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    Akershus festning

    Akershus Fortress

    4.4 (46 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Akershus festning Photos

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    Kris L.

    Great views and nice walking paths, be sure to see the Resistance Museum and go into the visitor center to view the interactive AI displays where you can ask a question and the period figures provide an answer.

    Chad M.

    I was pleasantly surprised to see that a mysterious place like this was free to enjoy. I surely wasn't going to miss out. My significant other and I went through the main entrance in Kirkegata. I was happy to see how large it was, especially since that helped to disperse everyone out. We were able to walk at our own pace. The structure of everything sure did blow my mind. It was all beautifully made. The Toalett was free to use, so that was great. It was somewhat clean. Overall, with this being a free attraction and having a lot of walking involved, I enjoyed it very much. I wouldn't hesitate to come back. Date of visit: Sep 14, 2024

    Montage of images from Akershus Festning
    Ed U.

    When Oslo became Norway's capital in 1299, the ruler at the time, King Haakon V, ordered the construction of this medieval fortress to ward off invading barbarians. Turned out to be a smart move as Sweden kept trying to conquer Norway back then. Its current restoration began in earnest when Norway gained its independence from Sweden in 1905. Now it's become a cool, atmospheric place to stroll in the evening after a too-expensive meal in nearby Aker Brygge where all the tourists congregate. Surrounded by rocky walls and lined with cobblestone paths, the fortress features an inevitable row of cannons and a great panoramic vista point of Oslofjord except this one evening when a supersized cruise ship blocked our view in one direction (photo: https://bit.ly/3RBUl1P). RELATED - Exploring Norway? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3PEL4Fe

    August 2023
    Michael U.

    Not far from the National Museum or Oslo Fjord docks Akershus Fastning is a medieval castle in the Norwegian capital. Once built to protect the King and City the fortress is open to the public daily for free, though the castle itself is ticketed. Originally constructed in the 13th century the fort also contains a military museum with canons still mounted and pointed over extensive views of the waterfront.

    This fortress is a must-see on your visit to Oslo. It is very unique in that it is a living fortress, meaning it has been used for hundreds of years on and off, even today. Although not much of the so-called "original" fortress is still there (besides parts of the walls), the reconstruction done during the 1930s is a great depiction of what the fortress looked (and could have for some sections) like in past centuries. Using the audio guide you get with your ticket, you get a great walkthrough of the different rooms in the fortress, and if you choose to, more detailed descriptions of some of the artwork or items. A lot of the artwork is very interesting, although much had come to the fortress later, meaning it isn't as old as you might expect

    Herbert E.

    'Ello chaps! Akershus Fortress (Akershus Fastning) is a medieval castle in the Norwegian capital of Oslo, located right next to the water front. Once built to protect and provide a royal residence, it's now a historic attraction. The fortress is open to the public daily (FREE!), although aspects of some of the interior parts (such as the castle) are open with a fee. Note, you'll see members of His Majesty the King's Guard around as military members continue to guard the fortress and area to this day. Overall I give Akershus Fortress 5 stars out of 5.

    Gayan P.

    Beautiful place. Nice piece of history that is worth taking a look at when you're in the area. We are glad that we made the time to see the fortress.

    Martine K.

    We came late so we couldn't go inside the castle. But walking around the grounds is awesome in itself. You get a great view of the Bryggen Wharf and marina area. My pictures give you a better idea than I could ever explain. There's an area where you can enter and local artisans have stuff on display. It's really pretty amazing inside. There is also the Norwegian Resistance Museum on the grounds that you can learn about how they resisted against Hitler. It's interesting but a lot of it is in Norwegian. All in all a grat place to check out.

    Rebecca T.

