City Layout

Main Arteries & Streets

Oslo is at the mouth of the Oslofjord, which is 97km (60 miles) in length. Opening onto the harbor is Rådhusplassen (City Hall Square), dominated by the modern City Hall, a major attraction. Guided bus tours leave from this point, and the launches that cruise the fjords depart from the pier facing the municipal building. You can catch Bygdøy-bound ferries from the quay at Rådhusplassen. On a promontory to the east is Akershus Castle.

Karl Johans Gate, Oslo's main street (especially for shopping and strolling), is north of City Hall Square. This boulevard begins at Oslo Sentralstasjon (Central Station) and stretches all the way to the 19th-century Royal Palace at the western end.

A short walk from the palace is the famed Studenter Lunden (Students' Grove), where seemingly everybody gathers on summer days to socialize. The University of Oslo is nearby. Dominating this center is the National Theater, guarded by statues of Ibsen and Bjørnson, the two greatest names in Norwegian theater. South of the theater, near the harbor, is Stortingsgaten, another shop-filled street.

The main city square is Stortorvet, although it's no longer the center of city life, which has shifted to Karl Johans Gate.

At a subway stop near the National Theater, you can catch an electric train to Tryvannstårnet, the loftiest lookout in Scandinavia, and to the Holmenkollen Ski Jump.

Finding an Address

Street numbers begin on the southern end of streets running north-south and on the eastern end of streets running east-west. Odd numbers are on one side of the street, and even numbers on the other. Where large buildings hold several establishments, different addresses are designated with A, B, and C.

Street Maps

Maps of Oslo are distributed free at the tourist office. For extensive exploring, especially of some back streets, you may need a more detailed map. Opt for a pocket-size map with a street index that can be opened and folded like a wallet. Such maps are sold at most newsstands in the central city. If you can't find a map, go to the city's most central bookstore, Tanum Karl Johan, Karl Johans Gate 43 (tel. 22-41-11-00).