bryggen

  • Bergen, Walking Guides

    Basics of Bergen Self-Guided Walking Tour

    I’ve put together a Bergen self-guided walking tour designed to inspire and plan your trip to Bergen!

    This walking tour is for those who may be in Bergen for a limited time, or may be wondering what they can do with their time. The tour doesn’t go over much history and everyday life topics that I cover in my other walking tours. Rather, it explains what you can see and do in Bergen.

    In this article, I’ve provided not just the walking tour but links to other pages on my website where I explain the topic in greater detail.

    Here we go!

    Join me on a walking tour!

    I do in-person walking tours of Bergen too! If you want to experience Bergen with a guide, click the button below to see my tours.

    https://www.ilovebergen.net

    Bergen Self-Guided Walking Tour

    Start: Bryggen

    Bryggen

    Here we are on Bryggen, Bergen’s UNESCO World Heritage site. Bryggen, which is ‘wharf’ in Norwegian, was built in the 12th century. It was the commercial centre of Norway and is likely Scandinavia’s first commercial town. 

    Between 1360 and 1754, Bryggen was the trading centre of the Hanseatic League. They were a German merchant organisation that dominated trade in the Baltic and North Seas. After a fire in 1955, the first archaeological excavation took place under Bryggen. Most importantly, the remains of the first-ever warehouses were discovered along with hundreds of objects from life in the 13th century. In short, they are on display at the Bryggen Museum.

    Bergen Fortress

    If you keep walking straight ahead, you’ll reach the Bergen Fortress. Called ‘Bergenhus’, the fortress area is from the 13th century when Bergen was the capital of Norway. King Håkon Håkonsson had ‘Håkon’s Hall’ constructed for the royal wedding of his son, Magnus the Lawmender. When Magnus became King around 1270, he wrote down the first laws of Bergen (hence his name) and had the stone tower you see constructed. 

    When Norway became part of Denmark in the 16th century, the Danish lord of Bergenhus, Eric Rosenkrantz, reconstructed the tower and named it after himself. Many of the old royal buildings were torn down, including a 12th century church. The fortress became more military than royal house. During World War II, the German soldiers used Bergenhus as a base. Certainly, you can see remains of buildings from the 11th century up until World War II. 

    We don’t walk into the fortress on this Bergen self-guided walking tour; it’s worth covering on its own walk.

    Read more: A walk through the Bergen Fortress

    Bryggen Museum

    The Bryggen Museum focuses on the life of Bryggen, the wharf area in Bergen. For example, the museum displays hundreds of objects categorised according to their everyday purpose, including game pieces, hair combs, religious artefacts, clothing, and even a toilet! The museum has just undergone a major renovation and is well worth visiting. One of my favourite displays is a large television screen that goes through the development of Bryggen and all the fires we’ve had – there has been dozens! The souvenir shop is also worth visiting, and there is a café inside. 

    Bryggen Museum website

    St. Mary’s Church

    This is the oldest building in Bergen. That is to say, it was built between 1130 and 1170, St. Mary’s Church has seen the least damage from fires and remains more or less original. The two towers are from the early 14th century, and the stained glass window is the first in Norway. Inside the church is incredibly well decorated. This is because the Hanseatic League thought St. Mary’s Church was a good luck charm. Most importantly, they brought artwork from all over Europe to the church. Inside, the artworks span a period of 400 years from all over Europe. Today St. Mary’s Church is Anglican, though it was built as a Catholic Church. 

    Sandviken Area

    If you turn left and walk for around 10 minutes, you’ll reach the suburb Sandviken. Sandviken is a historic fishing village with many 18th century wooden houses. Above all, it’s very charming and very ‘Bergen’. At Sandviken you’ll find the Fisheries Museum, the Fjellveien scenic footpath, and a little further along is the Gamle Bergen open air museum. 

    We don’t walk into Sandviken on this Bergen self-guided walking tour; it’s worth covering on its own walk. For example, I’m currently putting together a Sandviken walk.

    Fløibanen Funicular

    The Fløibanen is a funicular that will take you to the top of Mt. Fløyen, one of the seven mountains that surrounds Bergen city centre. The mountain is 320m (1000ft) high and has gorgeous views from the top. Most importantly, during busy times of the day, the funicular runs continuously and takes 5-8 minutes to reach the top. You can download an app to buy tickets and see the schedule or buy on at the ticket counter. 

