Information
Landmark: Akershus FortressCity: Oslo
Country: Norway
Continent: Europe
Akershus Fortress, Oslo, Norway, Europe
Overview
Akershus Fortress, or Akershus Festning, is a medieval stronghold in Oslo, Norway, its stone walls standing for more than 700 years.It’s been a royal home, a fortress bristling with guards, a grim prison with cold stone walls, and now it stands as a place where history and culture live on.Perched high on a rocky point above the Oslofjord, it stands as one of the city’s most important landmarks.Akershus Fortress, built in the late 1290s under King Håkon V to shield Oslo from attack, began as a stark medieval castle of thick stone walls, a central keep, and watchtowers, later reinforced over centuries into a Renaissance-style stronghold with grand halls and tall windows under King Christian IV.It withstood Swedish sieges in the 16th and 17th centuries, served as a royal residence until the 1800s, and remains steeped in Norway’s military and political history.Visitors can wander the Akershus Castle itself-complete with banquet halls, dungeons, and the Royal Mausoleum where King Haakon VII rests-explore the Armed Forces and Resistance museums, or stroll the grounds for sweeping Oslofjord views beside old cannons.During the German occupation of 1940–45, the fortress became a Nazi prison, its stone corridors witnessing both resistance heroics and grim executions; afterward, it hosted collaborator trials.Today it’s a national symbol, still an active military site, hosting royal events, concerts, and ceremonies, open year-round just a short walk from Oslo’s harbor.Museums and the castle’s interiors keep seasonal hours, and while you can wander the grounds for free, you might need a ticket to step inside the museum.Locals still whisper about the “Mauled Dog” (Den Gjenganger Hunden) said to guard the gates, its howl carrying on cold nights.From the ramparts, the Oslofjord and city skyline spread out in a breathtaking sweep.With its dramatic stone walls, the fortress has starred in films and hosted grand events, remaining not just a relic of the past but a living piece of Oslo, rich with history, culture, and unforgettable views.
