Sunday evenings are the best and most quiet time to explore the gracefulness of any city in Norway. Most people relax at home with delicate food and family time. For a photo journalist, this is a good time to capture the best photo moments. ThorNews took a walk around one of Oslo’s districts .

St. Hanshaugen is one of Oslo’s largest parks, located just north of the city centre. The popular recreational area is great for walks, and from the top of the hill you have a nice view of Oslo.

St. Hanshaugen was originally a bare rock hill. In the 1840s, the name St. Hanshaugen (“Midsummer Hill”) came into use, as the hill was a popular place for midsummer celebrations. In 1855 it was decided that parts of the area was to be planted, and a big part of St. Hanshaugen was turned into a park in the next 30 years. The recreational area also got a park keeper house, an artificial creek and a pavilion on the square ‘Festplassen’ (public area), and the park was expanded. Through the years, a number of statues also were placed in the park. In 1936, St. Hanshaugen got an open-air café on ‘Festplassen’ – the square on top of the hill – which is still a popular summer café today.

Today, St.Hanshaugen is an extreme popular area for gatherings and other celebrations for the citizens of Oslo. It also has its own festival, in late summer, called ‘Gutta på Haugen’, which is an extravagant food, music and film festival.

Historical note: In the years before World War I, there was also a big cage with a Norwegian-Swedish bear which was killed in 1917. A small zoo contained peacocks and monkeys.

If you ever go to Oslo, it’s worth while visiting St.Hanshaugen Park. It is wise to bring your own blanket, food and good beverage.

Click here for a map.

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Text and photos by: Anette Broteng Christiansen, ThorNews

Bottom photo by: NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation)

Sources: Wikipedia

Categories: Eastern Norway, Travel