Norway 2024, part 3 (Oslo)
Returning from the Bygdøy Peninsula, where I visited the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, I got off in the centre of Oslo at a bus stop near the National Theatre. However, I only saw the building from the back, as my plan was to head towards the Pipervika bay.
The first performance at this theatre took place in 1899 and the building was at first entirely privately-owned. However, due to some financial issues, the state began to provide some financial support. I'm not sure what the situation is today.
So, I headed towards the Pipervika bay, which is part of the Oslofjord, with the intention of passing by the Oslo City Hall.
Here is where the city government and various municipal organisations are housed, while the building was constructed between 1931 and 1950. As it can be seen, the structure is made of red brick, with two prominent towers; one is 63 m tall and the other is 66 m tall. Interestingly, in the eastern tower, which I could see since the western one was covered with scaffolding for renovations, there is a carillon with 49 bells. By the way (since I didn't know this before), carillon is a musical instrument consisting of at least 23 bronze bells, typically housed in a bell tower of a church or a municipal building, as is the case here.
The building faces the bay and the Oslofjord.
Since there is a large bay here, it is quite normal to see a lot of seabirds. Here are two of them, both are gulls. In the foreground is a lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus), while in the background is a black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus).
Now I headed from City Hall Square towards a very lively area of Oslo called Aker Brygge. Here, the first thing you come across is the Nobel Peace Centre – a museum dedicated to the Nobel Peace Prize, Alfred Nobel and the laureates of the prize.
Alfred Nobel (1833-1896) was a Swedish chemist, inventor (he discovered dynamite), engineer and industrialist who left his substantial personal fortune to a foundation that funds the Nobel Prizes awarded since 1901 (with occasional exceptions). According to Alfred Nobel’s will, prizes are awarded in the fields of chemistry, physics, medicine, literature and peace. Since 1969, the foundation has also awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences.
Interestingly, the Peace Prize is awarded in Norway, while all the other prizes are awarded in Sweden. This might seem unsurprising since Nobel was Swedish, but the reason why he designated Norway for the Peace Prize remains uncertain. There are speculations, of course, one of which is that, during Nobel's lifetime, Sweden and Norway were in a union that Norwegians reluctantly joined in 1814 when Sweden took control of their country. It is believed that Nobel thought awarding the Peace Prize in Norway could promote “friendship among nations.”
In any case, from the Nobel Peace Centre, a pleasant promenade begins in the Aker Brygge neighbourhood filled with cafés and restaurants. Since it was a sunny day, the beautiful weather attracted many residents of Oslo.
I continued my walk along the spacious promenade with a clear plan to find a place for lunch. I didn't hesitate for long, as I was drawn to a restaurant by the water that caught my eye.
I sat down at a table where I had a relatively good view and enjoyed the sunshine. On the other side of the Pipervika bay is a fortress that I planned to visit later, so this was kind of a preparatory moment for me.
I decided to have Norwegian shrimps, which are considered a particularly high-quality type of shrimps, plus I also ordered Norwegian beer in order to try it, although I usually have trouble when I drink beer during the day – it tends to make me feel sleepy. My plan for the day certainly did not include an afternoon nap, but I couldn’t help it...
The nice weather and sunshine shouldn't deceive anyone – it was chilly enough that I felt perfectly comfortable sitting in my warm down jacket.
By the way, although I didn’t get any dessert here, that didn’t stop me from making the famous Norwegian sweet at home, which has both its official name and a nickname it’s known by – The World’s Best Cake. Of course, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but for me, it was easier to try making this than Norwegian shrimp, which I certainly can’t buy in Belgrade. The result was quite positive and while I don’t think this is truly the best cake in the world, it was definitely very tasty and quickly eaten.
WORLD’S BEST CAKE
- 110 g butter
- 125 g sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 150 g all purpose flour
- 6 g of baking powder
6 g of vanilla sugar
4 egg whites
- 200 g sugar
50 g thinly sliced almonds
50 g sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 500 ml milk
1 packet of vanilla sugar
250 ml double cream
Cream the butter (at room temperature) and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, continuing to beat. Finally, add the milk and mix everything well. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and vanilla sugar, then gently fold it into the creamed butter mixture.
Spread the batter thinly in a rectangular baking pan (about 30 x 40 cm) and set aside. Beat the egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread this meringue over the yellow batter. Sprinkle with the almond flakes and bake at 170°C.
Meanwhile, prepare the yellow filling by whisking the egg yolks and sugar until smooth, then add the cornstarch. Continue whisking until the mixture turns pale yellow. Bring the milk to a boil and add the vanilla sugar. Before the milk actually boils, pour it into the egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously to prevent curdling. Once well combined, return it to the saucepan and cook over the stove until thickened. Set aside to cool completely.
Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks, then fold it into the cooled yellow filling.
Once the cake has baked and cooled, cut it in two. Place one half on a serving tray with the almond and meringue side facing down. Spread the cooled filling over it, then place the second layer on top with the almond and meringue side facing up. Refrigerate to chill and before serving decorate with fresh berries.
As for the Aker Brygge neighbourhood, it was once a hub of industry, but things changed in the 1980s and 1990s, and it has since become a popular spot for entertainment, dining and shopping. Naturally, apartment prices have also soared.
After the pleasant lunch, I strolled to the end of the promenade.
Here is also the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art. In fact, the museum is located on a small peninsula that extends from Aker Brygge and has been housed in a modern building since 2012. The building was designed by an Italian architect.
I didn’t plan a visit to the museum, but I noticed a few interesting birds here. The first was a red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator), while the other were two black-headed gulls (Larus ridibundus).
