“Si vis pacem, para bellum”
“Let him who desires peace prepare for war.”
The Norwegian Military Academy (Krigsskolen)
The Akershus Fortress was built to protect Oslo and had successfully survived many attempted sieges, most of them from Swedish forces.
Fast forward to present date, the central location of the Akershus Fortress makes it the number one tourist landmarks in Oslo. The city’s landscape with the sea view can give anybody and calming and relaxing experience.
Akershus festning or the Akershus Fortress was built in the late 1290s under King Haakon V.
The fortress protects the fabulous medieval castle completed in 14th century, in its strategic location at the tip of the headland.
The fortress close proximity to the sea played a strategic naval power in protecting the interests of early Norwegian trade which was mainly sea-based during the period.
The fortress has also bee used as a prison and now houses The Norwegian Resistance Museum.
The Norwegian Military and Armed Forces still in operation in the fortress, playing around with the fortress defense “attack cannons” was then main thing to do for our peace-loving little travellers.
All those things, above all, the view and family bonding in a relaxed setting!
The view is majestic, to say the least. The landscape, the luxury cruises and yachts make the Oslo horizon perfect when viewed from the fortress.
With this fortress gate, those Swedish invasions never stood a chance!
The medieval castle is perfect for our knight-loving traveling little man. Just see how proud he looks by the castle entrance.
The medieval castle serves as the Mausoleum for Norwegian Royalties including King Sigurd I, King Haakon V, King Haakon VI, Queen Eufemia, King Olav V and Crown Princess Martha.
Knowing the actual royalties are buried in the castle, somehow, makes it cooler for our traveling boy!
Not to mention, real live knights protecting the castle! Well, live knights – yes! Real? Am they are working towards being awesome knights by practice, not by being anointed.
Truth be told, we chance upon the knights club practicing in the castle square which took up most of our time exploring the medieval castle and it was very well worth it. Watching the knights in semi-costume fight is amusing in itself.
Exploring Akershus Fortress easily took a full day for us. Top with ice cream after, it was a perfect family day in Oslo, Norway!
Love knights and medieval castle? Consider exploring Oslo’s Akershus festning or the Akershus Fortress!
Turknoy Travels 100! 