    Behind the funicular station you’ll see a zig-zag path to the top. Follow this if you’d rather hike to the top of Mt. Fløyen. The hike takes about 45 minutes and is considered an easy hike (by Norwegian standards). Signs will lead you to the top. 

    We don’t walk up Fløyen on this Bergen self-guided walking tour; it’s something to do on your own.

    Read more: Walking up Mt. Fløyen

    Fløibanen Website

    Lille Øvregaten

    For instance, this is just an idea of what you can find in this area. If you begin to walk on the streets on the side of the hill, you’ll find old timber houses with plenty of charm. One of my favourite things to do in this area is to just get lost! I’m working on a walking tour called ‘Along the Mountainside’ which will take you through the most secret of narrow streets. It’s due in early 2021.

    The Allmenningen Streets

    This wide street is called an ‘allmenningen’. This is a purposely built street from the 16th century designed to prevent fire spreading rapidly between buildings – you’ll notice many streets in Bergen end in the word ‘allmenningen’. 

    Kong Oscars Gate

    Kong Oscars Gate is one of the oldest roads in Bergen. It is the old highway leading to southern Norway. Along this road, you’ll find many historical buildings. Along Kong Oscars Gate and up on the hill is the same layout from after the largest fire in Bergen, 1702. Most of the buildings date from that period. 

    If you turn left and follow the road, you’ll pass the Shoe Street (Skostredet) with many cool restaurants and bars). Then you pass the Bergen Cathedral, Leprosy Hospital, and end up at the historic city gate. The city gate is around a 10-15 minute walk from where you are now. Past the gate is the wealthy area Kalfaret and the Lungegård Lake, both covered in separate walking tours.

    If you turn right, you’ll pass 18th-century wooden houses with many trendy bars and cafes. A little further down is the famous hot dog stand of Bergen. The road to the right ends at Bryggen. 

    Kong Oscars Gate is not covered in depth on this Bergen self-guided walking tour. I am working on a separate self-guided walking tour for this fascinating part of town! For example, walk up and down it on your own to see all the history here.

    Church of the Cross

    This is one of three medieval churches left in Bergen: the other two are the Bergen Cathedral (Domkirken) and St. Mary’s Church. Unlike St. Mary’s Church, Korskirken has been affected by almost every fire Bergen has had (remember – dozens!) and been rebuilt in a different style every time. The name comes from a legend that the first Korskirken was built with a piece of Christ’s cross in the walls. Today the church is used by the missionaries in Bergen.

    Torget & The Fish Market

    We are now on the square, Torget (translates to ‘the square’). Here you can see a statue of Ludvig Holberg. He’s a famous 17th/18th century writer and political figure. You may recognise the name from Edvard Grieg’s Holberg Suite. Grieg wrote the Suite on Holberg’s 200th birthday. 

    Across the street, past the statue, is the fish market. The fish market in Bergen is famous – here you can try many local products from salmon to cod to trout, tuna, and more. There’s also Red King Crab from the Barents Sea, seal oil, whale meat, paella, dried fish snacks, mussels, and anything that comes from the sea. It’s a great place to try fresh seafood. The large glass building has a seafood restaurant on the lower floor. The tourist information centre is on the higher floor. 

    Torgallmenningen

    We are now in a part of Bergen that is more modern. That is because it was affected by the last great fire of Bergen in 1916, and everything we see was rebuilt after that period.

    On Torgallmenningen you’ll find shopping centres (Galleriet and Xhibition) and many department stores. 

    The Blue Stone

    The Blue Stone is the meeting point of Bergen. Just past the Blue Stone you’ll see St. John’s Church (Johanneskirken), the largest church in Bergen. It’s from the late 19th century. If you walk up to St. John’s Church and then turn left you’ll be in the University area with museums and a botanic garden. Past that is the working-class suburb of Møhlenpris and the gorgeous Nygård Park. To the right of St. John’s is the hidden area of Sydnes – a historic timber house suburb. At the end of Sydnes is the Hurtigruten Terminal. 

    Turn to your right. At the top of the slope is a large concrete building. This is the Theatre. It was established by the famous violinist Ole Bull in 1850 as the first theatre in Norway to perform in Norwegian. Before then, Danish was seen as the language of the elite and was more widely used. Outside the theatre is a statue of Henrik Ibsen, the famous Norwegian playwright. He worked in the theatre when he was in his 20s. If you continue past the theatre you’ll be in the suburb Nordnes – regarded as one of the most picturesque suburbs of Bergen. At the end of the Nordnes Peninsula is the Bergen Aquarium.

