Frognerparken
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Always a must- okay maybe NOT if you have been twice and in the last 7 years... But if it's your first time in Oslo especially give yourself at least 2 hours to walk all the way in and about, around and out. This is a classic outdoor sculpture garden all done by one man-so not common. Massive grounds. Beautiful park walk and fountains and views. Iconic place and I highly suggest you go to his small museum first so you can get more history on Gustav Vigeland and the evolution of the his 200 pieces turning into the "Frognerpark."
This is a sculpture garden filled with over 200 sculptures (and over 600 individual figures) designed by Gustav Vigeland from 1940 to 1949. It seems to be known as both Frognerparken (Frogner Park) and Vigeland Park. I doubt you have ever seen anything like this. I am including lots of photos because it's impossible to describe what this is like. The focus of the sculptures is the cycle of life and this is literally shown as babies turn into children, who then turn into adolescents, adults, and old people, and eventually die -- as the circle continues. You will notice that the statues are very realistic and are not romanticized in the least. They are regular human beings. You will also notice, of course, that they are all naked. The purpose of this is to emphasize their humanity without relying on class or wealth that becomes more obvious when people wear clothes. This might make some people uncomfortable, but it is done without any intention of being erotic. The inspiration for Vigeland's work comes from Rodin's nude sculptures. However, the realistic human statues remind me of Pompei -- real human people caught in a fragment of time. That said, is it worth your time while in Olso? Absolutely! This will overwhelm your senses and be etched in your memory -- in a good way.
The series of figurative sculptures were amazing. Mostly dealing with different stages of life. Even without the sculptures this park outshone the Royal Palace. I did both as it's somewhat nearby about a quarter mile.
Huge, so much to see, free, and open all day, this is a must! So glad this was recommended to us by multiple people!
This is an expansive park worthy of a stroll during the summer months when the weather is lovely outside. Although, I would not hesitate to come here year round. Whether you've been on your feet all day at museums, save some time in the evening for a visit. The sculpture work of Gustav Vigeland can be seen and enjoyed here. Much of it is along the pathways in the park and can be enjoyed for free. There is another paid section of his work, but we weren't able to get there during the limited operational hours. There was just so much to see and do and not enough time to do it all. The park is a lovely place to walk, run, play, picnic, take your dog, and enjoy a bit of nature. One family of four worked to replicate the poses of the sculptures on the bridge. They we're having fun with the challenge, and we were amused watching them. There is a rose garden and a lot of fountains and symmetry in the garden layout. The pathways are gravel dirt, but there is also grass, trees, and concrete walkways too. It's on the train route, so very easy to get to. Come for the sculptures, but enjoy the nature break too!
WOWZER! What an amazing gift to people of Oslo‼ A must visit for any and all tourists‼ It is totally free and worth at least a half day visit.
It's free, and it's definitely worth a visit. It was raining while we were there, and we overheard a tour guide imply that this was a benefit to us because normally the park would be much more crowded.
Frogner Park is home to Gustav Vigeland's absolutely beautiful collection of human-figure sculptures posed both in realistic and abstract manner throughout the lush green park, representing age groups that span the entirety of the life cycle. They tell his life story as well as humankind's. An extraordinary stop whether you're an art lover or general tourist -- and don't miss his iron-work gates at the bottom of the hill!
Harrowingly beautiful sculptures stand all around the park, making it an amazing adventure - even just from one sculpture to the next. The Monolith in the center is like the grand finale. It's striking, disturbing, fascinating, & awe-inspiring. In the dead of winter, it was still bustling with people (both tourists & locals). Absolutely worth the visit. If visiting in the winter, wear good shoes. When we were there, the steps weren't treated with salt. It was a bit slippery.
We came here with a tour group, and I'm so glad we did, as I might have skipped it on my own. Even in a city with so many wonderful places to visit and things to do, this is a must see. The park itself is lovely, with beautifully landscaped grounds and lots of places to enjoy a picnic. The sculptures are the big draw here, and I found them quite moving and interesting, featuring people in all life stages going through the process of being human.
