When we say Oslo, the first thing that comes to mind is Frogner Park!
In front of the entrance of the park, you will see huge gates, and by looking in the distance, you will notice the hugeness of the park in which all the magic of nature and art is hidden! Frogner Park is the biggest park in the central parts of Oslo, spreading over the territory of 45 hectares. It contains the Vigeland installation which is created by only one man- Gustav Vigeland. The installation consists of sculptures and bigger buildings such as fountains and bridges. The Vigeland installation is not a separate park, but the name of the sculptures within Frogner Park. The installation is sometimes informally referred to as ‘’Vigeland Park’’ or ‘’Vigeland Sculpture Park’’. Frogner Park and Vigeland have been under protection by the Heritage Law since February 13th, 2009.
What we can say about Frogner Park is that it is listed in the top 10 attractions in Norway, and that around 1-2 million visitors come to see Frogner Park annually. This is an ideal place for relaxation- both the visitors and the inhabitants of Oslo spend their time in the park doing physical exercise, having a picnic, walking and hanging out with friends. The very appearance of the park makes you feel as if you were in another dimension. Here you can see a huge number of local citizens spending their free time in the circle of family and friends. Frogner Park is special for its nature, as well. You can see a lot of different species of trees in the park (the linden, maple, elm, poplar, ash tree) and the greatest collection of roses in Norway as well. In total, there are 14000 roses categorized into 150 different types. What you can find here as well are: the museum, castle, football pitch, tennis court, outdoor pool complex, restaurant, café, along with the biggest Norwegian children playground, in the immediate vicinity of the main entrance. In wintertime, ski slopes are made and placed in the park.
The entrance is free of charge.
The Land of Dogs in Frogenparken is a free area for dogs.
The park is well connected with public transport. The number of parking spots is limited- you can buy the parking tickets at the main entrance to Kirkeveien. Alternatively, other places where you can park that have a parking machine are Monolittveien, on the west side of the park, and Middelthunsgate, on the side of Frognerbadet.
The Frogner soccer field holds soccer and American football games during the summer, and there is also a running track at the site. During the winter, it is covered with artificial ice for ice skating and if kids have problems maintaining balance, penguins are provided to aid them. You can also book the Frogner tennis court in advance, even if you do not hold a membership.
The entrance fee for the for men pool is € 4 for a two-hour period, the entrance for women costs €12 for an hour and a half. The entrance fee for children between the ages of three and seventeen costs €2.5 (for any time period), whereas children under the age of three have free access to the pool. The tickets should be bought a week in advance, with the maximum for a single purchase being six tickets.
The Frogner Friluftsrestaurant opened its doors on May 17th 1918, and exactly one hundred years later, the Aanne på landet café followed suit in the same location. After a thorough restauration process, the café was, and still is, available even during the winter, and it can offer excellent local coffee, food, cakes, beers and wines to over forty customers at one time. The prices range between €6 to €20, and the working hours last from 11am to 7pm.
Author of the text:
Maja Glavaš, Bachelor with Honours in Communicology. Works in Tourism.
Contact: [email protected]; instagram: travel_europe1
Photo credit: Tord Baklun/VisitiOSLO
