Nature of Norway
The natural beauty of the Norwegian countryside can be overwhelming at times. When the sun is shining, and the sky is clear, the grass here just seems greener and the fjords bluer than anywhere else in the world.
Norway in Fog
When the fog lies down over the fjords, Norway seems even more mystic than usual. You can imagine the Viking ships maneuvering through the mist and some trolls hiding behind the trees watching them. Indeed a land of magic and beauty.
The Far North
The far north of Europe is actually pretty fortunate regarding the weather. The reason is the Gulf Stream, which makes it possible to cultivate even fruits around the Norwegian fjords (pictures 2, 6). However, if you go uphill from the fjords, your surroundings change pretty quickly, and you will experience marvelous but very alien ice deserts like the Hardangervidda (picture 1). That’s Planet Hoth from Star Wars Episode V, by the way – the scenes were shot there. One of the biggest and historically most important towns in the far north of Europe is Bergen at the North Sea. For centuries, it was an important port and a center of commerce, especially regarding the trade with fish. Today it is a lovely student town with a lot of culture and museums (pictures 3, 4 and 5).
Land of the Vikings
With all the advantages of modernity, living in the far north is still full of challenges. The deep fjords and steep surrounding hills make it difficult to reach the hinterland; that’s why Norway is investing a lot of money in tunnels and bridges to connect the most remote villages to the country’s urban centers. While the days are long in summer, in winter, the nights are never-ending as well. But the fjords also have their advantages; that’s why people settled here many thousand years ago and why the Vikings flourished in the Middle Ages. First and foremost, the fjord land is very fertile; even fruits and vegetables can grow here. We speak about a country as far in the north as Canada. The favorable climate is due to the Gulf Stream, which makes northern Europe unusually warm. Also, the fjords were perfectly secured against intruders and allowed for remote but connected villages. At the same time, the location of these settlements made it necessary to develop and improve ships. It is no coincidence that the Vikings were the first European people to set foot in America.
Viggeland Park in Oslo
Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943) was a renowned Norwegian sculptor. Many of his works are displayed in Frogner Park, which is also called Viggeland Park in Oslo, Norway.
Oslo City Hall
The Oslo City Hall was built between 1931 and 1950 in a mixed modernist-historic style. On December 10th, every year, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in the main hall of the building (pictures 2, 4). While looking relatively unpretentious from the outside, the inner decoration of this brick building is pretty impressive. Over forty artists from Norway worked on wall paintings and sculptures to design a “palace for the people” (picture 5). The building is still in active use today. While the two towers house many city administration offices (picture 1), the city parliament meets on the first floor in the center of the building (picture 3). The city hall is open every day in summer from 09:00 to 18:00 and in winter from 09:00 to 16:00. Don’t miss it if you visit Oslo!
Michael Hoffman Photography 