Holmenkollen

High in the forested hills above Oslo stands Holmenkollen, the famous ski jump rebuilt into a soaring modern arm of steel, and beneath it the oldest ski museum in the world, tracing four thousand years of skiing. For a country that jokes it was born with skis on, it is a national shrine, with a view over the city from the jump tower.

History

The name joins the farm name Holmen with kolle, "knoll". The first competition on the new hill at Besserudmyra was held on 30 January 1892 and watched by fifteen to twenty thousand people, who saw jumps of 15 to 21.5 metres; the hill has been rebuilt 19 times, most recently from the ground up between 2008 and 2010, and it hosted the 1952 Winter Olympics (Wikipedia, Holmenkollen; Wikipedia, Holmenkollbakken).

What's there

• The ski jump - the great modern jump, with a viewpoint at the top of the tower.
• The ski museum - four thousand years of skiing, from ancient skis to polar expeditions.
• The city view - Oslo and the fjord spread out below the jump.
• The zip line and simulator - the jump-tower zip line and ski simulator for the brave.

When to go

Year-round; the museum and tower are open in all seasons, with ski competitions filling the arena in late winter. A clear day gives the best view over Oslo.

Before you go

Outside competition days the jump is a monument and viewpoint rather than an event, so the thrill is the tower view and the museum. The metro ride up is part of the outing. It is a landmark and museum visit rather than a place to watch jumping unless you time a competition.

Nearby

The Nordmarka forest for skiing and walking spreads behind; central Oslo is down the metro line.