National veteran monument

Location: Akershus Festning, Oslo, Norway

Year: 2021

Status: Built

Client: Forsvarsbygg

Photo credit: Sébastien Corbari and manthey kula

A new national monument to honor all personnel that has served abroad for Norway after 1945. The monument offers a calm and peaceful place for relatives and other visitors, and will also be used for larger public events and memorial ceremonies . The project is also a transformation and restoration of the large square at Akershus Castle in Oslo.

A 100 meter long bench in the Norwegian national stone larvikite encircles an existing grove of linden trees, thus establishing a sheltered place for reflection and recognition.

On the inside of the stone bench the names of all international operations in which Norway has partaken after 1945 are inscribed. The operations are positioned in relation to the celestial directions: operations in Africa towards south, operations in Europe towards north, operations in Asia towards east and operations in America towards west.

Inside the memorial grove there are three bronze elements that relates to each of the three entrances. A small information sign. A large plaque carrying the names of everyone that has died in Norwegian service abroad after 1945. An eternal flame remind us that that the lost ones will not be forgotten.

In the western corner of the surrounding stone bench a bauta is placed as the focal point of public ceremonies outside the grove.