Queen Sonja Art figures open in castles old stables

Queen SonjaQueen Sonja.Photo: Vegard Wivestad Grøtt / NTB scanpix

A brand new part of the castle is accessible to the public on the occasion of Queen Sonja’s 80th birthday next summer.

Queen Sonja opens the Art figures in the old stable buildings in the Palace Gardens.
The Queen celebrates her 80th birthday on July 4th next year.

The old stable buildings are located in the Royal Palace and have not been available to the public before.

Now Mid stables in the old stable blocks have become a venue for arts and cultural activities.

The new cultural facilities will bear the name of Queen Sonja’s Art figures and Norwegian contemporary graphic to be the key element in its first year.

Art Stable will also include an interactive exhibition of Queen Maud photographs. This is part of the government’s gift to the royal couple on the occasion of their 80th anniversaries in 2017.

The Stall buildings were constructed between 1845 and 1848, and were expanded by King Haakon and Queen Maud in 1911.

Queen Maud brought the tradition of royal horse with her from England. Mid stables could accommodate up to 40 horses, in addition to vehicles, harnesses and saddles.

The last horses disappeared from the royal stables shortly after the outbreak of war in 1940. Today, parts of the stables block is a garage for castle’s cars.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today