Located between the City Hall and the Aker Brygge development, the Nobel Peace Centre chronicles the fascinating history of the award, and usually has a special exhibition on the current holder of the prize. No-one's quite sure why he chose Norway for the Peace Prize. That's due to the wishes of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish chemist who bequeathed his wealth to create the awards upon his death. The Norwegian capital has been the proud venue of the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony every year (with just a few exceptions) since 1901. The other Nobel prizes in Chemistry, Literature, Physics and Physiology or Medicine are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden. It's one of Norway's national scenic routes and a spectacular drive, albeit closed for half of the year. If you drive through the tunnel, consider taking the ‘snow road' back. This helps ensure a swift response in the event of accident or breakdown. At each end, cameras count the number of cars entering and exiting. It's a tiring drive, and the lighting makes a massive difference. Having driven through the tunnel myself, I can attest to the importance of the design.
Every 6km there is a cave to separate sections of road. The lighting varies throughout the tunnel and caves to break routine and provide a varied view. Its design is admired all around the world, as it incorporates features to help manage the mental strain on drivers. Costing 1 billion Norwegian kroner to build (that's about USD $110 million) the tunnel connects the small communities of Lærdal and Aurland. The world's longest road tunnel is in NorwayĪt an astonishing 15 miles (24.5 km) long, the Lærdal Tunnel is the world’s longest.