Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson's Grave

Resting place of Norwegian national poet and Nobel laureate Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, author of the Norwegian national anthem.

Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson was one of the most prominent Norwegian writers of the nineteenth century. In 1903 he became the first Scandinavian to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. He is best remembered for writing the words to Norway's national anthem, "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (Yes, we love this country). Alongside his literary output Bjørnson was also politically engaged and was a co-founder of the Riksmålsforbundet, an association dedicated to preserving the Norwegian written language. His grave in Oslo is a site of national commemoration where Norwegians and visitors alike pay tribute to a man who shaped Norwegian culture more than almost anyone else.