Gayle and I came here last summer as part of a bus tour off our Viking Cruise ship. Frogner Park is a pretty and large open space by itself. What a lot of tourists (like me) come for is the permanent sculpture installation within the park that was created by Gustav Vigeland between 1924 and 1943. It consists of various sculptures, plus larger structures such as bridges and fountains. Informally, these fascinating works of art are often referred to as Vigeland Park. There's a lot to look at here in terms of the various naked and intertwined human figures, plus the bridge, the fountain, and the monolith. At the same time, the beauty of the park itself comes out, even if you'd prefer to minimize your Vigeland views.
Visited this expansive park on a recent tour we were in. What an amazing spot this is!! I loved all the pathways, statues, and landscaping. We were here in February so snow and slush was everywhere. But I imagine this spot is even more beautiful in the spring and summer time. This is a must visit location for sure!!
Frogner Park: The Monolith must've made an impression on me when I saw it on the Oslo episode of Rick Steves' series. It's a stone obelisk nearly fifty feet high composed of 121 naked and intertwined human figures (photo: https://bit.ly/3oyPSjv). Even though it was built in the 1920's, it reminded me of Kylie Minogue's video for "All the Lovers" where she organized hundreds of semi-clad, gym-toned bodies into a writhing human mountain in the middle of downtown LA. Is it getting hot in here? However, Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland was probably inspiring Kylie when he said, "It's only when you put clothes on people that you start defining their religion or where they are from. When you are naked you can be anyone, anywhere at any time." That philosophy led him to design 212 bronze and granite sculptures installed along the central promenade of Frogner Park. Yep, they're all buck naked, and they're meant to represent life in all its manifestations from child to adult through the full range of emotions. At the eastern end of the park, the elaborate Art Deco-style Main Gate serves as the entry point (photo: https://bit.ly/3J7Z3ku), and beyond the Monolith is the Wheel of Life sculpture made up of four adults, a child, and a baby connected in a Martha Graham-style pose (photo: https://bit.ly/3J8e9X7). There's also a beautiful rose garden that serves to soften the hard surfaces. Just so you know, there is no Vigeland Park. It's Frogner Park with this sculpture garden its centerpiece. The rest of the park is a bucolic expanse well worth your time. Now I need to play that Kylie Minogue video. RELATED - Traveling to Norway? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3PEL4Fe
19 hours ago
1 month ago
An immense public park filled with the colossal sculptures and monumental gates by Gustav Vigeland. I had wanted to see this and luckily our tour brought us here. Our guide described the history of the sculpture garden and gave interpretations of many of the sculptures. Well worth a visit. read more
Always a must- okay maybe NOT if you have been twice and in the last 7 years... But if it's your first time in Oslo especially give yourself at least 2 hours to walk all the way in and about, around and out. This is a classic outdoor sculpture garden all done by one man-so not common. Massive grounds. Beautiful park walk and fountains and views. Iconic place and I highly suggest you go to his small museum first so you can get more history on Gustav Vigeland and the evolution of the his 200 pieces turning into the "Frognerpark." read more
This is a sculpture garden filled with over 200 sculptures (and over 600 individual figures) designed by Gustav Vigeland from 1940 to 1949. It seems to be known as both Frognerparken (Frogner Park) and Vigeland Park. I doubt you have ever seen anything like this. I am including lots of photos because it's impossible to describe what this is like. The focus of the sculptures is the cycle of life and this is literally shown as babies turn into children, who then turn into adolescents, adults, and old people, and eventually die -- as the circle continues. You will notice that the statues are very realistic and are not romanticized in the least. They are regular human beings. You will also notice, of course, that they are all naked. The purpose of this is to emphasize their humanity without relying on class or wealth that becomes more obvious when people wear clothes. This might make some people uncomfortable, but it is done without any intention of being erotic. The inspiration for Vigeland's work comes from Rodin's nude sculptures. However, the realistic human statues remind me of Pompei -- real human people caught in a fragment of time. That said, is it worth your time while in Olso? Absolutely! This will overwhelm your senses and be etched in your memory -- in a good way. read more
