Visiting Holmenkollen Ski Arena in Oslo
The main attraction at Holmenkollen Ski Arena (Kongeveien 5, tel. 22 92 32 00) is the Holmenkollen Ski Jump (Holmenkollbakken), visible from all across the city. This world-class sporting arena, which hosted the 1952 Winter Olympics and was rebuilt in 2011, is free to walk around, take in the remarkable views across the city, and feel your stomach churn at the thought of sailing off into the skies.
For the true Holmenkollen experience, take an elevator ride up the ski jump tower to see the views the jumpers get just before they set off. It’s not for the faint-hearted. At the foot of the tower is the Ski Museum (Skimuseet), the world’s oldest museum dedicated to skiing, profiles famous Norwegian polar explorers right through to present-day snowboarding. Never tried winter sports? Simulators allow you to give it a go in relative safety, although there’s no guarantee you won’t be embarrassed.
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The ski jump tower, museum, and simulators are open 10am-4pm daily with extended hours of 9am-8pm from June to August. A 130kr ticket buys you entrance to the ski jump tower and museum, and the simulator costs 75kr, but the ski jump arena and gift shop are free to explore.
A word of warning: The only way to reach Holmenkollen by public transit is the T-Bane. As pleasurable as the Holmenkollen line is, a 10-minute uphill walk is required to reach the Ski Arena from Holmenkollen station. If you’re visiting in the winter, check in advance at www.holmenkollen.com for any major events that will impede access for tourists. It’s not uncommon to see Olympic-level athletes training in the biathlon arena and on the cross-country trails around Holmenkollen.
Kollensvevet Zip Line
From April through October, Oslo’s home of ski jumping plays host to another extreme activity. The Kollensvevet Zip Line (tel. 22 08 30 00, 730kr) is an expensive yet exhilarating opportunity to get the same view as the professional ski jumpers who soar over the city. From mid-June through August, the line is open 11am-6pm Monday-Friday and noon-6pm Saturday-Sunday; outside those few weeks, hours are on weekends only. Arrive early to avoid a long wait, especially on weekends, when advance reservations are possible but only for an additional 500kr.
Holmenkollen Chapel (Holmenkollen kapell)
Standing proudly overlooking the ski arena is Holmenkollen Chapel (Holmenkollveien 142, tel. 23 62 94 70), a traditional-looking church that hides a dark history. In 1993, musicians from Norwegian black metal band Emperor torched the original chapel, one of a series of church arsons in the early 1990s. The church was rebuilt a few years later to strongly resemble the traditional Norwegian stave churches, and is now one of the city’s most popular venues for weddings. It’s only open for services at 11am on Sunday.
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