Oslo Opera House
On Gingerguide's self-guided Oslo audio tour, Oslo Opera House is a stop worth about ~60 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type landmark
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Oslo Oslo guide
About Oslo Opera House
Snøhetta's marble iceberg on the Bjørvika waterfront, its sloping roof a public plaza you can climb straight from the street to the fjord's edge for the view.
The Oslo Opera House (Operahuset) opened on 12 April 2008 as the home of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet. Designed by the Norwegian firm Snøhetta, it sits in the Bjørvika district at the head of the Oslofjord. Its most striking feature is a sloping roof that angles down to ground level, clad in Carrara marble and white granite, so that visitors can walk up and across the building's surface for views over the water and city.
The structure contains around 1,100 rooms across roughly 49,000 square metres. Its horseshoe-shaped main auditorium seats 1,364, lit by an oval chandelier of about 5,800 handmade crystals, with two further stages and oak-lined interiors. Completed in 2007, ahead of schedule and reportedly some 300 million kroner under budget, the building won the culture award at the 2008 World Architecture Festival and the 2009 Mies van der Rohe Award. Monica Bonvicini's floating sculpture 'She Lies' was unveiled in the water beside it in 2010.
Did you know? Snøhetta's roof slopes right down to ground level in Carrara marble and white granite, letting anyone walk up and across it for fjord views, though it can close in ice or snow.
How much time do you need at Oslo Opera House?
Around ~60 min works well for Oslo Opera House — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Oslo Opera House?
Yes — Oslo Opera House made the cut as one of 22 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Oslo. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Oslo
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about Oslo Opera House and read more:
Day 1 of the Oslo in 2 days itinerary →Day 2 of the Oslo in 3 days itinerary →
Updated:
Hear the story of Oslo Opera House
Preview the Oslo tour free in the Gingerguide app.