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Oslo
Oslo sits at the head of the Oslofjord, an inlet of the Skagerrak. It is the oldest of the Scandinavian capitals, having been founded by Harald Hardrada in 1048. After being levelled by fire in 1624, the city was rebuilt in brick and stone by King Christian IV, who renamed it Christiania - a name which stuck until 1925 when it reverted back to Oslo.
Despite being Norway's largest city, Oslo is remarkably low-key. The city centre is a pleasant jumble of old and new architecture with an abundance of museums, parks and monuments. It's also a remarkably easy city to get around, with most sights within walking distance of the centre or effortlessly reached by public transport.
Vigeland Park is a wonderful expanse of greenery, duck ponds and rows of shady trees - the ideal place for leisurely strolls and picnics on the lawn. Its central walkway is flanked with life-size statues by Gustav Vigeland, a prolific artist who presented the human form in a range of emotions and poses. Probably the most impressive piece is a monolith of writhing bodies, believed to be the world's largest granite sculpture. Other artistic shrines include the National Theatre, with its lavish rococo hall, which was built a century ago to stage Ibsen's plays; and the Munch Museum, which contains more than 5000 drawings and paintings bequeathed to the city by Norway's most famous artist. Munch's most famous painting, The Scream, resides in the National Gallery.
A 10-minute ferry ride across the harbour takes you to Bygdoy. This peninsula has some of Oslo's most outstanding attractions including Norway's largest open-air folk museum; maritime museums housing excavated Viking ships and Thor Heyerdahl's balsa raft Kon-Tiki.
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