Historic Site · Oslo, Norway
Oslo Opera House
The national opera house of Norway, a marble and granite building that appears to rise from the water. Built 2008.
Photo: kallerna via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Oslo, Norway |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic Site |
| Built | 2008 |
| Architect | Snøhetta |
| Coordinates | 59.9069° N, 10.7536° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Oslo Opera House is known for
The national opera house of Norway, a marble and granite building that appears to rise from the water.
About Oslo Opera House
The Oslo Opera House is the home of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, and the national opera house in Norway. The building is situated in the Bjørvika neighbourhood of central Oslo, at the head of the Oslofjord. The angled exterior surfaces of the building are covered with marble from Carrara, Italy and white granite and make it appear to rise from the water. It is the largest cultural building constructed in Norway since Nidaros Cathedral was completed circa 1300.
History
In 1999, after a long national debate, the Norwegian legislature decided to construct a new opera house in the city. A design competition was held and, of the 350 entries received, the judges chose that of the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta. Construction started in 2003 and was completed in 2007, ahead of schedule. The gala opening on 12 April 2008 was attended by King Harald, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and President Tarja Halonen of Finland.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Oslo Opera House website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Oslo |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL) |
| Distance from the airport | 23.2 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark's coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Oslo-Gardermoen International Airport (OSL) · Oslo (Gardermoen), Norway · 23.2 miles away
- Sandefjord Airport, Torp (TRF) · Sandefjord(Torp), Norway · 52.7 miles away
- Scandinavian Mountains Airport (SCR) · Malung-Sälen, Sweden · 112.0 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Norway
More historic sites
Frequently asked questions
What is Oslo Opera House?
The national opera house of Norway, a marble and granite building that appears to rise from the water.
Where is Oslo Opera House located?
Oslo Opera House is in Oslo, Norway. Its coordinates are 59.9069° N, 10.7536° E.
How do I get to Oslo Opera House?
The nearest town is Oslo, and the nearest airport is Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL), about 23.2 miles away (straight line).
When was Oslo Opera House built?
Oslo Opera House was built 2008.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslo_Opera_House — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q43280 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://www.operaen.no/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.