Viking Magazine - February 2014 - 24

continued from page 22
men prepare leidangen, the
maritime fleet of up to 370
Viking ships safely anchored
in the bay and protected by
the small islands of Oslofjord.
Seven hundred years later,
Bjørvika honors Eufemia's
place in Norwegian history
by naming its seaside
central corridor, Dronning
Eufemias Gate (Queen
Eufemia's Street), after
her. The corridor will take
visitors from the ruins of
the medieval fortress and
church, past Barcode, The
Munch Museum, The Oslo
Opera House, harbor,
townhouse, Akershus
castle and its sailing ship
harbor, all the way to the
Viking ships at Bygdøy.
" The stretch will be around
nine kilometers long, " says
council member Fredriksen.
" It has been disappointing
that we, a proud nation of
seafarers, have neglected
our major harbor and our
maritime history. Until now,
you had to pass a highway,
jump over wire fences and
sneak through a shipyard to
get to the seaside! " he says.
Trout Fishing
and Herb Gardens
Norway has always viewed
itself as an environmentally
conscious nation, and
Bjørvika showcases the
country's ambitions in this
respect. Heavily polluted
until the late 1970s, today
the harbor is framed by
swimming beaches and
wooden fishing piers. " A
friend of mine tells me he
fishes for trout from Bjørvika
these days; sometimes the
harbor teems with fat and
sparkling mackerel, " says
Fredriksen.
In addition to high-tech
remediation of the previously
polluted sea water, the architecture
is state-of-the-art
sustainable. Several building
designs include rooftop green
spaces for herb or vegetable
gardening, bee keeping or
public art. Lynnebakken adds
that " rooftop green spaces
aren't just for green living;
they also prevent flooding
during heavy rainfalls by
slowing down rooftop
run-off on its way down to
the ground. "
Poised for the Next Ten
At its launch 10 years ago,
Bjørvika Utvikling drew criticism
from some who feared
Oslo would lose its soul in
the cutting-edge development.
But over time, Oslo's
facelift has been well received
and citizens feel increasing
pride and interest as they
watch the ongoing merger of
their city's history and future,
nature and urbanity.
Vesterheim Julebukkers Murder
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24 VIKING FEBRUARY 2014 sonsofnorway.com
Heritage Of Darkness
A Chloe Ellefson Historic Sites Mystery
From bestselling author Kathleen Ernst and Midnight Ink.
Available through independent bookstores, Barnes & Noble,
and Amazon in paperback and for Kobo, Nook, and Kindle.
www.KathleenErnst.com/Heritage
Sometimes the darkness is inside.
http://www.KathleenErnst.com/Heritage http://www.sonsofnorway.com
Viking Magazine - February 2014

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