Exploring Oslo - Norway - page 126

Continue along Rådhusgata, turning right
onto Nedre Slottsgate. Walk to the end of
the street. At Myntgata, turn right and pass
through a gate. You are now on the greater
grounds of Akershus Castle. The first build-
ing on the right is the:
5 Norwegian Resistance
Museum
The museum has displays on events
related to the Nazi occupation of Nor-
way from 1940 to 1945.
Also at the site is:
6 Akershus Castle & Fortress
The structure dates from 1300 but
was rebuilt in the 17th century. Take a
guided tour and walk the ramparts.
In front of the Norwegian Resistance
Museum, pause on the grounds to look
at the:
7 Execution Site
Here the Nazis shot prisoners, often
Norwegian freedom fighters. There's a
memorial to the resistance movement,
and you'll have a good view of the har-
bor in the distance.
Cross the drawbridge to the east, right
before Kongensgate, and continue through
the castle grounds to the:
8 National Monument to the
German Occupation
This commemorates Norway's suffer-
ing at the hands of the Nazis.
After seeing the monument, turn left (north)
into:
9 Grev Wedels Plass
This is the site of Den Gamle Logen
(Freemason's Lodge). In 1850 Ibsen
wrote poems here. At no. 9 and Dron-
ningensgatan 4 is the Astrup Fearnley
Museum of Modern Art, with chang-
ing exhibits of Norwegian and foreign
art from the postwar period.
Head north along Kirkegata until you reach:
0 Bankplassen
This former site of the old Bank of
Norway is now the Museum of Con-
temporary Art (Bankplassen 4), with
the state collection of international
and Norwegian modern art acquired
since World War II. This square was

once Oslo's social center. Ibsen staged
his first play here in 1851 (at a theater
that burned down in 1877).
From Bankplassen, turn right onto Revier-
stredet and left onto Dronningensgatan. At
one time the waterfront came up to this
point. Go right at the Central Post Office
onto Tollbugata. At the intersection with
Fred Olsens Gate, turn left and walk to the:
! Oslo Sentralstasjon
Trains arrive at Oslo's rail hub from
the Continent here and depart for all
points linked by train in Norway.
Turn left onto the main pedestrian-only
street:
@ Karl Johans Gate
The street stretches from the Central
Station in the east to the Royal Palace
in the west end.
On your right you'll pass the:
# Basarhallene
Boutiques and shops, hawking every-
thing from food to clothing to crafts,
fill this huge complex.
Turn right at Kirkegata, heading for the:
$ Oslo Domkirke
This 17th-century cathedral resides at
Stortorvet, Oslo's old marketplace.
Like the City Hall, the cathedral is
decorated with outstanding works by
Norwegian artists.

TAKE A BREAK
Old Oslo atmosphere lives on
at the Stortorvets Gjaest-
giveri, Grensen 1 ( & 23-35-
63-60 ), on a busy commercial street.
This drinking and dining emporium, dat-
ing from the 1600s, is often filled with
spirited beer drinkers. A beer costs
58NOK ($8.25). It's open Monday to Sat-
urday from 11am to 10:30pm, Sunday
(from Sept-Apr only) 3 to 9pm.

From Stortorvet, walk west on Grensen until
you reach Lille Grensen. Cut left onto this
street, returning to Karl Johans Gate. On
your left at Karl Johans Gate 22 will be the: