the late Norwegian King Harald V was recently laid to rest in the Royal Mausoleum in the crypt of Akershus Fortress. this medieval fortress was built in 1299 by King Håkon V whose remains are in the fortress' original crypt. the Royal Mausoleum was added as an extension of the crypt in 1948. Beside King Harald V are his parents, King Olav and his wife Crown Princess Martha. she died before Olav became king so she never became a queen. Harald V grandparents are also laid to rest here, King Håkon VII and Queen Maud.
a tour of the fortress (which was eventually partially converted into a castle) includes passing through the crypt. from there one can view but not enter the Royal Mausoleum that now includes the late King Harald V's sarcophagus made from olivine stone. as he was a dedicated sailor the sarcophagus is shaped as a ship.
before reaching the crypt, the tour passes through a room housing some ancient arms and suits of plated armor. one of them is lit in such a way that it casts a rather tenebrous shadow, the memory of which lingers as one enters the crypt
in the same room as the plated suits of armor there is a battle axe on display. while not an axe from the year 1206, this hand crafted replica commemorates a major historical event. that year a civil war broke out when the king died leaving his 2 year old son as the legitimate heir to the throne. the rival faction sought to kill the boy but he was rescued by a pair of loyal warriors who braved the snowy wintry mountains, carrying him on skis from Lillehammer all the way to Trondheim. that boy grew to become King Håkon IV and unite and expand the kingdom. his grandson was the king who built the Akershus fortress.
i took all these photos with my S22 phone.