14 Most Beautiful Castles in Norway

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Sometimes, studying history seems more enjoyable when you travel to learn it.

I always find castles fascinating, including 14 of the most beautiful and famous ones in Norway. 

14 Most Beautiful Castles in Norway 

1. Tonsberg Fortress (Castrum Tunsbergis Ruins)

The Tonsberg Fortress served as a force of protection against enemy attacks for more than 300 years.

King Hakon IV built it in the 13th century.

Hakon IV was King Sverre’s grandson. 

Tonsberg, the town where the fortress stood, is reported to be the oldest town in Norway.

The Tonsberg Fortress is also recorded in history as one of the oldest in the country.

It’s typically associated with the Battle of Hafrsfjord, a time when Harald I ruled. 

2. Akershus Castle

Royalty used to reside in Akershus Castle.

The original use of this fortress, built in 1299 by King Hakon V, was as a prison.

There’s a church and a museum connected to the castle, and these landmarks tell the story of Norway’s military history. 

You’ll find relics representing medieval times (5th to 15th centuries) displayed here.

The Akershus Castle site also houses WWII relics and information about the Swedish attacks.

It’s the present-day government seat in Oslo, Norway’s capital city. 

3. The Royal Palace

When you look at the Royal Palace, built in 1814, it has a colonial feel much like the United States White House.

It’s not white on the outside, however.

I noticed pastel green and orange, or so it appeared in the picture I saw. 

It’s located near one of Oslo’s main routes.

King Charles XIV used to live in the Royal Castle.

Now (as late as 2021), routine monarchy operations take place here, and it’s the home of the king and queen. 

One event that visitors may come to see is the changing of the guard ceremony.

It happens every day at 1:30 pm. 

Public Room Tours at the Royal Palace

The Royal Palace offers extensive touring of its interior rooms.

Some of the places in the palace you can observe include the following: 

• Palace Chapel
• Ballroom
• Banqueting Hall
• Council Chamber
• King Haakon VII Suite
• Cabinet Parlor

Royal Palace Landscape

You’ll find plenty of green space and trees at the Royal Palace if you come to visit.

It also has historical statues on its grounds and some ponds. 

4. Gamlehaugen Castle

The Gamlehaugen Castle, found in Bergen, represents Scottish architecture.

Since its building began in 1901, it has become one of the most famous castles in Europe. 

Royalty currently resides in this white mansion.

King Hakon Hakonsson used to live near the Rosenkrantz tower section of this Renaissance fortress.

Parts of it are still open year-round to the public, according to Travel 2 Next. 

The halls and rooms represent the neo-renaissance design.

Baroque styles also make up much of its interior decor. 

Public Access 

This has to be one of the most fun places to take a Norwegian castle tour.

You can climb to its roof and see below, and you can take a guided tour.

Under the direction of a guide, you can visit former Prime Minister Michelsen’s office, the music room, the library, and more. 

The Landscape

You’ll notice the Gamlehaugen Castle on the outside because of its carefully manicured trees and flowers.

These outdoor botanical areas have an English design theme. 

5. Fredriksten Fortress

Fredriksten Fortress came in 1661 after Sweden took over the Bohusian district of Norway in Gotaland.

This new castle replaced the former Bohus Fortress.

It now hosts art exhibitions and outdoor contemporary and classical music concerts. 

The Fredriksten Fortress covers 21,528 square feet (2,000 square meters).

This area found in the Halden used to suffer frequent Swedish attacks.

It’s now a favorite spot for visitors to take in the panorama of the city and the landscape around it. 

According to Visit European Castles, the Fredriksten Fortress is the “largest and most important border fortress” in Norway.

It now has a museum, and it has forest and nature trails. 

7. Bergenhus Fortress

Religious, military, and monarchical activity has taken place at the Bergenhus Fortress since the 1500s.

Many changes to this castle occurred between the 1600s and the 1700s. 

Bergenhus had its first and only siege in 1665.

During this time, operators of English warships “chased” after the Dutch ship crew, who fled to the Bergen harbor area.

The conflict that occurred here was later known as the Battle of Vagen. 

The Bergenhus structure also became a fortress during World War II.

Germans at that time used it as one of their main stations.

