Bergen

Bergen is the second largest city in Norway and the most popular gateway to the fjords of West Norway. The city is renowned for its great location amidst mountains, fjords and the ocean. Steep mountains and highlands within the city offers excellent hiking opportunities. Having fostered many of Norway's greatest bands and artists, the city is also famous for its cultural life and underground/indie music scene. Bergen's unpredictable weather adds to its quirky, unmistakable charm. Bergen was Norway's main city for centuries, and many patriotic inhabitants believe it still is.

Understand

The character of Bergen is defined by its the location among steep mountains and surrounded by sea (straits and fjords). The city itself has many lakes. It is a typical Norwegian wooden town, even downtown there are notable neighborhoods of small wooden houses in various styles. In some areas wooden houses have been replaced by taller masonry structures giving the city fascinating mix of old and new.

Cityscape

Bergen has some fine examples of functionalist architecture such as Kalmar House and Sundt shopping centre. "Brutalist" buildings include the science building at the university and the city hall.

Bergen grew organically from the small port and trading post at Bryggen from around year 1000. Because of frequent fires only some masonry buildings (notably Mariakirken and Håkonshallen) remain from the middle ages. But the city centre has retained many aspects of its ancient layout. Notable are the many wide streets or open spaces, called allmenning (commons), perpendicular to Vågen (the inner harbour). These allmennings often rise steeply from the waterfront. Torgallmenningen is not open to cars and defines the modern city centre. Ordinary streets in the medieval town were often long and more narrow, and ran parallel to the waterfront. Narrow and short streets, smug (alley), run among houses packed close together. Alleys are usually too narrow for cars and some are so steep that there are stairs.

History

Founded around 1070 AD, Bergen quickly evolved into one of the most important cities in Norway. It was the country's administrative capital from the early 1200s until 1299, and the largest city in Scandinavia. Bergen was one of the most important bureau cities of the Hanseatic League, interconnecting continental Europe with the northern and coastal parts of Norway, thus becoming a central spot for the vending of stockfish and the commercial hub of Norway. It was the largest city in Norway until the 1830s and has a long maritime history in shipping and finance. Until the Bergen railway (Bergensbanen) began operation in 1909 there was no convenient overland transport between Norway's principal cities.

The city still has relics of its Hanseatic heyday, most notably the old harbour of Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bergen has been ravaged by several fires; the most recent major fire took place in 1917, a fire which destroyed most of the buildings in what is today the central parts of the city center, centered around the large square Torgallmenningen.

While few medieval buildings remain, the historical centre of Bergen is along the eastern shore of the harbour, notably Bryggen (the Wharf), the fortress and the two key churches (Mariakirken/St Marys and Korskirken/Holy cross church). The pattern of settlement is largely unchanged for almost 1,000 years, including Øvregaten/Lille Øvregate − one of Norway's oldest streets.

See

There's a number of attractions in Bergen and the surrounding areas. Surveys do, however, show that most tourists in Bergen find the atmosphere, cultural landscape and architecture more compelling than the typical sights, so pick a few things to see and spend the rest of your time in Bergen sitting down in a park or café, strolling around the city, enjoying a concert or hiking the mountains. On sunny summer days, stay downtown until late to enjoy the sunset in the north.

Traditional wooden architecture

Traditional small wooden houses, often placed in an irregular pattern around narrow streets and passages, dominated most Norwegian cities during the past centuries. Bergen is one of the few major towns where this traditional style still dominates several neighbourhoods downtown. A number of houses have also been relocated to Gamle Bergen (old Bergen) museum. Some of these are merely pockets of cute little houses between stone and concrete structures; others are wider areas of these dollhouse-like buildings. Show respect for those living there while you walk by. These areas are best seen on a relaxed stroll (although the view from Fjellveien gives a birds eye view):

