Exploring Oslo - Norway - page 128

Twice a day Ibsen followed this
route to the Grand Café. Admirers
often threw rose petals in his path, but
he pretended not to see. He was called
“the Sphinx” because he wouldn't talk
to anybody.

Also on Akersgata is:
7 Trefoldighetskirken
(Holy Trinity Church)
This church was the site of Ibsen's
funeral.
A little farther along Akersgata is St. Olav's
Church. Turn on the right side of this impos-
ing house of worship onto Akersveien and
go to:
8 Damplassen
This small square—one of the most
charming in Oslo—doesn't appear on
most maps. Norway's greatest poet,
Henrik Wergeland, lived in the pink
house on the square from 1839 to
1841.
Take a right at the square and head down:
9 Damstredet
The antique, wooden houses along
this typical old Oslo street are mainly
occupied by artists.
Damstredet winds downhill to Fredens-
borgveien. Here, a left turn and a short walk
will take you to Maridalsveien, a busy but
dull thoroughfare. As you walk north along
this street, on the west side look for a large
unmarked gateway with wide stone steps
inside. Climb to the top, follow a little path-
way, and go past gardens and flower beds.
Pass a set of brick apartment buildings on
the left, and proceed to:
0 Telthusbakken
Along this little street, you'll see a
whole row of early Oslo wooden
houses. Look right in the far distance
at the green building where Munch
used to live.
Telthusbakken leads to Akersveien. On your
left you can see the:
! Gamle Aker Kirke
(Old Aker Church)
Enter at Akersbakken, where Akers-
veien and Akersbakken intersect. Built
in 1100, this is the oldest stone parish
church in Scandinavia that's still in
use. It stands on a green hill sur-
rounded by an old graveyard and a
stone wall.

TAKE A BREAK
The Grand Café, Karl Johans
Gate 31 ( & 23-21-20-00 ),
was the center of social life
for the literati and the artistic elite,
including Munch. Today a favorite with
many visitors, but also with hundreds of
Oslovians who appreciate tradition, it is
the single most famous cafe in all of
Scandinavia (see section 4, “Where to
Dine,” in chapter 4). On the far wall of
the cafe, you can see Per Krogh's famous
mural, painted in 1928. Ibsen, with a top
hat and gray beard, is at the far left, and
Munch—called the handsomest man in
Norway—is seated at the second win-
dow from the right at the far right of the
window. The poet and playwright Bjørn-
stjerne Bjørnson can be spotted on the
street outside (second window from the
left, wearing a top hat), because he
wouldn't deign to come into the cafe.
You can order food and drink, a big
meal, or a snack here.

Returning to the street, note the Norwegian
Parliament building (Stortinget) on your
right. Proceed left and turn left onto Lille
Grensen. Cross the major boulevard,
Grensen, and walk straight to:
5 Akersgata
This street was used for Ibsen's funeral
procession. Services were conducted at
the Holy Trinity Church on June 1,
1906.
Veer left to see the:
6 Birthplace of Ibsen's son
On your left, at the corner of Teater-
gata and Akersgata, is the site of the
famous Strømberg Theater, which
burned down in 1835. It was also a
residence, and Ibsen's son was born
here in 1859.