Crown Prince Haakon Attends Unveiling of the National 22 July Memorial

This year marks 15 years since the terror attacks on the government quarter and Utøya on 22 July 2011. Crown Prince Haakon was present as the national memorial was unveiled at Johan Nygaardsvolds plass in Oslo.

Crown Prince Haakon among the attendees at the unveiling of the memorial. Photo: The Royal Court

The opening brought together survivors, bereaved families and others affected for conversations, musical performances and speeches.

The memorial consists of Mattias Faldbakken's artwork "En opprettholdelse", a mosaic surrounded by a steel frame. Photo: The Royal Court

The memorial is the artist Mattias Faldbakken's work "En opprettholdelse" ("An Upholding"). It is a mosaic with motifs from Utøya and the Tyrifjorden lake, surrounded by a steel frame engraved with the names of the 77 people who were killed.

The Crown Prince in conversation in front of the mosaic, which shows motifs from Utøya and Tyrifjorden. Photo: The Royal Court

The mosaic is made up of nearly half a million black and white stones. The final 7,000 stones were laid in Oslo by 2,000 bereaved family members, survivors, affected people, young people and others from across the country.

The Crown Prince laying down a stone during the commemoration. Photo: The Royal Court

The steel frame surrounding the mosaic has a history of its own: it was previously used to protect Picasso's "The Fishermen" in the government quarter, and in that way it ties together the quarter's history before and after 22 July.