as ski jumper Espen Bredesen or figure skaters Sonja Henie.