This is an expansive park worthy of a stroll during the summer months when the weather is lovely outside. Although, I would not hesitate to come here year round. Whether you've been on your feet all day at museums, save some time in the evening for a visit. The sculpture work of Gustav Vigeland can be seen and enjoyed here. Much of it is along the pathways in the park and can be enjoyed for free. There is another paid section of his work, but we weren't able to get there during the limited operational hours. There was just so much to see and do and not enough time to do it all. The park is a lovely place to walk, run, play, picnic, take your dog, and enjoy a bit of nature. One family of four worked to replicate the poses of the sculptures on the bridge. They we're having fun with the challenge, and we were amused watching them. There is a rose garden and a lot of fountains and symmetry in the garden layout. The pathways are gravel dirt, but there is also grass, trees, and concrete walkways too. It's on the train route, so very easy to get to. Come for the sculptures, but enjoy the nature break too! read more
1 year ago
WOWZER! What an amazing gift to people of Oslo‼ A must visit for any and all tourists‼ It is totally free and worth at least a half day visit. read more
2 years ago
It's free, and it's definitely worth a visit. It was raining while we were there, and we overheard a tour guide imply that this was a benefit to us because normally the park would be much more crowded. read more
Frogner Park is home to Gustav Vigeland's absolutely beautiful collection of human-figure sculptures posed both in realistic and abstract manner throughout the lush green park, representing age groups that span the entirety of the life cycle. They tell his life story as well as humankind's. An extraordinary stop whether you're an art lover or general tourist -- and don't miss his iron-work gates at the bottom of the hill! read more
Harrowingly beautiful sculptures stand all around the park, making it an amazing adventure - even just from one sculpture to the next. The Monolith in the center is like the grand finale. It's striking, disturbing, fascinating, & awe-inspiring. In the dead of winter, it was still bustling with people (both tourists & locals). Absolutely worth the visit. If visiting in the winter, wear good shoes. When we were there, the steps weren't treated with salt. It was a bit slippery. read more
We came here with a tour group, and I'm so glad we did, as I might have skipped it on my own. Even in a city with so many wonderful places to visit and things to do, this is a must see. The park itself is lovely, with beautifully landscaped grounds and lots of places to enjoy a picnic. The sculptures are the big draw here, and I found them quite moving and interesting, featuring people in all life stages going through the process of being human. read more
Gayle and I came here last summer as part of a bus tour off our Viking Cruise ship. Frogner Park is a pretty and large open space by itself. What a lot of tourists (like me) come for is the permanent sculpture installation within the park that was created by Gustav Vigeland between 1924 and 1943. It consists of various sculptures, plus larger structures such as bridges and fountains. Informally, these fascinating works of art are often referred to as Vigeland Park. There's a lot to look at here in terms of the various naked and intertwined human figures, plus the bridge, the fountain, and the monolith. At the same time, the beauty of the park itself comes out, even if you'd prefer to minimize your Vigeland views. read more
Visited this expansive park on a recent tour we were in. What an amazing spot this is!! I loved all the pathways, statues, and landscaping. We were here in February so snow and slush was everywhere. But I imagine this spot is even more beautiful in the spring and summer time. This is a must visit location for sure!! read more
Frogner Park: The Monolith must've made an impression on me when I saw it on the Oslo episode of Rick Steves' series. It's a stone obelisk nearly fifty feet high composed of 121 naked and intertwined human figures (photo: https://bit.ly/3oyPSjv). Even though it was built in the 1920's, it reminded me of Kylie Minogue's video for "All the Lovers" where she organized hundreds of semi-clad, gym-toned bodies into a writhing human mountain in the middle of downtown LA. Is it getting hot in here? However, Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland was probably inspiring Kylie when he said, "It's only when you put clothes on people that you start defining their religion or where they are from. When you are naked you can be anyone, anywhere at any time." That philosophy led him