So, I reached the end of the land, which meant I was on the shore of the Oslofjord. As I’ve mentioned earlier, the bay of the Oslofjord on the western side, where Aker Brygge is located, is called Pipervika, while on the opposite side of the bay is the Akershus Fortress.
I started heading back precisely in order to cross to the eastern side of the bay, as I planned to visit the Akershus Fortress next.
However, because of the beer, I wasn't feeling very energetic, so I first stopped at a café on the promenade to have a coffee. It was just what I needed.
After this break, I continued exploring Oslo and started to walk from City Hall Square towards the fortress. The incline isn’t steep, but it does offer a nice view of the square.
The Akershus Fortress is also known as Akershus Castle and its construction began in the late 13th century. Its original purpose was to serve as a royal residence and as a stronghold to protect the city of Oslo, which was developing to the east of the fortress. Over time, the castle and its surrounding fortress have been modified, especially in the early 17th century and later in the 18th century. Naturally, the fortress was used for military purposes and continues to function as a military base even today.
I found it interesting to read that the fortress was never captured by foreign enemies, despite several attempts. However, it did surrender to Nazi Germany in 1940 without a fight. The Germans used the fortress for various purposes, including executing captured members of the Norwegian resistance movement. What was even more intriguing was that, after World War II, Vidkun Quisling was executed here in 1945. Quisling was a military officer and politician who collaborated with the Nazis and led the Norwegian government during the war. After the war, he was tried and executed in October, while his name has become synonymous with "traitor" and "collaborator" in many languages, including English – where "quisling" and its plural " quislings" denote traitors to one's country and collaborators (of enemies). So, he was executed right here, at the Akershus Fortress.
Needless to say, in April 2024, everything was quite lovely and peaceful, so much so that a European herring gull (Larus argentatus) was calmly standing a few metres away from me, enjoying the beautiful sunny day just as I was.
As I’ve said before, this is an active military base and I did see people in uniform, but I didn't take any pictures of them.
As for the castle, like a few other museums located in this area, it is open for visits, but I hadn’t planned on going inside. It was quite enough for me just to walk around the grounds.
From here, there is also a beautiful view of the Oslofjord.
Then I made a wider loop around the castle before heading towards the exit from the fortress.
I soon set out through the streets of Oslo, as my plan was to continue my exploration further east. Along the way, I passed various houses and buildings – some old and some new.
My goal was to reach another bay within the Oslofjord where the Oslo Opera House is located.
It was already late afternoon (around 5-6 p.m.), but the days in mid-April are quite long in Northern Europe. Darkness only begins to fall after 9 p.m. At around 5-6 in the afternoon, provided it's not cloudy, the sun shines brightly, making it an ideal time to observe the interesting architecture of the Opera House and other buildings.
However, what particularly fascinated me right from the start was the fact that in this weather (it was sunny, but only 11°C) some Oslo residents were daring enough not only to sunbathe in swimsuits by the fjord, but also to go into the water and swim.
In any case, I had no intention of dipping even a single finger into what was undoubtedly icy water by my standards. Instead, I continued my walk and taking photos.
Thus I circled the bay and slowly approached the Opera House.
The building, completed in 2007, houses the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet. It is vast, with a total area of 49,000 sq. m, 1,100 rooms and three stages. It is the largest cultural building erected in Norway since around 1300, when the Trondheim Cathedral was built.
On the outside, the building is particularly notable for its details made of Carrara marble and white granite, as well as the glass-clad central section. The design was conceived to make the building resemble a glacier rising from the Oslofjord.
What gives this building its unique charm is that the Opera House design includes a feature allowing visitors (those exploring the exterior) to climb up to the roof.
You can access the roof via a slope or by using stairs built alongside a low wall that serves as a railing. On the other hand, there is a sign indicating that bicycles and skateboards are not allowed and it also notes that the stairs and slope can be slippery, so climbing is at your own risk. Naturally, I climbed up, but there was no real risk as everything was dry.
It is truly nice to come here, as there is a wonderful view in all directions. For instance, you can see the sculpture "She Lies", created by the German-Italian artist Monica Bonvicini.
There was also a young gull patiently posing, most likely a European herring gull (Larus argentatus).
You can also see the Munch Museum and parts of the Bjørvika neighbourhood.
The Munch Museum was founded in 1963 and was previously located elsewhere. However, since the summer of 2021, the exhibits have been moved to this new building, while the museum officially opened in October of the same year.
As for the Bjørvika neighbourhood, it was a part of Oslo that, until about twenty years ago, was a container port. Then a new urban redevelopment project began and today it is a well-developed area intended to be Oslo's new centre of culture. The Akerselva River also runs through this area.
After climbing to the roof of the Opera House, I descended to the promenade around the building and then passed by the Munch Museum, though I had no intention of visiting it. I was starting to feel a bit tired and wanted to return to my room earlier since I hadn’t slept enough the previous night; at least, that’s how I felt throughout the day. I decided to head back to the flat where I had rented a room by going through the Bjørvika neighbourhood, following the Akerselva River.
When I reached one of the larger streets, I realised that it should have been the time of day when traffic is usually at its peak. However, I didn’t see any of that in Oslo. I would later come to understand, at the end of my travels in Norway, that numerous highways run beneath the city. Drivers likely use these routes instead of the surface streets, which are filled with traffic lights and pedestrian crossings.
All in all, I had enough time to run some errands and also go to bed early, as I had plans for the next day – to explore Oslo and its surroundings again. More specifically, I planned to start with the surrounding areas and then return to the city centre.