National Theatre Oslo, Oslo, Norway

Standing: Must see · Heritage site
Rank: Rank 13 of 3,842

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

About National Theatre Oslo

The National Theatre (Nationaltheatret) is one of Norway's largest and most prominent venues for the dramatic arts. It gave its first performance on 1 September 1899, but its origins go back to the Christiania Theatre, founded in 1829. The main building, designed by the architect Henrik Bull, stands in central Oslo between the Royal Palace and the Parliament, and is served by the National Theatre railway and metro stations. The theatre is often considered the home of Ibsen's plays, and most of his works have been performed here.

Checked 2026-11-05 · Source

What's inside

The theatre runs four stages: the main stage (Hovedscenen), the amphitheatre (Amfiscenen) and the Painting Parlour (Malersalen) in the main building, and the Torshov Theatre in the Torshov district. Its three opening performances in September 1899 presented pieces by Ludvig Holberg, Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People and Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson's Sigurd Jorsalfar. A long-running tradition is the children's Christmas play Journey to the Christmas Star (Reisen til Julestjernen), written by the theatre's finance director Sverre Brandt and first performed in 1924.

Checked 2026-11-05 · Source