Okay, so back in the day, Christian IV, King of Denmark AND Norway (that was interesting to learn - Norway has always been part of a 'union' with Sweden or Denmark and the Norwegians haven't always liked that fact), renamed Oslo after it burned down in 1624, Christiania. The town was called this, more or less, until 1924 when the Norwegians (they gained independence in 1905 from Sweden) renamed it after its medieval named - Oslo. But Norwegians say OSHLO...just in case you wanted to know...
This is the palace that Karl-Johan built. Who is that you ask? He was a Frenchman who served as of Napoleon's generals. The Swedish king adopted him and the Swedish parliament voted Karl-Johan in as their king. As one of his first acts Karl-Johan placed a huge Swedish army on the Norwegian border forcing the Norwegians to agree to another 'union' kingdom (they had established their own constitution in 1811).
This is Karl-Johan Gate (street) or 'main street Oslo' with shops and cool stuff galore....
I am putting this partly in for my mother's sake. I haven't put a photo of me on here in a while - see Mom, I'm doing fine ;)
At the Palace (where the Norwegian king and queen still live) I got to see the 'changing of the Guard' as it were....
I just find their 'hats' funny...it's like an English 'bowler'(?) hat with a horse tail on the side!
I thought this was cool. This lieutenant(?) guy was taking his troops on a tour around the Palace - cool to remind the troops what they're protecting, etc.
This is University of Oslo founded in 1811....
This is the Stortinget or 'Great Assembly', i.e. Parliament building on Karl-Johan Gate...
And then an opposite view up the Karl-Johan Gate towards the Palace...
To juxtapose two buildings in Oslo - here is the new opera house being built...look at that oil money go to work! ;)
And then here is a house that was completed in 1710 - Oshlo has been around for a while that's for sure...
This is City Hall - can't say that I 'dug' the dark brickness of it all....
What is cool though is that the City Hall is where the Nobel Peace Prize is handed out 10 December of every year....Alfred Nobel wanted it awarded in Norway, instead of Sweden where the other prizes are awarded...no one knows why ;)
City Hall sits right next to the harbor...what a pretty day it was...
This is the Nobel Peace Prize Center where you can see Peace prize Laureates' work, info, etc.
And this is one of my last views of Norway (southern Norway, close to the Swedish border) on my way back, eventually to Berlin. Goodbye Norway and thanks!!
