Photos: trine.syvertsen, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Jorge Franganillo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo credits
Photos: trine.syvertsen, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Jorge Franganillo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Akershus Fortress, seven centuries of walls
Your local guide
Erik Halvorsen
View profile
Highlights
- Stone ramparts above Oslo's harbour
- A fortress guarding one entrance for centuries
- A Renaissance courtyard added by Christian IV
- Walls rebuilt after later sieges
- The oldest surviving structure in the city
About this tour
This session walks the grounds of Akershus Fortress, the medieval castle and fortress guarding Oslo's harbour. You see the stone ramparts above the water and the Renaissance courtyard added centuries after the original walls went up. Erik traces how the fortress changed under different kings and sieges.
He moves slowly along the ramparts first, since the harbour view explains the site's purpose better than the walls themselves. In the courtyard he slows down further, and questions about specific sieges or the fortress's current use come up on most calls.
This suits anyone drawn to castles and military history without needing a ticketed interior. It also sets up Erik's second session at the Norsk Folkemuseum, where the history moves from the fortress to ordinary Norwegian life.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Oslo before heading out.
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Fortress ramparts 21 min
The camera follows the stone ramparts above the harbour, and I point out where the walls were rebuilt after later sieges, since almost nothing standing today is from the original thirteenth-century structure.
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Castle courtyard 21 min
Inside the courtyard you see the castle's Renaissance-era additions built under King Christian IV, and I explain how the fortress has guarded the same harbour entrance for more than seven centuries.
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Your questions 9 min
Time to ask anything about Oslo: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 4 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Salmon (laks) and Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Oslo time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 10 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Oslo, showing you Fortress ramparts and Castle courtyard live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Akershus Fortress live with my phone.
Times shown in Oslo time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Only travellers who booked and paid through Locals Guide and whose tour took place can leave a review, within 60 days of the tour. Every review is marked "Verified booking". We check reviews before they appear and publish positive and negative ones alike; we remove only reviews that break our rules (insults, personal data, unrelated content). Guides cannot pay for, edit or hide reviews, and ratings are the plain average of all published reviews.
Next: Wed 4 Nov · 10 seats left From 20,00 €
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