Norway, Oslo, Vigeland Sculpture Park / Monoliten Statue (by Gustav Vigeland)

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Vigelandsparken

Top choice in Oslo


The centrepiece of Frognerparken is an extraordinary open-air showcase of work by Norway's best-loved sculptor, Gustav Vigeland, and is home to 212 granite and bronze pieces by the artist. His highly charged oeuvre includes entwined lovers, tranquil elderly couples, bawling babies and contempt-ridden beggars. Speaking of bawling babies, his most famous work here, Sinnataggen (Little Hot-Head), portrays a child in a mood of particular ill humour.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Oslo attractions

1. Frognerparken

0.13 MILES

Frognerparken attracts westside locals with its broad lawns, ponds, stream and rows of shady trees for picnics, strolling or lounging on the grass. It…

2. Oslo City Museum

0.28 MILES

Near the southern entrance to Vigeland Park, this charming museum is housed in the 18th-century Frogner Manor, built on the site of a Viking-era great…

3. Vigeland Museum

0.32 MILES

For a more in-depth look at Gustav Vigeland's work, this museum is just opposite the southern entrance to Frognerparken. It was built by the city in the…

4. Oslo Contemporary

0.88 MILES

The westside's best commercial gallery. Set in a former garage, it represents an interesting line-up of emerging and established conceptual artists,…

5. Nasjonalbiblioteket

1.1 MILES

A thoroughly modern library where you can view important documents of Norway's cultural heritage, from 13th-century manuscripts to magazines, films and…

6. Nobel Institute

1.15 MILES

It is unclear why Alfred Nobel chose Norway to administer the Peace Prize, but whatever the reason, it is a committee of five Norwegians, appointed for…

7. Queen Sonja Art Stable

1.2 MILES

The former palace stables, used for half a century as storage, were reopened as a public gallery space by Queen Sonja on her 80th birthday. The charming…

8. Royal Palace

1.23 MILES

The Norwegian royal family's seat of residence emerges from the woodland-like Slottsparken, a relatively modest, pale-buttercup neoclassical pile. Built…