The Rich Cultural Heritage of Beautiful
Norway
Monday , December
31, 2012
By
Srimal Fernando
Norway is one of the world's
most scenic
destinations endowed with an
unmatched natural beauty and a rich cultural past. It is famously known as the
“Land of the Midnight Sun” and possesses a rich history dating back to Viking
era. The country occupies the western side of the Scandinavian Peninsula. As Norway
surged to the scene as a world leader, the country has received a great deal of
attention. People of the country played a leading role in the engine of
prosperity of their country and have been fueled by pragmatism, hard work and a
flood of individual enterprises.
The countries economy has changed radically due to the discovery
of natural gas and petroleum. Norway has rapidly risen to become a global economic
and cultural force to be reckoned with. The country had produced some of the most influential
legendary writers, thinkers and artists. Among them Laureate Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Knut Hamsun
Sigrid Undset and Fartein Valen are some of the eminent and world-renowned
personalities that contributed to the countries progress. “Yes,
We Love This Country” is an inspirational noteworthy national anthem
written by laureate Bjørnstjerne Bjornson.
Every year the Norwegian Constitution Day is celebrated on May 17th.
It is considered to be the most important event in
the Norwegian calendar. The day is celebrated
with grand parades, ceremonies and concerts. The capital city of Oslo situated
amidst a splendid panorama was once called “Kristiania” .The city was founded by King Harald III around AD 1048
.The city of Oslo offers visitors an exhausting list of attractions. This
Global cosmopolitan city possesses an enormous cultural richness with
uncountable attractions to see and offer s an unmatched experience to the traveler.
The Royal Palace, Vigelandsparken are the most recognizable tourist spots that
attract thousands of visitors every day. The other breath-taking sites visitors
can see in this city are the National Gallery, the Natural History Museum that
has some of the rarest and exquisite pieces of art and craft, Viking Ship Museum and the Norwegian Nobel Institute. Shopping
is undoubtedly an attraction in itself as choices and variety for things to
shop in Oslo is immeasurable. The city
is also modern in every sense of the word with the Oslo City shopping Centre with
90 different shops. The noteworthy towns such as Hedmarken situated on the banks of
Mjøsa lake, Bergen
, Stavanger the Hamar region called
the breadbasket of Norway and Tromsø the ‘Gateway to the Arctic’ needs little introduction to many visitors to
the country.
The country has tended to preserve its traditional music, theater
and dance separately from new developments offering visitors the opportunity to
experience an ancient form much as they were centaury ago. Today music, dance and
theater are pulling in new audiences and a number of home-grown productions,
particularly those aimed at the popular market, have taken the country and, in
some cases, the world, by storm. Bergen International Film Festival (BIFF) is a
premier international film event held annually that portrays the rich cinematic
culture of the country. Bergen’s Food Festival ,Contemporary Music Festival,
and the Norway Arts Festival are the other
important interesting cultural events held in the country. Unparalleled in its
ethnic diversity Norway is a unique destination to visit for its contrasts,
high cultural interest and for spectacular natural atmosphere.