    However, Nordnes and Sydnes are not covered in this Bergen self-guided walking tour. They will be covered in their own walks – coming soon!

    The Pavilion

    This pavilion is from the late 19th century, though it was basically replaced during the last restoration in 2019. The plants here change according to the season. 

    To the left, you’ll see a statue of Edvard Grieg. Edvard Grieg is Norway’s most famous composer. He was born in Bergen in 1843 and lived most of his life here, passing away in 1907. Grieg is attributed with showcasing Norwegian folk music and being inspired by nature. About 10km (6 mi) outside of Bergen is Troldhaugen, Edvard Grieg’s home and today a museum. It is well worth visiting, especially between May and October when they have daily lunchtime piano concerts there. 

    They play Beethoven, Mosart, etc. Just kidding, of course they play Edvard Grieg music! The brick building behind Grieg is the Telegraph Building – today it’s a department store. 

    Read more: The Edvard Grieg Museum, Troldhaugen

    To the right is another brick building. This is the first of the four KODE art galleries. These are the large collection of art galleries in Scandinavia. The first KODE gallery displays various crafted objects. The opening hours change quite a lot, so check the website for details. We’ll see the other KODE galleries at our next and last stop: Byparken

    Byparken

    Here we are at Byparken! This park was laid out in the early 20th century. Before then, this lake connected to the fjord and many people used to dock their boats in this area. I cover this topic more on my Lungegård Lake walking tour. Byparken is used for many festivals and markets, including our Christmas Market and Food Market. On Norway’s National Day, 17 May, this is where the festivities are. 

    Above all, the large mountain the background is Mt. Ulriken – the tallest of the seven Bergen mountains at 640m (2000ft). It is possible to take a cable car to the top. A minibus departs from the fish market in the summer months to take you there. 

    Between the lake and Mt. Ulriken is the train station, the library, and the bus terminal with a large shopping centre on top (Storsenter). To the left of the lake, you’ll see a row of colourful houses. Many of Bergen’s newest and coolest cafes are opening up in these houses. Behind them are 18th-century wooden houses in the area ‘Marken’ – this is also where the Leprosy Hospital is. 

    To the right of the lake are the other three KODE galleries. KODE 2 is for modern art (and has a shop and café). Most importantly, the third KODE has Bergen’s Munch exhibition as well as a very good National Romantic exhibition. KODE 4 has famous foreign artworks and an exhibition for Nicolai Astrup. it also has the highly-rated ‘Lysverket’ restaurant.

  • Bergen, History

    The History of Bergen

    One of the things I love most about Bergen is its history. I was never really a history buff until I moved here; once I started reading, I couldn’t stop! Bergen is full of history and historic buildings, and everywhere you walk you can find a historical story. It’s incredible. Before you visit Bergen, it’s worth having a quick read about its history. It will make your visit even more special.

    Bergen Travel Guide

    In this article...

    The Royal Estate

    It’s believed there has been a settlement in Bergen since the last Ice Age, but it wasn’t a known place until the royal estate Alrekstad was built at the foot of mount Ulriken and on the Store Lungegårdsvann (Lungegård Lake). The estate has roots dating back to the 400s, as evident in the burial mounds on the site, but it wasn’t until King Harald Fairhair unified Norway as one country that the estate began to grow. King Harald Fairhair built up Alrekstad as one of his various royal estates across the country. He took up residence in the 9th century, and from this, the city began to grow. The street Årstadgeilen, which runs from the student house Alrek down to Store Lungegårdsvann (which was called Alrekstadvågen), is Bergen’s oldest street.

    Moving Bergen to the Bay

    King Harald Fairhair’s successors, Håkon the Good and Olav Kyrre, ruled the country from the estate. Olav Kyrre ruled the country for 26 years from Alrekstad and the estate had a very strategic position; surrounded either by water or mountains, with the Puddefjord as the only entrance to the estate. Olav Kyrre who looked out to Vågen (The bay, where Bergen city is today) and decided that he should move the estate there. Archaeological finds indicate that there was an urban settlement trading there in the 1020s, but Olav Kyrre is known as officially founding Bergen in 1070. He decided to move the royal estate to Holmen (today the Bergenhus Fortress) to better defend his new city. At Holmen, he planned the construction of the great Christ Church, the cathedral for the whole of Western Norway.