to design 212 bronze and granite sculptures installed along the central promenade of Frogner Park. Yep, they're all buck naked, and they're meant to represent life in all its manifestations from child to adult through the full range of emotions. At the eastern end of the park, the elaborate Art Deco-style Main Gate serves as the entry point (photo: https://bit.ly/3J7Z3ku), and beyond the Monolith is the Wheel of Life sculpture made up of four adults, a child, and a baby connected in a Martha Graham-style pose (photo: https://bit.ly/3J8e9X7). There's also a beautiful rose garden that serves to soften the hard surfaces. Just so you know, there is no Vigeland Park. It's Frogner Park with this sculpture garden its centerpiece. The rest of the park is a bucolic expanse well worth your time. Now I need to play that Kylie Minogue video. RELATED - Traveling to Norway? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3PEL4Fe read more
2 years ago
Huge park to visit. Very vast and you'll see a ton of tour groups. The statues are interesting as humans are. read more
Wow! A lifetime of work - 212 granite, bronze and wrought iron sculptures created by Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland over almost 20 years. Very impressive collection. Interestingly, the people are of varying ages, shapes, activities and moods. Not sure why the angry boy is so famous but he certainly look angry. There are 4 statues of dragons with people on top of the 4 columns at either corner of the bridge; they are meant to depict "the internal vices of a person, which he tries to fight throughout his life. Some interpret these sculptures as a confrontation between man and the forces of nature." The monolith was huge and contained 121 figures. While it was not crazy crowded, there were the usual tour buses and we tried to stay ahead of those hordes. It is quite a journey to get to the park - we took a cab but then had to walk quite a few blocks to get to another taxi stand to get back. But this is a sight well worth the journey and a must see. We stopped at the end back by the entrance gate to grab 2 hot chocolates and a croissant at the Café Vigeland. It was a nice little place for a peaceful break. My only objection was that we had to pay NOK 20 to use the bathroom - as paying customers I would have expected a free bathroom. read more
2 years ago
We spent hours wandering around the 212 sculptures within the park and they're way more haunting and heartbreaking than I expected. Every emotion one experiences in a lifetime is reflected through the sculptures and they're arranged from birth to death. The monolith is supposed to reflect the cycle of life but to me it looked like chaos turning into hope. We ended up cycling here from Oslo's city center, only took about 20 minutes and was easy. read more
"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen." (Sarah, The Labyrinth) It's been rumored that Bowie didn't pass on, but instead returned to rule over his Goblin City. I can't be certain, but I suspect he could be found somewhere within Frogner Park, perhaps inside the labyrinth... Walking through the wrought-iron entrance gates to the park, you may feel like you've wandered onto the magical set of the movie baby of Jim Henson, Ridley Scott, and Wolfgang Petersen. In reality it is a world created by Gustav Vigeland, who designed the park to showcase his life's work of 200 impressive bronze, iron, and granite sculptures. The park might not recount epic fantasy tales, but it does tell evocative stories of relationships and the circle of life through sculptures from precocious children to elderly couples embracing. A bridge lined with statues in humorous poses ushers visitors to the gardens, fountain, and monolith. We were not questioned by a Fox Terrier knight riding a sheepdog while crossing, but we did find "Angry Boy". The baby is bronze now, so Sarah must not have solved the labyrinth in time! Beyond the gardens, enter the labyrinth...just don't choose the door that leads to *bom bom bom* CERTAIN DEATH! Above the labyrinth looms a formidable fountain held up by giant Prometheus-alien-like statues.The statues appeared to be granite, but Fassbender probably just hadn't awoken them from stasis yet. If you survive the labyrinth, climb up to the Monolith Platform to marvel at the never-ending view of the vast kingdom and obleisk of twisted bodies. If you look up, you may spy Falcor flying overhead! With luck you've made it through the park in time so that you too won't turn to bronze like Angry Boy. Then like Sarah, you can tell Jareth, "You have no power over me." The park is free to enter and is open year round. Enter if you dare. "Don't you know anything about Fantasia? It's the world of human fantasy. Every part, every creature of it, is a piece of the dreams and hopes of mankind." (Neverending Story) read more