• Nordnes on the slopes on both sides of the Nordnes peninsula, towards the aquarium and Verftet, as well as adjacent Nøstet area.
• ⊙Fjellsiden neighbourhood, øvregaten, Lille øvregate, øvre Blekeveien (streets). Traditional neighbourhood on the steep slopes behind Bryggen and around Fløibanen track. Free. 
• ⊙Marken, Marken (street). On the flatland just north of the railway station, pedestrian zone, and also in the hills above, around Skivebakken street. Free. 
• ⊙Ladegården and upper Sandviken neighbourhood, Ladegårdsgaten, Absalon Beyers gate. An area with more regular and wider streets, highly characteristic style. Free. 
• ⊙Skuteviken neighbourhood, Skuteviksveien. day time. A small traditional neighbourhood around a small bay just east of the fortress. Free. 
• ⊙Sandviken neighbourhood, Sandvikstorget/Sandviksveien. In Lower Sandviken near the small market square, there is a nice collection of traditional white wooden houses. Free.  

Downtown

• ⊙KODE Art museums (Kunstmuseene), Rasmus Meyers allé 3, 7 and 9 (by Lille Lungegårdsvann), ☎ +47 55 568000. 15 May–31 Aug: daily 11:00–17:00. 1 Sep–14 May: Tu–Su 11:00–16:00. One of the largest art museums in the Nordic countries, with art from the renaissance as well as contemporary art. The museum houses several of Edvard Munch's works. Adults: kr 100, Students: kr 50, Children: free. 
• ⊙The fish market (Fisketorget), Torget, ☎ +47 55 552000. Jun–Aug: daily 07:00–19:00, Sep–May: M–Sa 07:00–16:00. Bergen's outdoor fish market has a long history, being the historical center for fish trade. Most tourists find their way here, but with locals changing their shopping habits, the fish market today does not compare to what it once was. The fish market is dominated by makeshift souvenir shops and seafood stalls. The seafood is generally of only OK quality as the fishermen no longer deliver their catch directly to the market. Still, you can get a pretty good idea of what the locals eat by having a look at the various fish they sell here, and try some of the stranger ones, if you feel adventurous. Free samples of are usually available of the more common items such as whale, salmon and salmon caviar. Although somewhat crowded, getting around with a wheelchair is fairly easy. 
• ⊙Fløibanen, Vetrlidsalmenning 21, ☎ +47 55 336800. M–F 07:30–23:00, Sa–Su 08:00–23:00. Fløibanen is a funicular which goes up Fløyen, a plateau in the mountain massif north-east of the city center. From here, you get a great view of the city. Accessing Fløibanen and the plateau on Fløyen with a wheelchair is a piece of cake. More than 1.2 million people rode with Fløibanen in 2007, and it has become the attraction that the most tourists are content with. Expect queues, but don't worry, they move fast. There are no steps where lifts are not available without assistance, and all doors are wide. Adult: Single: kr 45, Return: kr 90.  
• ⊙The West Norway Museum of Decorative Art (Permanenten), Nordahl Bruns gate 9 (by the music pavilion), ☎ +47 55 336633. Tu-Su 12:00-16:00; 15 May–14 Sep: M-Su 11:00-17:00. A museum of design and decorative art. Norway's largest collection of Chinese art. Kr. 60; students and seniors kr. 40, children under 16 free. 
• ⊙St. Jørgen's Hospital (The Leprosy Museum), Kong Oscars gate 59, ☎ +47 55 552000. 21 May–2 Sep: Daily 11:00-15:00. St. Jørgen's Hospital is one of very few preserved leprosy hospitals from the 18th century in Northern Europe. The large wooden building in Kalfarveien 31 (Pleiestiftelsen for spedalske) was the largest institution caring for the many leprosy patients in Bergen. This was where Armauer Hansen discovered the bacteria that causes leprosy in 1873. Hansen's discovery was a major breaktrhough in medicin as he proved that a cronic illness was contagious rather than hereditary. The Leprosy archive was a complete record of all patients and is assumed to be the first patient archive in the world. The Leprosy archive is enscribed on UNESCO list of Memory of the World. The Leprosy Museum tells the story about the disease and its history in Norway, in addition to showing life at the hospital. A visit to the museum is a unique but disturbing experience. The complex in Kong Oscars gate 59 also includes a wooden church. Kr. 40; children kr. 20. 
• ⊙Bergen Aquarium (Akvariet i Bergen), Nordnesbakken 4 (indoor parking available, but usually full in the summer season; walk for 20 minutes from the city center or use bus line 11), ☎ +47 55 557171. Daily 10:00–18:00. The aquarium has a nice selection of aquatic life, especially penguins and seals. Typical Norwegian aquatic life is well documented, and there is also a collection of tropical fish and animals and a shark tank with an underwater glass tunnel. Fun for kids. Adults: kr 250, Children: kr 150.  
• ⊙Statsraad Lehmkuhl, usually at Bergen harbor shed 7 – Bradbenken 2 (at the end of Bryggen, across the street from Bergenhus fort), ☎ +47 55 301700. A three-masted barque sail training vessel built in 1914, one of the best kept in its kind. Mini cruises (approximately five and a half hours) available a few times a year, at the cost of kr. 425 including food. Tickets should be bought well in advance. For the more adventurous up to week-long cruises to Europe are available where you live and work as a sailor.  
• ⊙St. Mary's Church (Mariakirken), Dreggsalmenningen 15 (behind Bryggen), ☎ +47 55 593270. Closed for renovation. The oldest remaining building in Bergen, St. Mary's Church was built in the 12th century. It is the best preserved of the city's three medieval churches and one of the few basilica-shaped churches in Norway. It was originally Romanesque, then enlarged in Gothic style. Having belonged to the German community in Bergen for many centuries, it contains a unique pulpit, one of Norway's most beautiful altarpieces and characteristic twin towers.  
• The Theater (Den Nationale Scene), Ole Bull's plass (centre). The main theater is a monumental art noveau building in a prominent position on Ole Bull's square. As an institution the theater played a key role. Ole Bull, a major international star on the violin, established the theater and employed the young Henrik Ibsen as instructor. Later Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, another national icon, worked there. Ole Bull also discovered the young music talent Edvard Grieg. This theater made Norwegian, rather than Danish, into the standard language on stage, and it was long the #1 stage in Norway. (updated Oct 2015)

