2009 Momentum - Glashütte Original
2009 Momentum - Glashütte Original
2009 Momentum - Glashütte Original
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
the Hardangervidda mountain plateau in central Norway and the Finnmarksvidda highland<br />
in the far north can be traversed by car, foot or – in winter – on skis. Anglers can fish for<br />
salmon in their choice of 450 lakes, and adventurers can take a mailboat from Bergen to<br />
Kirkenes in the extreme north. The magic of the short, intense summer on the Norwegian<br />
coast is something to be experienced. Although the southern part of Norway is at almost<br />
the same latitude as that of Greenland, water temperatures can reach 18°C and above<br />
thanks to the Gulf Stream, so it is actually the ideal place for a summer holiday – although<br />
word has not yet spread, and the Norwegians are usually left to enjoy it alone.<br />
Most of the major cities are on the west coast and face the sea. Each has its own unique<br />
character. Stavanger is the centre of Norway’s oil industry, yet has managed to maintain its<br />
cosy aspect. Norway’s second city, picturesque Bergen, was for centuries an important member<br />
of the Hanseatic League and remains a centre of the fish trade. The sea port Ålesund to<br />
the north is perhaps the most extraordinary city in the country. In 1904 its historic centre<br />
was destroyed in a fire, then completely rebuilt in the German art nouveau style. Trond heim’s<br />
Nidaros Cathedral is the only real cathedral in the land of stave churches. These wooden<br />
structures were built without the use of a single nail, just like the Viking ships, and represent<br />
an original Norwegian contribution to the world’s architectural history.<br />
The country’s financial and cultural centre is Oslo. There are few capital<br />
cities that are so urban and yet so close to nature. It covers 175 square miles, but threequarters<br />
of its surface area is taken up by woodland. Over 1,600 miles of cross-country<br />
ski runs are just 20 minutes away by train – some of them are illuminated until 11 p.m.<br />
In summer, the same journey time by ferry takes visitors to one of the many islands in<br />
the Oslofjord. It is hard to believe, relaxing in the sunshine on one of the many beaches,<br />
that the capital is just a few minutes away. The Opera House, opened in 2007, has become<br />
the new symbol of Oslo. Evoking as it does icebergs and snow-capped mountains, this<br />
building of shining white marble is uncompromisingly modern and typically Norwegian.<br />
It is probably also the only opera house in the world where anyone who wants to can<br />
climb up onto the roof – just like scaling a lofty peak. The most gorgeous feature inside<br />
is the Main Stage, whose dimensions were based on those of the world-famous<br />
Semperoper in Dresden. Close to the opera house is one of the city’s loveliest streets;<br />
Karl-Johangate leads to the Royal Palace and is lined with trees and smart buildings. The<br />
most elegant stores, however, are to be found in the parallel and side streets. Akersgate,<br />
for example, is on the way to becoming Oslo’s equivalent of Bond Street, at least according<br />
to watchmaker Tom Tidemann. He is the only watchmaker in Norway licensed to sell<br />
<strong>Glashütte</strong> <strong>Original</strong> products. These streets also house numerous elegant boutiques.<br />
However, the most exclusive outfit for the modern Norwegian woman does not come<br />
from a boutique but from the coasts and fjords, the plateaus and valleys. It is the bunad,<br />
Norway’s national dress. Many women own one of the elaborate embroidered costumes,<br />
and more and more men are now acquiring the male equivalent. Crown Prince Haakon<br />
has made appearances at several official occasions clad in the traditional garb.<br />
If you fancy viewing the over 400 regional variants of the bunad, you<br />
should plan a trip to Oslo for 17 May, Norwegian Constitution Day, which is a national<br />
holiday. Across the country, children form processions; here in Oslo, 111 school classes<br />
march past the palace, singing and carrying flags, as the Royal Family wave enthusiastically<br />
from their balcony. And everyone joins in with the national anthem, which begins with<br />
the simple but stirring words “Yes, we love this country.” Norwegians respect their traditions<br />
while embracing the advances of modern society – without the remotest feeling that<br />
this is a contradiction. Within a single generation, Norway has gone from being a poor<br />
to a wealthy country without betraying any of its principles. It’s no surprise Norwegians<br />
are so proud of their homeland. But there is one more thing they are particularly proud<br />
of: their achievements in the Winter Olympics. After Russia and Germany, this country of<br />
just 4.7 million inhabitants has the third-largest number of medals. ✺<br />
An architectural gem in the middle of a wood: the Juvet<br />
Landscape Hotel on the Geirangerfjord<br />
Norway Information<br />
Trips: Norway in a nutshell. Round trip to Bergen and Oslo<br />
by train and ship via the Fjordnorwegen. Highly recommended!<br />
www.norwaynutshell.com · Boat trip on the Hurtigruten along<br />
the coast. One of most popular ways to get around Norway.<br />
www.hurtigruten.com<br />
Oslo<br />
Culture: Norwegian Opera, Kirsten Flagstads Plass 1. A guided<br />
tour is an absolute must! www.operaen.no · Vigeland Park,<br />
containing 212 sculptures, is the favourite park of locals and<br />
visitors alike. www.vigeland.museum.no · Munch Museum,<br />
Toyengata 53. www.munch.museum.no · Bygdøy Peninsula<br />
houses many different museums including the Norsk<br />
Folkemuseum open-air museum and the Kon-Tiki Museum –<br />
the place for children!<br />
Food: Theatercaféen, This art nouveau restaurant is a popular<br />
meeting place for businesspeople, intellectuals and artists.<br />
www.hotel-continental.com · Ekeberg Restaurant, Kongsveien<br />
15. The restaurant is housed in an opulently restored<br />
building in the Scandinavian functionalist style with magnificent<br />
views. www.ekebergrestauranten.com · Olympen Mat & Vinhus,<br />
Grønlandsleiret 15. A working man’s pub since 1892, now this<br />
is a pleasantly unpretentious restaurant in one of the city’s<br />
multicultural neighbourhoods. www.olympen.no<br />
Accommodation: Grand Hotel, Karl Johansgate 31. This traditional,<br />
central hotel has often put up Nobel Prize winners.<br />
www.grand.no · Hotel Bristol, Kristian IV's Gate 7. Central<br />
hotel with an intimate “library bar” where you can recharge for<br />
the next bout of sightseeing. www.bristol.no · Grims Grenka.<br />
This design hotel was named by Wallpaper magazine as one of<br />
the 50 best business hotels in the world. www.grimsgrenka.no<br />
Shopping: GlasMagasinet, Stortorvet 9, and Steen og Strøm,<br />
Nedre Slottsgate 8, best department stores in town. www.glasmagasinet.no,<br />
www.steenogstrom.no · Norway Designs, Stortingsgata<br />
28, right next to the National Theatre. Classic Norwegian<br />
design souvenirs. · Tidemann Urmakermester, Akersgata 18.<br />
Exclusive watch shop, authorized dealer of <strong>Glashütte</strong> <strong>Original</strong>.<br />
Elsewhere<br />
Ålesund: Hotel Brosundet, former warehouse with minimalistic<br />
fittings and furnishings by Snøhetta, the same firm that<br />
built the Oslo Opera House. www.brosundet.no<br />
On the Geirangerfjord: Juvet Landscape Hotel, built in a<br />
dramatically different style. Guests can participate in special<br />
programmes to get to know the Norwegian countryside.<br />
www.juvet.com<br />
Info on historic hotels in Norway: www.dehistoriske.com<br />
<strong>Momentum</strong> 1· <strong>2009</strong><br />
23