I Have Been To...Akershus Fortress

Thursday morning found us well rested after our lengthy sojourn to Oslo. So after a filling breakfast of eggs, potatoes, turkey bacon (thank you Google Translator!) and toast, washed down with a litre of coffee, we were ready to tramp about. 

Herself had already planned to take me to Akershus Fortress where there are three museums inside the perimeter, Akershus Castle, the Norwegian Armed Forces Museum, and the Norwegian Resistance Museum. With the dreich weather, we eventually managed the first two, and left off the third "for later"... 

The tram from our Air BnB was a quick walk and a short trip down to the port area, where the fortress is located. Built in the 1290's by King Haakon V, it has been in continuous use since then. Akershus has held against every siege, including the 1716 siege by the Swedes in Charles XII. It has been used as a prison in the 19th century. And currently it is home to the Norwegian MoD and is an active military post. 

Entrance to the fortress

A very nice Visitor's Center to buy your admission tickets and book...so many books...

The price of admission was fairly cheap for what you get. For the three museums, you pay 100 NoK for an adult. That about $10 USD. You can wander around the grounds for free if you wish and there is a fair amount to see, just for free, too. 

A view of Oslo Harbor from the just outside the Castle's walls

Inside the front gate of the castle

The castle has a number of exhibits and with the price of admission, you get a small electronic device the size of an iPhone which will play a pre-recorded blurb about the different points on the self-guided tour. Very helpful for non-Norwegian speakers such as myself. 

Typical dress from the 1600's of the Governors of the Castle

Chapel of the castle, still in use today by the Garrison

There were a large number of tapestries throughout the castle

Reception Room with Squadron Guidons of units, sadly nothing interpreting them

One half of the Christian IV Room, I think it was called

King Frederick V of Denmark-Norway, who reigned in the mid-18th century

Frederick V's wife, Louise of Great Britain, as she is listed

This was called The Prince's Room, and has quite a few furnishings and paintings from the period

Stained glass window, sadly I forget the name of this room

But it was a beautiful room, nonetheless

Concept sketch of St. Hallvard, the Patron Saint of Oslo. His image is in the stained-glass window pictured above

This building outside the castle serves as the Garrison Mess Hall, but we did not eat here

We are lunch here, instead. And a very nice lunch it was...If you find yourself at the Akershus at lunchtime, I highly recommend this place. 

After lunch, the three of us went back into the Akershus for the Norwegian Armed Forces Museum. But that's a story for another time. 

Until then...time to rest up for tomorrow's adventure.