Created 23-Aug-09
Modified 24-Aug-09
Oslo is sthe capital of Norway. The history of the city can be traced back over 1000 years, although according to the chronicles of Snorre Sturlason, Oslo was founded in 1048 by the King Harald Hardrade. The city became capital of Norway around 1300, but lost its privileges during the Danish-Norwegian union from 1348 to 1814. In 1624, a fire devastated old Oslo, and the city was moved some kilometers west, to gain protection from the fortress at Akershus. The city was then renamed Christiana, a name that remained until it was officially renamed on January 1, 1925.
One of the artistic highlights of Norway is the Vigeland Sculpture Park in Oslo. The park contains 192 sculptures with more than 600 figures, all modeled in full size by Gustav Vigeland without the assistance of pupils or other artists. Vigeland also designed the architectural setting and the layout of the grounds.
We visited the Viking Ship Museum. The Viking Ship Museum displays the large Viking ships Oseberg, Gokstad and Tune, as well as finds from the chief grave at Borre in the Vestfold district. The three ships are the best preserved Viking ships known, found in royal burial mounds in the Oslo fjord. As burial ships, carrying the dead over to “the Other World”, the ships were equipped with unique treasures such as wagons, horses and especially textiles which are seldom preserved from the Viking age, now on exhibit at the museum.
Our knowledge of daily life in the Viking Age comes mainly from archaeological finds. The graves contained not only jewelery, weapons and vehicle tools, but also other tools and household goods. These finds are exhibited in the museum.
Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002) is one of history's most famous scientists, adventurers and champions of the environment. The Kon-Tiki Museum houses original boats and exhibits from Thor Heyerdahl's world famous expeditions. The museum is home to permanent exhibitions about: Ra, Tigris, Fatu-Hiva, Kon-Tiki and Easter Island. It has a separate area for short-term exhibitions, as well as a 30 metre cave tour and an underwater exhibition containing a life-size 10 metre whale shark.
© Alice Coyl