1. Tiger

The square in front of Oslo Central Station

Visitors to Oslo often start their journey here, stopping by Oslo Visitor Centre inside the building.

The pilgrimage tradition is popular among religious people, history enthusiasts and hikers.

Much like the many pilgrims of the past, you will end up at St. Hallvard Cathedral- but today you will only see the ruins of the grand church, and not the shrine with the relics of Oslo's patron saint, Hallvard.

In the 1300s, up to 100 000 pilgrims visited Medieval Oslo and its St. Hallvard Cathedral, on route the St. Olav Ways to Trondheim, to the relics of St. Olav.

A popular meeting point is the Tiger, a sculpture by artist Elena Engelsen.

Simplicity

- The seven key words of pilgrimage: Simplicity, Spirituality, Silence, Lightheartedness, Freedom, Sharing, Slowness

The pilgrimage tradition

Medieval mascot Snigill is ready for pilgrimage, with a chaperon hood to protect from both scorching sun and pouring rain, a cloak to keep warm, and a walking stick, - as well as a cross as a symbol of faith.

Santiago de Compostela is a major center of Christianity, alongside Rome and Jerusalem., and a well known destination for modern pilgrims today. It is the final destination of the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James), where, according to tradition, the remains of James the apostle are buried in the city's cathedral.

The snail as recurring motif in Medieval imagery

There may be several interpretations of why the many snails popped up in the margins of medieval manuscripts.

The sight of a knight, a symbol of bravery and chivalry, being confronted by a seemingly insignificant snail, could have been intended to amuse readers.

Snails may also symbolize the inevitability of death and the transient nature of life.
Psalm 58 in the Bible provides ample symbolism, comparing the wicked to snails that dissolve as they move.

Additionally, the spiral shape of the snail's shell was seen as a symbol of the cyclical process of life, death, and rebirth.