Oscarshall Slott

Once the summer home of a Norwegian King, now a beautiful summertime attraction

The Oscarshall Slott was built as a summer home for King Oscar II in 1852. It was a popular party venue for the Bernadotte dynasty as well as a public showroom for period art and antiquities up until 1905. Today, it’s open to the public only in the summer months.

A guided tour takes you through the main rooms, where you’ll hear stories of royal life and learn how the palace was used over the years. Because it was built as a summer residence, the atmosphere is light and intimate, quite different from larger European palaces. You’ll also notice how it reflects the king and queen’s wish to support Norwegian art and design.

The palace is surrounded by trees and has a beautiful, sloped garden with a view of the nearby dazzling fjord. The garden had undergone ‘modernisation’ in the 1930s, with many arguing it had lost its original charm. In 2023, its winding path and luscious lilacs were restored to their former glory.