Royal sarcophagus for King Harald unveiled in Oslo's Akershus Castle
The newly completed sarcophagus for King Harald, crafted from Norwegian olivine stone and shaped like a vessel, has been opened to the public in the royal mausoleum.
A sarcophagus made of olivine stone and fashioned to resemble a ship has been revealed in the royal mausoleum at Akershus Castle, Oslo. The project, led by Snøhetta and overseen by architect Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, used ten massive stone sections sourced from a quarry in Volda and finished with peridot stones cut in Averøy, then assembled in Skjeberg. Bronze symbols were cast in Kristiania Kunst- & Metalstøberi and lettering laser-cut in Sande.
The design honors King Harald's affinity for the sea and Queen Sonja's deep ties to Norwegian nature, with the stone chosen for its ability to bind CO₂. The sarcophagus now houses King Harald's coffin, while Queen Sonja will join him in the same vessel in the future. The unveiling follows a period of secrecy surrounding the project, which was funded by the government.
Why it matters
The sarcophagus embodies Norway's cultural heritage and the royal family's environmental values.
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