Harald V, the reigning monarch of Norway and the country’s 64th King, traces his lineage back to 872 to the time of Harald Fairhair. His Royal Palace in the center of Oslo also has a very small sledding hill out front. On a Saturday afternoon at the end of February, the city was full of people enjoying a beautiful day.
Akershus Fortress, parts dating from about 1300, continues to guard the harbor at the end of the Oslo Fjord.
FDR is honored just outside the fortress because he provided sanctuary to the family of Haakon VII after the King fled to England as the Third Reich rolled into Norway at the outset of World War II. Haakon is widely admired for his bravery and is considered one of the greatest Norwegians of the 20th century.
Among the buildings inside, the Resistance Museum showcases the brilliant efforts and accomplishments of the Norwegian Resistance during the occupation and the government of Prime Minister Quisling. The story of Resistance hero Max Manus provides a great window into the movement and the film Max Manus is well worth renting.
Further along the edge of the modest sized inner harbor the Nobel Prize museum has innovative displays that bring to life the story of Noble himself, the prizes, and the honorees over the years.
A clunky, but beloved, City Hall anchors the center of the harbor and has been the scene of both humiliation and jubilant celebration over the years.
Even late on a chilly February afternoon, the promenade along the harbor’s edge is a very pleasant place to pass the time and watch the passersby.