Norway on Monday reopened its reconstructed government headquarters in central Oslo, nearly 15 years after the complex was devastated by a deadly bombing carried out by extremist Anders Behring Breivik.
The reopening marks a significant milestone in the country’s recovery from the July 22, 2011 attacks, which claimed dozens of lives and left key government buildings severely damaged.
Breivik had detonated a car bomb near the government district, killing eight people, before launching a gun attack at a youth camp on Utoya Island, where 69 people, mostly teenagers, were killed.
Speaking at the reopening ceremony, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store described the project as a symbol of national resilience in the face of tragedy.
He noted that the reconstruction reflects Norway’s determination to rebuild after acts of terror while acknowledging the vulnerabilities of modern societies.
The government complex, parts of which were rendered unusable after the attack, underwent extensive redevelopment beginning in 2021, with total costs estimated at over 50 billion Norwegian kroner.
Authorities said the first phase of the reopening would see about 2,200 employees from six ministries relocate to the facility, while the completed project is expected to accommodate over 4,000 government workers.
The revamped complex also includes plans for a permanent national memorial and artistic installations to honour victims of the attacks, with completion scheduled for July.
Store emphasised the importance of remembrance, urging citizens not to forget those who lost their lives and those still affected by the tragedy.
Breivik, now 47, was sentenced in 2012 to 21 years imprisonment the maximum penalty under Norwegian law which can be extended indefinitely if he is deemed a continuing threat to society.
He had justified the attacks on ideological grounds, targeting individuals he accused of supporting multiculturalism.
