Akershus Fortress

Due to its strategic location, whoever dominated the fortress would control Norway. So, throughout its history, it was attacked and besieged on several occasions, which led to its structure being improved and strengthened.

Throughout Oslo's history, the fortress served as a prison where many criminals and some rebels, considered so because of their political views, were imprisoned. During and after World War II, some of them were even executed in the fortress.

Today, the fortress is still a military zone, a purpose that it combines with its role as a tourist attraction as well as being used for official events.

What to see in the fortress

To see the whole complex you need to book at least a couple of hours, as it has several points of interest and is very large. The main attraction of the fortress is the castle, which has an austere exterior but a surprisingly well-preserved interior.

During the tour of the castle, you'll have the opportunity to visit the vast halls where important decisions were made and huge banquets were held, the dungeons where rebels were imprisoned, or the crypt where some kings are buried.

The Akershus Fortress has 2 museums on its premises; the Defence Museum, where you can see Norwegian military history from Viking times to the present day, and the Resistance Museum, where you can learn about the history of the Resistance during the Nazi occupation of Norway.

A must-see

The Akershus Fortress is one of the main points of interest in the city, so it's worth spending some time there. Depending on how many days you're going to spend in the city and if you're interested in this topic, you can spend a little more time visiting the museums and every corner of the fortress. Otherwise, you can always make a short visit to discover the facilities.