Bygdø Royal Manor
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You have now arrived at Bygdø Royal Manor, or Bygdø Kongsgård, an estate that covers more than half of Bygdøy’s total area. Bygdøy has long been a popular retreat for the city's residents. In 1837, King Carl Johan purchased Bygdø Kongsgård, then called Ladegaardsøens Hovedgaard. Inspired by Djurgården in Stockholm, the king wanted to create a public park where people from Christiania could breathe fresh air and enjoy beautiful surroundings. The public park was also intended as a place of cultivation, and over the years it was enriched with monuments, attractions, bathing areas, and dining establishments. Carl Johan’s son, Oscar I, continued the development by building the romantic-style summer palace Oscarshall. During the reign of King Oscar II of Norway and Sweden, the park was further expanded. Several old wooden buildings were relocated here to demonstrate the king's interest in Norway and strengthen the ties between the monarch and the nation. King Oscar II's Collection is considered the world’s first open-air museum and is now part of Norsk Folkemuseum, the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History. Today, the royal family uses the manor's main building from 1733 as their summer residence and also has access to Oscarshall, while the Norsk Folkemuseum Foundation manages the forests, public park, and farm. You can book a guided tour to explore the farm, Oslo's largest organic milk producer. The estate’s nursery also features a farm shop and a café.