Royal Palace

The palace was built between 1824 and 1849 for Karl Johan, king of Sweden and Norway, in a plain neoclassical style with a yellow-rendered facade and a columned portico, and it stands on a low hill closing the view up Karl Johans gate. Norway's monarch has lived here since independence in 1905. The surrounding park, Slottsparken, is fully public with no fences or gates, which visitors from countries with more heavily secured royal residences find striking. The changing of the guard takes place daily at half past one on Slottsplassen. In summer the state rooms open for guided tours booked in advance, showing the ballroom, the Bird Room and the Great Hall.

What you actually see

• The neoclassical facade - a yellow-rendered palace with a columned portico.
• Slottsparken - an open public park around the building.
• The guard change - a daily ceremony at half past one on the square.
• The state rooms - summer guided tours of the ballroom and halls.

When to go

Late June to mid-August for the interior, which is the only period tours run and which sells out well ahead; the park and the guard change are available year-round. Spring blossom in Slottsparken is good in May.

Honest expectations

The interior is open for only a few weeks a year and tickets go quickly. The guard change is a low-key affair compared with London and lasts a few minutes. The exterior is plain and the building smaller than many expect.

Nearby

Karl Johans gate runs down to the National Theatre and the Storting; the National Museum is close.