    Bergen is Built

    Olav Kyrre founded Bergen in 1070, making it one of Norway’s oldest cities. The original name of Bergen was Bjørgvin; the first element “bjørg” (today’s berg) means ‘mountains’, while vin means ‘new settlement where there used to be a pasture or meadow’. In short, Bjørgvin means “the green meadow among the mountains”. In the 14th century, the name was written was “Bervin”, “Bergin” and “Berven”, and by the end of the Middle Ages it was simplified to “Bergen”. The name “Bergen” likely came from the English and Germans misunderstanding the pronunciation since ‘berg’ is a German word for mountains. The Hanseatics used the word “Bergen” from the early 1300s. But we are getting a little ahead of ourselves, let’s head back to Olav Kyrre.

    The City of Churches

    King Harald Fairhair’s successors, Håkon the Good and Olav Kyrre, ruled the country from the estate. Olav Kyrre ruled the country for 26 years from Alrekstad and the estate had a very strategic position; surrounded either by water or mountains, with the Puddefjord as the only entrance to the estate. Olav Kyrre who looked out to Vågen (The bay, where Bergen city is today) and decided that he should move the estate there. Archaeological finds indicate that there was an urban settlement trading there in the 1020s, but Olav Kyrre is known as officially founding Bergen in 1070. He decided to move the royal estate to Holmen (today the Bergenhus Fortress) to better defend his new city. At Holmen, he planned the construction of the great Christ Church, the cathedral for the whole of Western Norway.

    The Christ Church was built as a wooden church at Holmen (remember, today it’s the Bergenhus Fortress) and it became the main cathedral for Western Norway. The remains of St. Sunniva, the patron saint of Western Norway, was moved to the Christ Church and placed at the high altar in 1170. The church was the place where Norway’s kings were crowned, dedicated and buried. The first royal coronation in the Nordic countries was Magnus Erlingsson’s (King of Norway from 1161-84) coronation. This was the most important church then. Sadly, it was levelled by the Danes in 1531 who were converting Holmen into a military fort. The gold, altar and caskets (including that of St. Sunniva) were taken to Copenhagen and melted down into coins. Nothing remains from the Christ Church today, but you can stand on the site and see a pillar commemorating the history of the church.

    A church was also built at Alrekstad, the “Church of the Holy Cross”. The church was first mentioned in 1395 but was probably built in the 1600s. This church was demolished in the 1600s but you can still see the stones from the church, as they were used to build the walls along Årstadgeilen. Alrekstad itself ceased to be a royal estate when King Magnus the Lawmender in 1277 bequeathed the property to the Nonneseter Monastery.

    The property was maintained until the Reformation in the 1530s (and the beginning of the Danish Union). Vinens Lunge, a Danish governor who was instrumental in forcing Norway into the Danish union in the 1530s, forced the royal estate and monastery to go abandoned. He renamed Alrekstadvågen to Lungegardsvann, after himself. By the 1900s, the royal estate and monastery were no more. I’ll explain why the Danes did this to most of Bergen’s buildings below.

    Growth as Norway’s most important city

    Many important buildings were built up in the 12th and 13th centuries. King Øystein Magnusson (King of Norway from 1103-23) built the ‘Apostle Church’ at Holmen (no longer in existence) and founded the Munkeliv Monastery at Nordnes in 1110, which was one of the largest monasteries in Scandinavia and Norway’s wealthiest during the Middle Ages.

    Around 1140, the Nonnester Monastery was established at Marken (where the train station is today). More churches were built; St. Mary’s Church, Korskirken, and the Olav Church (now the Bergen Cathedral) were first built during the 12th century. The Bergen Cathedral School was established during the same period. In 1184, King Sverre Sigurdsson (King of Norway from 1177-1202) built Sverresborg (Sverre’s Fortress) over Holmen. In the first half of the 13th century, an additional three monasteries were built around the city. At its peak, there were over 12 churches in the inner city.

    Holmen became Norway’s power centre. Before and during the civil wars of the 12th and early 13th centuries, it was one of the most powerful royal residences in the country. It fortified the city’s position as the Hereditary Kingdom of Norway’s main city, a position the city had until 1314 when Oslo took over as the capital. During this period, Norway was a large and powerful empire. This was also when Bergen became Northern Europe’s most important trading city.