They used Soviet prisoners of wards to continue building their grounds. 

In 1944, an explosion that supposedly was an accident occurred.

It destroyed some of the oldest sections of the Bergenhus fortress, which comprises multiple buildings. 

8. Sverresborg Castle Ruins (Zion Castle)

Sometimes, the most famous castles aren’t still standing.

You may want to visit the Sverresborg Castle Ruins in Trondheim to learn more about Norway’s medieval history.

It’s located northeast of the Bergenhus Fortress.

The Sverresborg Trondelag Folk Museum sits onsite around what used to be King Sverre Sigurdson’s castle.

It’s the first medieval structure of its kind found in this area, built sometime between 1182 and 1183. 

The original castle built by King Sverre was called the Zion Castle, named after Jerusalem’s Kind David structure.

Part of Zion Castle sits on a steep cliff. 

A Bit of History

King Sverre Sigurdsson served from 1177-1202.

He came from the Faroe Islands, and he governed during the civil war times.

Before unification with Sweden in 1318, King Sverre had founded his own dynasty. 

9. Kristiansten Fortress

I noticed the refined, smooth-looking exterior walls and deeply inset lookout windows when first viewing a photo of the Kristiansten Fortress.

It has a slanted roof more similar to modern houses than structures built in medieval times. 

The Kristiansen structure first appeared in Trondheim after the great fire in 1681.

Christian V, King of both Denmark and Norway, ordered its construction.

This fortress provided defense against eastern attacks. 

Now, it has vantage points toward the fjord and mountains.

Visitors and locals enjoy this lookout point, which also has a museum and dungeon attractions.

There’s also a recreational area open to the public built inside it. 

10. Steinvikholm Castle

You may have heard of “Steinvikholm Slott.” That’s another name for Steinvikholm Castle.

You’ll find this fortress on the Skatval Peninsula near Stjordal in Nord-Trondelag. 

Olav Engelbrektsson built this structure between 1525 and 1532.

It marks the end of Norway having its last Roman Catholic archbishop.

This fortress’s architecture represents Middle Ages architecture and was one of the largest buildings of its time. 

It now hosts an annual midnight opera that takes place every August.

The theme of this performance centers on the history of archbishops. 

11. Oscarshall Castle 

Situated on the Bygdoy Peninsula, it received its commissioning by King Oscar I and Queen Josephine.

This castle first showed up in the 1850s, and it’s a hotspot of 19th-century art appreciation. 

This fortress also has neo-gothic influences. In 1881, King Oscar II designated Oscarshall as a public museum.

As reported in 2021, guided tour groups still explore this area to see both the castle interior and collections of art owned by monarchs. 

12. Vardohus Fortress

The Vardohus Fortress sits on Vardoyo Island in Vardo.

I notice the modern building design, which could range anywhere from the 1900s to the present.

However, this building actually first existed after 1734, built by 40 soldiers. 

The 18th-century star-shaped fortification design provided strength against cannon firing.

During World War II, it held prisoners, particularly Norwegians, guilty of reason.

The country also detained people who formed alliances with the Germans during WWII here.  

13. Frizoehus Manor 

Norway has quite a few manor houses that hold just as much significance as castles.

Jacob Wilhelm Nordan designed the Frizoehus Manor in 1865, constructed for Michael Treschow. 

The manor has 75 rooms, 21 of which you would find in the basement.

Its operation primarily focuses on significant landscapes and forestry. 

On the Frizoehus Manor grounds, you will find 1700 acres of trees.

Its park, which resembles English-style landscape architecture, includes mouflon and fallow deer.

There’s also a courtyard with a water fountain, and this area has a bear statue, which Anne Grimdalen created. 

14. Bahus Fortress

The Bahus Fortress first existed more than 700 years ago as of 2021.

It sits right on the border between Norway and Sweden at the head of the Gota River, where it splits into two sections. 

King Haakon V Magnusson ruled at the time when the Bahus was constructed.

Building this castle took from about 1299-1319.

It sits on a cliff of 130 feet into the air, with the river as its natural moat. 

The Bahus Fortress did serve as a place of watch and protection.

However, it also did suffer some water damage in the 16th century. 

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