av Paal Leveraas | mar 26, 2026 | History of Norway, Oslo
One of the first things we were pointed to when the guide course started was 26 specific years. Here is a thorough walkthrough of these years. 793 — The Viking Age begins Photo: matthew Hunt CC BY 2.0 On 8 June 793, Norse raiders attacked the monastery at Lindisfarne...
av Paal Leveraas | mar 26, 2026 | Art, Culture and Architecture, Oslo
In December 1943, an explosion on Oslo’s waterfront shattered windows across the entire city. It also, in a single afternoon, destroyed the masterwork of one artist and set in motion the death of another. Both had spent decades circling each other — as rivals,...
av Paal Leveraas | mar 24, 2026 | Heritage, Museums and Landmarks, Norwegian Society, Oslo
Akershus, painting by Eilif Peterssen, 1900. Photo by Bingar1234 (CC BY-SA 4.0) Welcome to Akershus Fortress, the undisputed historical heart of Oslo. Perched dramatically above the fjord, this architectural marvel has survived sieges, fires, and centuries of decay....
av Paal Leveraas | feb 9, 2026 | History of Norway, Norwegian Society, Oslo
Norwegian history is often told in fragments: a dramatic Viking Age, a long union period, a sudden constitutional moment in 1814, and then a rapid leap into modern prosperity. Seen together, however, it is a remarkably coherent story about how a small,...