    It wasn't planned, but we spotted this beautiful fortress during our boat ride across the harbor. We're glad we got to check it out because it offered a great view with a perfect vantage point. The fortress itself didn't have much to explore, at least not that I know of, but it does offer a nice stroll up and down the hills. There's a restaurant just right at the base of the fortress next to the harbor with some live music playing too! At first we were kind crept out here because there were random weird children / dwarves statues at random spots. One girl with no face but just hair was standing right by the side of the entrance creepily... We later found out these are all works done by an artist! It's pretty cool to have these creepy statues in an ancient fortress! This place is good if you have free time at night; it stays open late. But I wouldn't say it's a must-see.

    Sandra F.

    Akershus Fortress (Norwegian: Akershus Festning) or Akershus Castle (Norwegian: Akershus slott) is a medieval castle that was built to protect Oslo, the capital of Norway. It has also been used as a prison. It is also still a military area, but is open to the public daily until 9pm. In addition to the castle, the Norwegian Armed Forces Museum and the Norwegian Resistance Museum can be visited there. The Norwegian Ministry of Defence and Defence Staff Norway (armed forces headquarters) have a joint modern headquarters in the eastern part of Akershus Fortress. Enjoyed the experience and loved all the old medievel buildings.

    Beautiful door
    Brian S.

    A tough old castle Akershus is a huge castle and fort that was constructed way back in the late 13th century and has been changed, enlarged and restored zillions of times throughout the centuries. It's now difficult to tell what part is from what time period. The castle has be besieged and attacked many times in the past by all kinds of different kings, dukes and generally unpleasant people and has never been taken until it was voluntarily surrendered to the Germans in 1940. It was also used as a prison in the 19th century and had a reputation as a very harsh place that few people survived for very long. The castle is now used by foreign dignitaries and important people for events and special occasions but is also opened to the general public. You can walk around and look at all the cool old buildings and get stunning views of the harbor and ships from the top. The castle is in wonderful condition and it's obvious that they take good care of it. Lots of fun to spend some time exploring the park like grounds and all ancient buildings and stones. A great part of Norwegian history that should not be missed.

    Sandra K.

    Free entrance to the fortress. An awesome view on the Oslo fjord and a lot of history passing through these walls.

    Pat C.

    Akershus Fortress, located in the city centre by the Oslo Fjord, is a great place to discover Oslo's history and a beautiful place to enjoy a summer day. History The building of Akershus Castle and Fortress was commenced in 1299 under king Håkon V. The medieval castle, which was completed in the 1300s, had a strategical location at the very end of the headland, and withstood a number of sieges throughout the ages. King Christian IV (1588-1648) had the castle modernised and converted into a Renaisssance castle and royal residence. During the 17th and 18th century the castle fell into decay, and restoration work only started in 1899. Events The Fortress area is used for a number of big events, including concerts, holiday celebrations and ceremonies.

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    This is one of the places in Oslo you cannot miss while sightseeing.

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    Review Highlights - Akershus festning

    Even if you're not at the fortress for the history, a stop there just to see the views would totally be worth it.

    Mentioned in 14 reviews

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    Munchmuseet - At Munch Museum

    Munchmuseet

    4.0(70 reviews)
    2.3 kmTøyen, Grønland
    $$

    Excellent modern museum. I learned so much. There is an extensive history of his life, his family…read moreand his studies, including an interactive mock-up of his home. Plus of course many of his works including a rotation of three of his "The Scream" works. Some aspects of the exhibit are a bit depressing as he was a very troubled person with many medical issues. There are also sections with adult content so parents with children should be aware. Be sure and have a drink at the rooftop bar for excellent views.

    Visiting this museum has got to be one of the highlights of visiting the city of Oslo. It's an…read morearchitecturally beautiful building with views of the city, holding all of his famous artwork. Before you begin viewing the artwork, it's best to check your purse or bag in the cloak room, unless you don't mind security going through it. I enjoyed the interactive aspects of the museum. This includes walking through a skeletal mock-up of his home, from one dark and eery black room to the next. I picked up the phone that was ringing, but no one was on the other end...There's also a room exhibiting his prints only. At the back, an etched table, along with materials where you can create your own prints. As expected, the room where "The Scream" is being exhibited is the most crowded. Glad I had the chance to view all three versions. The price of admission includes the headphone set tour, which I opted out of.

