Bridal procession on the Hardanger fjord

Vintage photos | the artwork | Norway

A photo is a snapshot of history - and a story and a history lesson in itself.

Bridal procession on the Hardanger fjord

The main photo is of the “Bridal procession on the Hardanger fjord” – painted by the artists Adolph Tidemand and Hans Gude in 1848 – has an iconic status in its homeland, Norway.

A boat was the primary means of transportation for the people living alongside Norway’s many fjords, well into the 1900s.

The painting will be a centrepiece of the new National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, opening its doors in the middle of the capital Oslo in 2021.

From a pine tree and some paint came this beautiful chair

A rose painted and hollowed out wooden chair from Lunde, Telemark, Norway. The woodwork is by Sigurd Teigland – and the painting by Knut K. Hovden. The wood was taken from the root of a pine tree from Presteheide.

Photo: Vest-Telemark Museum – digitaltmuseum.no LB.03426 – cc by-sa.

LA Dahlmann | vintage photos

Sami people | sleeping on a bed of glowing embers | Sapmi

sami people

When there were no makeshift or permanent dwellings nearby, the Sami hunters and herders sometimes slept under the open sky.

Norwegian history | the Late middle ages | Norway

history timeline

After the Black Death, it took the Norwegian communities centuries to recover. And soon, the country also lost its independence.

Herder-children | roaming the mountains all alone | Norway

homestead and farm

In olden Norway, the farm-animals were sent off to the mountains and forests all summer. With them came a herder to guard them, and a maid to turn their milk into cheese and butter.

The old Norwegians needed no money | Norway

farming community

The old Norwegian farming society was a self-sufficient and balanced world. Coins and notes were all but an alien concept.

Queen Maud of Norway | her background and childhood years

norwegian royal history

Queen Maud of Norway was born in London in 1869, as Princess Maud of Wales. Her grandmother was none other than the formidable Queen Victoria.

Ice export | a booming business for more than a century | Norway

landscape

From the early 1800s and well into the 1900s, Norway was a significant exporter of natural ice. But how did they prevent the ice from melting?

Fjords | gateways to mystery | Norway

landscape

Once upon a time in the distant past, imagine yourself sitting in a small boat, facing this mighty gateway into the bowels of the land.

Norway | on the coastal path along the Oslofjord

landscape

Whether it be on a rainy day – or a beautiful summer’s day like this one – the coastal paths take us through some pleasing stretches of Norwegian scenery.

Norway | a land of water

landscape

In the spring, the Norwegian mountain-snow melts and turns into creeks, rivers and magnificent waterfalls.

Horse history in the land of the Vikings vol 1 | Norway

domesticated animals

The horse settled in the Scandinavian landscape after the last ice age. Let us meet this majestic animal – and follow in its footsteps.

Moose calf saved from drowning in 1939 | Norway

wild animals

Magne Løvstuen and his family adopted this moose calf after saving it from drowning in Lake Mjøsa.

Reindeer | an ancient presence in the Norwegian mountains

wild animals

When the ice melted after the last ice age, herds of reindeer followed in its wake. And with the animals came their main predator: the humans.

Norwegian Buhund | viking dog with an ancient history | Norway

domesticated animals

The first Norwegian Buhund breed-standard came in 1926, based on a dog that had evolved, lived, and worked with the Norwegians since time immemorial.

Food history | the beginning | Norway

food history

When humankind first appeared in the Norwegian landscape – sometime after the last ice age – the search for food was their primary motivation.

Klippfisk | what is Norwegian klipfish? | Norway

food history

Klippfisk – or klipfish – is fish preserved through salting and drying. Since the early 1700s, the Norwegians have been large-scale klippfisk producers and exporters.

Food history | the difference between mead and beer | Norway

food history

Mead and beer are both alcoholic drinks known from Norwegian history. The Norwegians call them «mjød» and «øl». But do you know the difference between the two?

Grøt | a nation built on porridge | Norway

food history

Some claim that porridge is the oldest hot dish in the Norwegian diet. Was it to our ancestors what bread is to the modern family of today?

Facts | the 5 largest lakes | Norway

general facts

Norway is a land of water, with almost 1 million lakes and ponds of all sizes. Join us in exploring the 5 largest of her lakes, and some more Norway facts.

Quiz vol. 1 | what is the name of the capital city? | Norway

quiz

Do you know the name of Norway’s capital city? Test yourself, friends, and family in this 10 multiple-choice questions quiz vol. 1. See the correct answer below each photo.