Walking in Oslo - Karl Johans gate
Provided by:
GuideToGo AS
Join us on a walk along Karl Johans gate and get to know important historical places and statues of people who have influenced the city, the country and the cultural heritage.
Provided by:
GuideToGo AS
Join us on a walk along Karl Johans gate and get to know important historical places and statues of people who have influenced the city, the country and the cultural heritage.
Do you see the flag waving so beautifully over the castle? If it's red with the Norwegian lion emblem in the middle, it means that His Majesty The King is at home or somewhere in Norway. If the King is abroad, the flag of His Majesty The Crown Prince, who then acts as regent, is flown. The Palace was inaugurated in 1849 after a construction period of over 20 years. There is plenty of space to roam. A total of 173 rooms are used for the royal residence, state rooms, and working rooms for staff at the Royal Court. Every Friday, the Council of State is held at the Royal Palace. During the meeting, the Prime Minister sits on the King's right side. The remaining ministers are placed by rank around the King's table. If you are seeking an audience with His Majesty, you must wait in the Bird Room, a beautifully decorated room with 43 Norwegian birds on display. The Palace has several magnificent halls and rooms for large events. A number of traditions are tied to the dinners in the Great Dining Hall. When the royal procession with guests enters the hall, it is always to the tune of the Old Hunter's March. Speeches are announced using a large brass bell and a four-course menu based on Norwegian ingredients is usually served. Where does His Majesty The King have his bedroom? We don't know that.
In 1856, it was decided by 59 votes to 47 that the parliament building should be erected according to the drawings of the Swedish architect Emil Victor Langlet. The new parliament building was opened in the spring of 1866 and was to be a symbol of independence and freedom. In Norway's art history from 1981, we can read among other things that: "Langlet merged a multitude of different elements into an untraditional, new piece of architecture, where functional considerations played a decisive role... The Lombardic-Romanesque style that Langlet used was new and revolutionary. This was also because the building as a whole had no known model. The Parliament was to be the central building of the new Norwegian state, and be a symbol of independence and freedom from the past and traditions." If you would like to feel close to the power, there is usually a free summer tour of the parliament building, from mid-June to the end of August. If you are a little more than averagely interested, you might want to visit the parliament's own website www.stortinget.no. Photo: Digitalt Museum and Bernth-Erik Øien Fossli
You are now looking at the statue of King Christian Frederick. "This monument is a lasting expression of our gratitude to the young Crown Prince who became our King, the first King in an independent Norway in over 400 years, and the first democratically elected King in Europe," said Prime Minister Erna Solberg when she unveiled the statue in 2014. It was on the day 200 years after Norway got its own constitution on May 17, 1814 at Eidsvoll. Christian Frederick abdicated the same year he became king. Sweden did not accept Norway becoming an independent state and occupied parts of Norway. It ended with Norway entering a union with Sweden where the constitution largely remained, but they shared the same king. Christian Frederick moved back to Denmark and became Danish king a few years later. The close ties between Denmark and Norway are thus historically rooted in several hundred years, which this statue also symbolizes.
Indeed, that's one of the most memorable moments in Norwegian history. King Olav V’s decision to take the tram was a powerful gesture that spoke volumes about his sense of duty and solidarity with his people during a difficult time. It resonated with Norwegians then and continues to do so now. The king was known for his approachability and for being very close to the Norwegian people, often referred to as the "People's King". This event solidified that image, showing that he was not above facing the same hardships as his subjects. The moment was captured in a photograph, which shows King Olav standing in the tram, ticket in hand. That image has since become a symbol of the king's humility and the democratic nature of Norwegian society. So yes, even in times of crisis, there can be moments of unity and common understanding that bring us closer together, and this was certainly one of them.