The fortress of Oslo doesn’t look like one big fortress; it is incorporated into the surrounding city and today used for different purposes. But you can still today visit the different buildings, follow the walls and fortifications, pass through its stone gates and enjoy views from the uppermost platform of the hill it is standing on. Akershus festning was created between 1287 and 1300 CE and always played an important role in protecting the city. It was besieged and conquered multiple times, used as a prison; during World War II it was occupied by Nazi forces.
Today the well-protected grounds are used for state events and cultural events. But it is also the mausoleum for the kings of Norway and it hosts the museum about the Norwegian resistance against Nazi occupation (Hjemmefrontmuseum). The grounds can be visited free of charge and it is best to climb up from the Rådhusplassen (next to the Franklin D. Roosevelt statue). But there are different gates facing the city; just don’t expect to find a classic fully surrounded by high walls here.
Akershus festning
Oslo
Norway
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