8 years ago
Frogner Park is one of Norway's most popular attraction and Oslo's largest park. It features more than 200 sculptures in bronze, granite, and iron by Norwegian artist, Gustav Vigeland. On a nice sunny day there are hundreds of people in this park. You can sunbathe, jog, play sports, walk the dog, have a picnic, visit the Vigeland Museum, and much more. This park also features Norway largest playground. It also has a café and a restaurant. The park is free, but the restrooms are not. 5 stars. read more
An expansive free park dotted with special sculptures and punctuated with a humanoid obelisk in the middle of the park. Many walking and bike paths criss-cross the gardens. Many sport fields, museums, a water park and a coffee shop are within the perimeter of the park. Didn't find many public restrooms here. Gotta go to the museums or pay at the coffee shop if ya have to go. It was a fun photo op park for us! read more
9 years ago
When looking for outdoor activities to do in Oslo, this want at the top of the search results. This is the biggest park in Oslo. It's really easy to get to from the trolley stops. We enjoyed our time walking around the park. It's a pretty big park and there are a few sculptures scattered throughout. They have a map by the main entrance so you can find your way and find where the statues are. The park is really pretty. It's more of a manicured style of park than a completely natural one. There are benches throughout as well as some ponds which we enjoyed. I definitely think this is a must see while visiting Oslo! read more
Rain, shine or snow we trekked to Frognerparken and it began to snow a little. Yes, it was so cold thou seeing the park for the first time you forget it's cold and you dress up appropriately. As a tourist with my family who lives in Norway, I learned to pay attention to the weather because you have no clue. Even it was around 38 degrees, the locals and tourist where out full force. Park is clean, it's free and parking is free- you have to drive around and look. Wear comfortable shoes because we spent a few hours here and lots of acreage. Beautiful and expansive park in the city. You do pay for public restrooms, make sure you have NOK coins. The popular spot is the bridge where all statues are from the acclaimed artist Vigeland whose from Norway. Many people copy the poses what the statues are doing, it's rather amusing. Below the bridge is a river and small waterfall. Enjoy exploring this park, every where you turn is eye candy. read more
PRO-TIP: BEWARE OF MOSQUITOS!!!! I got eaten alive! There's still water around. Since you probably didn't think to bring bug repellent to Norway, download a sonic bug repellent app on your smartphone before entering! Though my wife didn't get eaten like I did...maybe the bugs just haven't had Asian in awhile? Norway doesn't have an Eiffel Tower, Colloseum, Big Ben, or Acropolis...but it does have the Fjords and this incredibly beautiful sculpture park and its Monolith...its so bizzare which adds to the awesome! This is the MUST SEE monument of Oslo! read more
14 years ago
Every time I visit Vigeland Park... I got quite emotional.... The scale of this 80 acres sculpture park full of Gustav Vigeland's work is just overwhelming and breathtaking.. 200 life size sculptures in bronze, granite and wrought Iron. The theme of all these sculptures are really close to everyone heart: the cycle of life... and all our emotions and all our baggage we carries through life... Free Admission and Opens 24 hours! Who said nothing in life is free? Bring your camera and take some amazing photos all through the year... or just come in and just walk around and reflect on life. A must visit when you are in Oslo! read more
Visited Frogner Park, which includes the Vigeland Museum ($8 USD fee), in late December. Park is free. Snow-covered so reminder for non-Norwegians--bring the right footwear so you don't slip and fall. Frogner Park, which includes the Vigeland Museum, is the world's largest sculpture park made by a single artist and is a popular attraction. It's a unique park dotted with about 200 nude sculptures made by the life work of Gustav Vigeland. Made from bronze, granite and wrought iron. The statues beautifully capture the male and female body, adults and children statuettes. The 80-acre park is open year round. Despite the 12-13 degrees (F) temperature during my visit on a Saturday, the Park attracted people of all ages and nationalities. Lot a babies bundled up in their strollers were out and about. Norwegians are hearty from a young age--they have to be. Allow 2+ hours to wander the park. Would have been longer if my visit wasn't in late December. True Drone Story. There was a drone buzzing overhead when I was there. First time I had seen one. While I watched the drone in fascination presumably taking a video of us on the ground, it crashed into the Monolith Plateau, the highest sculpture in the park, and crash landed a few feet away. No one came to claim it. See my pics. Access: From Majorstuen Station, take the 20 Bus or 12 Tram to the Park, or 0.5 mile walk in nice weather. From the Skøyen Train Station on the Flytogether train line from the airport, I took the 20 Bus. [Little longer, about 1.3 miles walk which I'd prefer in warmer weather. read more
