Oslo

Tuesday 5^th June

On the move early and walked around to the City Hall, from the harbour side it didn’t look that impressive a 1930-40s building but walking around to the other side, in a cloister like surround leading to the entrance we were greeted by a series of wooden two dimensional sculpture depicting Norse legends, they were all coloured and there was an explanation of the legends they depicted.

Entering the building we were greeted by dull entrance foyer and reception area but going through a set of doors we entered a huge function area with murals on the walls and upstairs there were several equally elaborate, though smaller rooms.

From the city hall we walked via the National Theatre and Parliament House, passing very close to the scene of the bombing last July and on to the Oslo Cathedral.  The cathedral like many Lutheran churches is quite plain but with an elaborate painted ceiling, in need of restoration.  The internal area of the cathedral is in the shape of a cross with both naves of similar size and the “King’s Box” on the balcony at the “cross roads”.

We had nearly two and a half hours until the changing of the guard at the palace so decided to catch a train to the new ski jump facilities, where we were told we would have a good view over Oslo.  A half hour train ride and a fifteen minute walk up a steep hill brought us to the ski jump, a huge structure but we could only view it from underneath.  The view from here when it was completed in 2010 must have been excellent but that was before the trees re-grew and blocked the view of most of the city.  We made a rapid descent of the hill to catch the train back to the city and arrived at the Royal Palace with time to spare for the Changing of the Palace Guard.

Like the changing of the guard in Copenhagen, the public are allowed to cluster around the site and two guards are detailed to keep the people back so as not to impede the guard’s progress.  I was fortunate to be allowed to cross in front of them to the Palace side of the parade ground and didn’t have to jostle with the crowd to take my photos.

Walking back through the Palace Park we followed the street to the Historical Museum with displays from the Ice Ace to Christianity.  Other floors provides displays featuring the Inuit people, together with displays from the Americs, Africa, Ancient Egypt and a temporary display on the horse through history with artefacts and relics recovered from Norse graves,

On leaving the museum we found that the heavens had opened so we hurried around to the National Gallery to find it was closed, the security guards are on strike and it’s not sure when it will re-open.  While there we were told the security staff at the airport is on a “go slow campaign” so we should allow plenty of time on Thursday to check in.

Yesterday we were told about the Vigeland Sculpture Park and as we still had several hours to fill, we used a tram and the Metro to travel to the park, we had no idea what to expect and arriving at the station it was still pouring but we set off to walk.

Arriving at the park, there was a statue of August Vigeland a sculptor who died in 1943 and all the 212 sculptures, both bronze and stone, were completed by him.  Without exception they were all nudes, male and female of all ages and most featured two or three people in a group.  A bridge over a lake was lined on both sides with bronze statues, including a small boy.  This particular statue we have seen illustrated on postcards and on the front of several guide books, it’s probably Oslo’s answer to Brussels’ Mannequin Piss but without the water works.

Further into the park on a hill we could see a large column, probably 20 m or more high and it was composed of hundreds of bodies carved in stone, intertwined up the column.  The steps leading up to the platform supporting the column were also lined with stone figures mostly of two or three people.  The fact that all the statues in the park were created by one person is amazing; it was certainly worth a visit.