Oslo has a spectacular setting at the head of a 110km (70-mile) long fjord. It is the oldest of the Scandinavian capitals, founded in or around 1050 by Norwegian king Harald Hardråde, who established it on the site of an earlier Viking settlement.
Following construction of the imposing castle and fortress Akershus Slott by Håkon V Magnusson in the late 13th century, Oslo’s importance grew and it developed into a major trading centre, dealing primarily with Germany and central Europe.
Following numerous lesser conflagrations, the predominantly wooden city burnt to the ground in 1624. King Christian IV rebuilt it on its present site, to the northeast of the castle, and it was renamed Christiania in his honour – a name it kept for 300 years.
By the mid-1800s, the Norwegian capital had grown into a major financial, military and administrative centre. The subsequent development of shipping, industry and forestry helped give it the dominant role that it still enjoys in the nation’s economy.
United with Denmark from 1380 to 1814, and from then on with Sweden, Norway finally gained independence in 1905 – Oslo staged a major arts festival in June 2005 to mark the centenary.
The best approach to Oslo is by sea, sailing up the fjord (where shrimpers and small sailing boats jostle with ferries and merchant ships) to where the city sprawls out from its compact centre around the quays to the flanks of the surrounding hills.
Although Oslo is not noted for grand architecture, its history lives on in medieval buildings like Akershus Slott, which stands across a park from the austere angular bulk of the 1930s-style Rådhus (City Hall). A highlight is the Slott (Royal Palace), which elegantly dominates the view west along Karl Johans Gate past the Storting (Parliament).
Norway’s and Oslo’s international influence was greatly boosted by the discovery of vast oil resources in the North Sea in the 1960s. The wealth created by the oil industry has contributed both to the country’s and the capital’s current resurgence. In Oslo, this is reflected in its bustling docks and the lively retail and leisure sector around Aker Brygge, a transformed former warehouse area along the quay.
The population of just over half a million is small for a major city, but with its late-night shopping, crowded cafés, pubs, restaurants and theatres playing to full houses, Oslo has a self-assured and cosmopolitan feel.
The climate is surprisingly mild for the high latitude. In summer, temperatures often hover around 20ºC (68ºF) but in winter, they can fall to well below freezing point. Winter is dark and sometimes gloomy, but the cold season does have its compensations, including plentiful opportunities to enjoy cross-country and downhill skiing in the numerous ski trails and slopes around the city.
During the long summer days, when the sun drops only briefly below the horizon and it never gets truly dark, the inhabitants spend much of their time outdoors. Summer is perfect for exploring the parks and hiking paths, or relaxing on the beaches of the fjord.
Oslo cannot help its dark sub-arctic winters but in recent years it has largely shaken off its former dull and somewhat parochial image without losing its air of informality. More liberal drinking laws have helped create a lively nightlife and oil money provides support for arts and culture, making it a thriving and vibrant city.