Oslo Royal Palace (Kongelige Slott)
Slottsplassen 1, Oslo, NOR
Oslo’s neoclassical Royal Palace was designed by architect Hans Linstow and built in the early 19th century for King Charles III, who reigned over a united Norway and Sweden. Today it is the official city residence of King Harald V and his wife Queen Sonja, and is open during the summer for guided tours of some of its 173 palatial rooms.
King Charles III died before work and so it was his son Oscar I who finally moved into the palace in 1849. A guided tour includes dozens of the palace’s ornate state rooms. Highlights include the Bird Room, which is delicately decorated with 40 species of birds, and the Great Hall, where lavish balls still take place under dripping crystal chandeliers.
One of the best ways to experience the palace is via a hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus, which allows you to see 18 top attractions such as the Vigeland Sculpture Park and Akershus Castle and Fortress at your own pace. Informative audio narration accompanies each stop.
- The Royal Palace is an ideal spot for history and art buffs and royalists.
- An elevator for the elderly and mobility-impared is available.
- No pets are allowed except guide dogs.
- Baby strollers, bags, coats, cameras, and umbrellas must be stored in the cloakroom.
The Royal Palace is located on Slottsplassen in the Nobel district in the center of Oslo, easily accessible by public transportation, including metro, at stop Nationaltheatret, taking you to the southeastern entrance at Karl Johans Gate, and nearby tram 11, 17 and 18 stopping at Holbergs Plass, a 2-minute walk to the northern entrance.
The palace is open daily from mid-June to late August for guided tours only. There are four English-language tours per day starting at midday. Come at 1:30pm for the Changing of the Guard ceremony, which takes place outside the palace. While short and tidy in the winter, it’s 40 minutes of full-blown pageantry—with guards on horseback, bands, and parades along Karl Johans Gate— in the summer.
Spend time at the palace’s park grounds, amongst ponds, leafy promenades, and picnic spots. Learn a bit about Norwegian history while admiring sculptures of the country’s notables including King Carl Johan and Queen Maud, mathematician Nils Henrik Abel and women’s rights defender Camilla Collett—the latter two were made by Gustav Vigeland, whose oeuvre is on display inxa0 Vigeland Park.
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