    Photos
    Munchmuseet - Upside-down at Munch Museum

    Upside-down at Munch Museum

    Munchmuseet - At Munch Museum

    At Munch Museum

    Munchmuseet - Roof top bar

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    Roof top bar

    Kon-Tiki museet - Kon Tiki

    Kon-Tiki museet

    4.1(45 reviews)
    2.2 kmBygdøy

    I remember long ago learning about the Kon-Tiki when I was much younger and now finally got to see…read moreit in person while in Oslo. The museum was a short ferry ride on the Bygdoy ferry that departed from City Hall Pier 3. The ferry ride and museum admission were included in our Oslo Pass. Once inside the Kon Tiki balsa wood ship was to the left and the Ra II reed boat was to the right. The museum seemed a little older but overall presented the Kon Tiki expedition in an easy to follow manner with lots of interesting artifacts. It was also surprising to learn about the post sailing and the effort needed to bring the Kon Toki back to Norway which eventually led to the renovation and housing in this museum. Thor Heyerdahl also funded and led other expeditions and the Easter Island one was covered in detail while following a tunnel down below. The Ra II was housed in the final section of the museum. It was another proof of concept that worked out the second time with this reed boat. The expedition also collected details about the oil spills found on their journey and the resulting actions taken. While it's convenient to see this museum after the Fram or Maritime museums (located right across the parking lot from each other) one may want to split the visit so you don't get overloaded with seeing boats.

    This museum packs a lot into a small space. Basically a museum built to commemorate the voyages of…read moreThor Heyerdoll, it preserved two of his boats the Kontiki and the raw two that made groundbreaking voyages using only the current for power. There were many fascinating things about life on board, and Thor hired all himself, as well as the wildlife they encountered on their voyages.

    Photos
    Kon-Tiki museet - Entrance

    Entrance

    Kon-Tiki museet - One of two vessels on display.

    One of two vessels on display.

    Kon-Tiki museet - Front of the Museum

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    Front of the Museum

    Karl Johans gate

    Karl Johans gate

    3.4(14 reviews)
    0.8 kmSentrum

    Similar to though not nearly as interesting or lively as Barcelona's Las Ramblas (review:…read morehttps://bit.ly/3QJkBpS), this is the primary pedestrian-only artery of Oslo, completely unavoidable if you plan to see the major sights of the city. As it so happened, our hotel (Clarion Hotel: The Hub) was just a few steps from one end of this constantly crowded thoroughfare where the foot traffic poured in and out of the Oslo Central Station. With the other end at the Royal Palace a little more than a half-mile away, we noticed the route has two distinct personalities. The palace end was a wide path surrounded by well maintained park at the beginning. Then it transitioned to a more urban promenade with greenery on one side and upscale hotels and restaurants on the other. The vibe changed considerably at Egertorget Square where we saw the prominent Freia clock up close (photo: https://bit.ly/3RQJbG2). This stretch that leads to the train station was narrower, the bars were more raucous, the eateries were more fast-food options (e.g., McDonald's, MAX Burgers), and the merchandise in the stores looked more downscale. We saw only one lonely busker in the several walks we took up and down this street (photo) but most certainly a lot of drunks. RELATED - Exploring Norway? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: bit.ly/3PEL4Fe

    Karl Johans gate is a pedestrian friendly shopping street in the center of Oslo. It was a really…read morebusy place during the couple days that we were recently in Oslo. And experiencing occasional rain only added to the discomfort. Gayle and I did stop for Ice Cream and I found a sought for accessory at Fjällräven (Swedish Backpack Brand) shop. None of the other businesses looked all that interesting, except for maybe the Indian Place (Jaipur) where we enjoyed a really nice dinner. Other than that, Karl Johans gate was basically a direct means to get from one place to the Royal Palace and back.

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    Karl Johans gate - Karl Johans gate

    Karl Johans gate

    Karl Johans gate
    Karl Johans gate

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    Akershus festning - museums - Updated May 2026

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