← Oslo Waffle and Walk
A walking guide to Kvadraturen
Kvadraturen is the square grid of streets between Oslo Central Station, Akershus Fortress and the fjord. Most visitors cross it without noticing, on their way somewhere else. I live in it, and this is the route I walk most days.
What we pass
- 1. The street grid itselfLaid out in 1624 after the old town burned down. Straight lines, right angles, low brick buildings — the oldest planned part of Oslo, and the only place in the centre where you can lose the crowds on a Saturday.
- 2. Akershus Fortress700 years on the rock above the harbour, still a military area, still free to walk into. The archways and the view back over the fjord are the best part.
- 3. Tollbugata and the backyardsOld customs houses, courtyards you can walk through if you know which gates are open, and the corner by Posthallen.
- 4. Havnelageret and the harbour edgeThe huge 1920s warehouse by the water, then the promenade along the fjord towards the Opera.
- 5. The Opera, City Hall, Aker BryggeThe famous ones. We pass them, and you can walk back to them afterwards on your own.
Practical notes
It is flat, it is short, and the whole loop takes about an hour at a slow pace. The cobblestones near the fortress are uneven, so leave the thin soles at the hotel. Everything is within ten minutes of Oslo Central Station.
The neighbourhood is quiet in the evening — offices empty out and the streets belong to the people who live there. That is my favourite time to walk it.
Walk it with me — waffles first, see the waffle guide.