Sights in Norway
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Stiftsgården
Scandinavia’s largest wooden palace, the late baroque Stiftsgården was constructed as a private residence in the late 18th century. It is now the official royal residence in Trondheim. Admission is by tour only, every hour on the hour.
reviewed
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B
Bergen Cathedral
Bergen’s cathedral, also known as St Olav’s Church, is well worth a visit. The stonemasonry in the entrance hall is superb; it was carved by the same stonemasons as those who adorned Westminster Abbey’s chapter house in London.
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Bymuseum
The moderately interesting town Bymuseum, which displays a host of historical maritime and fishing artefacts and works by local artists, is elevated above the mundane by impressive exhibits of works by Mandal’s favourite son, Gustav Vigeland.
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Church
The timbered Kautokeino church, which dates from 1958, is one of Norway’s most used, particularly at Easter. Its cheery interior, alive with bright Sami colours, has some fixtures salvaged from the earlier 1701 church that was torched in WWII.
reviewed
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C
Mariakirken
This stone church, with its Romanesque entrance and twin towers, dates from the early 12th century and is Bergen’s oldest building. The interior features 15th-century frescoes and a splendid baroque pulpit donated by Hanseatic merchants in 1676.
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Reindeer Safari Park
This reindeer safari park may not be so much of a treat for the children if you’ve been driving in Eastern Finnmark and stopped to relate to browsing roadside reindeer but it’s worth the visit if you’ve rolled in on the Hurtigruten.
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Evje Mineralsti
Reached via the same road as the nickel mine, Evje Mineralsti covers five small mines for those who aren't satisfied by rocks found by other people. Digging for your own requires a permit which is available at the site or, sometimes, from the information centre in town.
reviewed
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D
Gamle Aker Kirke
This medieval stone church, located north of the centre on Akersbakken, dates from 1080 and is Oslo’s oldest building. Lutheran services are held at 9am and 11am on Sunday. Take bus 37 from Jernbanetorget to Akersbakken then walk up past the churchyard.
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E
Cathedral
Bodø’s striking cathedral, completed in 1956, has a soaring, freestanding tower and spire. Shaped like an inverted ship’s hull, the walls of its nave are clad with tufty, multicoloured rugs and there’s a fine stained-glass window.
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F
Rana Museum of Natural History
The Rana Museum of Natural History illustrates the geology, ecology, flora and wildlife of the Arctic Circle region, and features several hands-on exhibits that will engage children. The ticket price also gives entry to the Rana Museum of Cultural History.
reviewed
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Verkensgarorden
Verkensgarorden has tools and implements from a local 17th-century sawmill and ironworks. There’s also a permanent geological exhibition documenting the evolution of blue larvikite, a beautiful, locally quarried 500-million-year-old type of granite.
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Church
Highlight of the Giske island is its ornate 12th-century church. Built largely of marble, its real jewels are the elaborately carved polychrome altarpiece and pulpit. The island’s Makkevika marshes are a prime spot for bird-watching.
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Skrivergården
Strandgaten, a street of timber houses constructed after 1843, is well worth a stroll Skrivergården was built in 1846 as the home of the local magistrate Christian Feyer. The small town park opposite served as his private garden – half his luck.
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Lofoten Theme Gallery
The Lofoten Theme Gallery is very much the creation of one man, Geir Nøtnes, a keen photographer from a long fishing background. One room is devoted to cod fishing, another to whaling and there’s a 20-minute DVD about Lofoten through the seasons.
reviewed
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G
Valberg Tower & Guard Museum
The historic tower Valbergtårnet was constructed as a guards’ lookout in 1850 and now contains this interesting museum. From behind the west side of the tower at ground level there are some reasonable views over the city towards the old town.
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Nordkapp Museum
Honningsvåg's small Nordkapp Museum, co-located with the tourist office, illustrates the impact of early visitors to the Cape, Sami culture, the hard days in the immediate aftermath of WWII and the daily life of a town that, until the advent of tourism, lived from the sea.
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Risør Saltwater Aquarium
The interesting Risør Saltwater Aquarium, on the quay in front of the Risør Hotel, is a small showcase of saltwater fish, crustaceans and shellfish common to Norway’s south coast. Highlights include baby lobsters and the colourful cuckoo wrasse.
reviewed
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H
Bergen Aquarium
At the end of the Nordnes Peninsula, this aquarium has a big outdoor tank with seals and penguins, as well as 70 indoor tanks. You’ll never forget the loveable steinbit, the hideous anglerfish or the school of herring, which seems to function as a single entity.
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Stave Church
Kaupanger’s main claim for your attention is its impressive stave church. Constructed in 1184, its wonderfully ornate interior is shaped like an upturned Viking ship. The wall paintings feature musical annotation and the Celtic-style chancel arch is unique.
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I
Botanical Garden
Oslo’s 15-acre Botanical Garden features over 7500 plants from around the world. There are also plants from the Oslo fjords, including four that are almost extinct in nature. Specimens in the aromatic garden are accompanied by text in both print and braille.
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Namdal Museum
The Namdal Museum has displays on local history, including the typical wooden sailing boats of the area, and is – hold on to your hat – ‘Norway’s only museum featuring exhibits of hospital equipment presented in chronological order’.
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J
Reconstruction Museum
Hammerfest’s Reconstruction Museum recounts the forced evacuation and decimation of the town during the Nazi retreat in 1944; the hardships that its citizens endured through the following winter; and Hammerfest’s post-war reconstruction and regeneration.
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Sogn Fjordmuseum
In Kaupanger, 2km southeast along the Rv5 from Sogndal and reachable by bus, the Sogn Fjordmuseum has a collection of 19th- and 20th-century fishing boats and equipment. From here, you can also rent a rowing boat (Nkr50 per hour) to explore the sound.
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Rural Building Collection
Northeast of the centre, the Rural Building Collection features 12 farmhouses, shops and the like from the 18th and 19th centuries, which you can view from the exterior. It has a pamphlet in English.
A combined ticket (around NOK30) gives entry to both of Mosjøen's museums.
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K
Lillehammer Art Museum
This art museum is not only architecturally striking, it also covers Norwegian visual arts from the early 19th century to the present. Highlights of the permanent collection include some of Norway’s finest artists (including Edvard Munch) and some local painters.
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