I loved this park!! The story of the sculpturer Viegland negotiating a dealing with the city to produce all these statues (about 900 nudes) during the first part of the 20th century is quite amazing. As are the sculptures. The locals use this park for just about everything! What I found amazing is here is all this gorgeous artwork, not fenced off but in everyone's reach for touching, sitting on or just enjoying, yet there was no graffiti or damage anywhere!! And the stories that the artwork tells- from the fountain in the center with the story of life depicted in three levels ( walk around a few times to get the full effect). The first time- look at the statues in the trees starting in the one corner where the children are being born, circling to where there is a skeleton in the tree. On your next go around- look at the sides of the fountain where the story is told again. Now before you head up the hill to look at the obelisk, look down at the mufti colored cobblestones at your feet. It's a maze- follow the white stones and see how long it takes you to move to the next section of the park. Up the hill, the carved obelisk is surrounded again by three levels of story telling sculptures. To get the full effect- walk around each level of this art as well. Easy to get to from downtown Oslo by the blue tram or just jump on the subway. This is a must see while in Oslo!! read more
Beautiful, beautiful park full of sculptures from Gustav Vigeland. We went to see the monolith but had no idea that the entire park was so beautiful. It was snowy and icy in the park but that added to the adventure. Hop on the tram and get out there and explore. I can imagine that the summer and spring would be beautiful as well. There is a playground for kids, people walking their dogs, riding bikes and having snowball fights. Seeing the sculptures is just a small piece of what the park has to offer. read more
10 years ago
Beautiful park in Oslo, Norway. It is one huge park! In one corner of the park, you will find the Oslo City Museum and Frogner Manor House. In another corner of the park, you will find Frogner Stadium and Frogner Open-air Bath. There is also a cafe and restaurant as well. We spent most of our time at the middle of Frognerparken. This is where you will find the amazing Vigeland Sculpture Park!! Great place in Oslo to relax and lounge around when the weather is good. Green and gorgeous everywhere you look. We were there on a rainy day. I can only imagine how much nicer this park looks on a clear and sunny day! read more
4 years ago
Gorgeous landscape and very well thought out park. The park is split out into different sections which each have its own motif. One area focuses on children playing, another on the "circle of life". The sculptures are exquisite to look at and the messages are conveyed beautifully. "Angry boy" sculpture is the mascot of the park, but I especially enjoyed the sculpture of many men holding up a rock. It symbolizes people approaching life in different ways with some carrying the burden on top of their heads and others lifting it easily above with their hands. Spent about 2 hours in this park, but could spend hours looking at sculptures & garden in detail. Lots of benches for reading and relaxing. Note: sculptures are nude, so people bothered by that may not like this place. Bottom Line: If you can only go to 1 place in Oslo, go here. Would return and easily spend the entire day here. Local guide is highly recommended to help explain symbolism. read more
10 years ago
We visited this park the day after it snowed so it wasn't easy to walk around. Despite the snow on the ground and the cold weather there was still quite a bit of tourist there plus locals with there dogs running around in the snow. Interesting place to visit and a must see especially because its free. The only drawback was that I didn't see a public restroom. There is an old cemetery in back of the park. read more
Went on a cruise and visited the Vigeland sculpture park in Oslo, Norway. It was really different and immense. I liked the various sculptures of human figures. This park is not something everybody's heard about, but people should hear about it. It's truly a tremendous feat and wonder in northern Europe! read more
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