Bergenhus fortress

• ⊙Bergenhus fortress (Bergenhus), Bergenhus (past bryggen), ☎ +47 55 546387. 06:30-23:00. Once the seat of the king, Bergenhus fortress is one of the oldest and best preserved forts of Norway. The oldest surviving buildings are from the mid 13th century, but the area was a royal residence from the late 11th century. The fortress is situated close to the international ferry terminal. The royal hall, Håkonshallen, (Haakon's Hall), named for King Haakon Haakonsson, was built some time between 1247 and 1261. It is used today for royal galas, as a banqueting hall for the city council, and other public events. The roof is reconstructed after a blast during World War II. The nearby Rosenkrantz tower has the same appearance as it had in the 16th century. The oldest part of the tower dates back to the 1270s, a few decades after Håkonshallen. It was expanded in the 1560s by the governor, Erik Rosenkrantz, to its present shape. The rest of the medieval buildings in the fortress have been replaced or demolished over the centuries, with some ruins still visible. Among these is the medieval cathedral, the Church of Christ, which was used for coronation and as a royal burial site in the 13th century. A memorial marks the site of the high altar. Guided tours of the royal hall and the tower start every hour between 10:00 and 16:00 every day from 15 May to 31 Aug in the royal hall. From 1 Sept to 14 May tours are only available between noon and 15:00 on Sundays. Entrance fee is kr. 40 for adults, 20 for students and free for children under 16. A small cafeteria with coffee, tea and basic snacks is open from June to August. The fortress grounds serve as a city park; you can hang out here and eat that fish you just bought at the nearby fish market - or just enjoy the sunshine and the view. The park is popular among locals and tourists, but usually not crowded. It is normally not a problem to find a good spot for your picnic or a round of Frisbee. There is a very good view of the bay. The use of open fire, including barbecues, and the drinking of alcoholic beverages are forbidden. Unlike in many other parks, the prohibition of alcohol is enforced strictly here, as the fort is still a military area with occasional military guards on patrol.  

