University of Bremen

Oslo Travel Guide: Karl Johans gate

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• published: 29 Jul 2016
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Karl Johans gate is the main walking street of Oslo. It stretches from Oslo Central Station (Oslo S) on one side, to the Royal Palace (Slottet) on the other. Btw. "Karl Johans gate" literally means "Karl Johan's Street". The Visit Oslo tourist information office is located at the east side of Oslo Central Station. On the place outside of the station (Jernbanetorget) there is a clock tower called Trafikanten, which houses the Public Transportation Information office. The lower parts of Karl Johan, and especially the first intersecting street, Skippergata, is infamous for junkies and street prostitution. The second intersection street is Dronningens gate (The Queen's street). Here there is a small shopping center Arkaden. Also in Dronningens gate is Kirkeristen, which houses a few cafes and shops, and two kebab joints, Carmel Grill and Dronningens Kebab. The latter one is particularly good. On top of Kirkeristen, in the next street which intersects Karl Johan there is a church. It is here that Norwegian royal weddings take place. Outside of the church is the site where the sea of flowers was created, following the 2011 Norway terror attacks. Your can find all the regular chain stores in Karl Johan, but there are also some Norwegian designer shops like the Moods of Norway - Super Duper Store. There is a also a regular department store Steen & Strøm. There are a few pubs in Karl Johan, the largest and most well known in the middle of Karl Johan is Scotsman. I consider Egertorget to be the center of Karl Johan. Around here there is the luxury shopping mall Eger Shopping, a few restaurants and cafes, and the fast food chain Max. For some cheap beer and metal music, head down to the bar Rock In which is located slightly off Egertorget in Øvre Slottsgate. The next intersecting street, Akersgata, houses a few luxury stores, and the record store Råkk & Rålls. A few hundred meters up Akersgata is the former government building which was destroyed in the 2011 Oslo terror attacks. Now, there is a small museum in there: 22. juli-senteret (the July 22nd center), which is free of charge. Passed Akersgata is the parliament building, the small square called Dasslokket (the toilet lid), and the Grand Hotel. After the parliament building there is a park called Spikersuppa (The Nail Soup), a series of restaurants including T.G.I Fridays and Hard Rock Cafe. There is also a shopping center called Paleet. Around the corner of Hard Rock Cafe, in Universitetsgaten (The University Street), there is a legendary rock joint called Last Train. And at the end of Universitetsgaten, towards the harbor, is Oslo City Hall and the National Theater. A bit further down Karl Johan, opposite of the National Theater is Universitetsplassen (The University Place), which houses the Faculty of Law of the University of Oslo. At the very end of Karl Johans gate is the Royal Palace. It is possible to enter parts of the Royal Palace. You enter in the back, and it costs 135 NOK. There are plenty of free things to do in the park that surrounds the Royal Castle. Apart from the park itself, and the changing of guards, there are ever changing exhibitions in the park.