Bryggen

• ⊙Bryggen, Bryggen (north side of the bay). Between 1350 and 1750, this area used to be a Hansa dock, trading and processing area. The wooden houses at Bryggen today were built after the devastating city fire of 1702, but are probably very similar to the buildings that were there before. Despite neglect and fires (Norwegian cities had a habit of burning down because everything is made of wood), a considerable number of buildings have survived and are now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you enter some of the alleyways between the storefronts, you really get a feel of what Bergen must have been like in the Middle Ages. There are a few museums on the history of Bergen and of Bryggen, but the most interesting aspect is probably that almost all of the buildings are still in use. One example is the restaurant Bryggen Tracteursted, serving food and drinks in a building first opened for this purpose in 1708. Wandering about on Bryggen is possible with a wheelchair, but getting in and out of buildings can be very difficult.  

Museums

• ⊙Bryggens Museum, Dreggsalmenningen 3 (by St. Mary's church and Radisson SAS Royal Hotel), ☎ +47 55 588010. 1 Sept-14 May: M-F 11:00-15:00, Sa 12:00-15:00, Su 12-:00-16:00; 15 May-31 Aug: Daily, 10:00-16:00. After the fire in 1955, when a lot of Bryggen burnt down, remains of the first settlement on Bryggen were discovered. The museum is built over these up to 900-year-old wooden building foundations, giving a unique insight in Bryggen's architectural history. It contains the world's largest collection of medieval runic inscriptions, mostly inscribed on wooden items, but only a small number of these are on display. It also hosts themed exhibitions. If you are not a student, and would like to also visit the Hanseatic museum, it is cheaper to buy a ticket for the guided tour (and skip it if you want). adults kr. 80, students kr. 40, children (under 16) free, guided tour (includes ticket to Hanseatic Museum) kr. 120.
• ⊙The Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene, Finnegårdsgaten 1 A and Øvregaten 50 (museum: the first building on Bryggen when walking from the fish market, Schøtstuene: the street behind Bryggen, a little bit towards Bergenhus from the Hanseatic Museum), ☎ +47 55 544690. The Hanseatic Museum: 15 May–15 Sep: daily 09:00-17:00. 16 Sep–14 May: Tu–Sa: 11:00-14:00. Su: 11:18:00. Schøtstuene: 15 May–15 Sep: Daily 10:00-17:00. 16 Sep–14 May: Su: 11:00–14:00. The Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene are the only places on Bryggen where the original interior is preserved or restored. A tour of The Hanseatic Museum gives you a good introduction to the Hanseatic Bergen and the Hansa life, as you walk around an authentic Hanseatic merchant's house from the early 1700s. The building was in use until the late 19th century, when it was converted into a museum. In Schøtstuene, buildings from other parts of Bryggen are rebuilt to show where people ate, celebrated and held meetings. Neither the museum nor Schøtstuene is accessible for those using a wheelchair. Adults: kr. 70, Students: kr. 50, Children: Free. Ticket is valid at the Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene for one day.  
• ⊙Theta museum, Bredsgården 1 D (entrance from the front of Bryggen, by Enhjørningsgården), ☎ +47 55 315393. Tu Sa Su 14:00-16:00. During the first half of World War II, the Theta group, formed by people between the ages of 19 and 22, established radio contact with London and reported movements of the German fleet in Norway. The group headquarters and radio station was located in the heart of occupied Bergen, but remained active for two years before it was discovered and raided by the Nazis. In the 1980s, the small room was reconstructed to its original state by orders of the Directorate of Cultural Heritage. It is now probably the country's smallest museum, displaying radio equipment and the Theta group's own security system. Not accessible with a wheelchair. Kr. 20; children kr. 5. 

Nützliche Information

Im Umkreis von 4 km:

• ⊙   Tourist-Information Bergen, Strandkaien 3, Bergen