    The Trading Capital of Northern Europe

    Olav Kyrre was the one who granted rights to Bergen as a market town in 1070, but during King Øystein Magnusson’s Bergen expanded rapidly. Trade to foreign countries was of the most importance, and there was a growing interest from Europe in the goods from Northern Norway, primarily the stockfish (dried cod). This gave Bergen a very special position.

    When Håkon Håkonsson became the King of Norway, he made Bergen the capital and focused very much on west-oriented politics, increasing trade especially with England. He also built up Holmen as a better fortress to defend the harbour and all the trading activity by building a wall around the fortress and also built Håkonshallen around 1261 as the royal residence. His son, King Magnus the Lawmender (King of Norway from 1263-1280) built a castle close by, which in the 16th century was converted to the Rosenkrantz Tower. He also built a third Apostle Church in Holmen, following the pattern of the Sainte-Chappelle in Paris, and inside placed a precious relic, a piece of Jesus’ crown of thorns encased in crystal. It was a gift from King Philipp III of France.

    Håkon Håkonsson was the one who believed Bergen should be the centre of trade. The royal power decided that all imports and exports of goods abroad should take place in Bergen, so they could keep control of customs duties and taxes. Bergen’s role in foreign trade was further formalised when in 1294 the German merchants were banned from sailing north of Bergen, and in 1310 the ban was extended to all foreigners. Bergen was the stop for all foreigners wanting to trade, especially for goods from Northern Norway.

    King Magnus the Lawmender’s son, Eirik II Magnusson (King of Norway 1280-1299) took over, and after his death, his brother, Håkon V Magnusson, Duke of Oslo, took over. As he had his residence in Oslo, the functions of the capital were moved to Oslo.

    The Hanseatic League Come to Bergen

    Trade of stockfish didn’t begin in the 13th century: it’s believed that stockfish had been traded from Norway since the 1100s. But stockfish was the main reason the city became one of Northern Europe’s centres for trade. The Hanseatic League became interested in trading in Bergen. The Hanseatic League began in the 13th century when the northern German cities (Lubeck, Bremen, Hamburg) merged into a joint trading enterprise with their jurisdiction that shared profits and losses. This was the Hanseatic League. They established an extensive trade network with over 300 locations across the Baltic and North Seas, as well as four head offices with a permanent Hanseatic settlement. These were Bergen, Bruges, London and Novgorod.

    The Black Death

    Their position was further enforced after the Black Death in 1349 killed at least half of Bergen’s population. The King of Norway desperately needed income in the country, as well as food and other goods from Europe, and decided that the Hanseatic League should have exclusivity to the trade of stockfish.

    Each year the North Norwegian fishermen sailed to Bergen and traded their stockfish for various goods from Europe. Most products exported were stockfish, clipfish (salted dried cod, from the 17th century), herring, other types of fish, fur products, timber, hides, skins, butter and tallow. In return, the Germans imported flour, grain, malt, salt, beer, hemp, laundry, hardware, glass, honey, wine, and other luxury goods. Both Norwegian and foreign ships dominated Bergen’s harbour. The foreigners were mostly German, Englishmen, Scots and Dutchmen, and some of them eventually settled in Bergen permanently.

    By the end of the 14th century, Bergen had established itself as the centre for trade in Norway.

    Tensions with the Hanseatic League

    Thing’s weren’t always peachy with the Hanseatic League, though. The Germans typically avoided paying taxes and subject themselves to their laws on many occasions. Tensions reached its peak in 1455 when the Hanseatic merchants stormed and destroyed the Munkeliv Monastery, killing both the chief and bishop of Bergen. Still, though, you can’t forget the importance of the Hanseatic League. After the Black Death, Bergen (and Norway) was incredibly poor and in desperate need of food and goods. Without this Hanseatic connection, people in Bergen, and more importantly Northern Norway, wouldn’t have been able to survive in such remote parts of the world. So, while the Hanseatic League may not have been popular in Bergen, they were loved by those in Northern Norway.

    The Danish Union

    After a national meeting in Copenhagen in 1536 by King Christian III, Norway became a country under Denmark. This was a political ploy by the King to increase his power while the idea of a monopoly was strong. Around the same time, the Reformation occurred. The Reformation forced Norway to adopt the Lutheran Protestant religion, and this crippled the old wealth of the Catholic religion. The Reformation opened up access to church property, and the Danes took most of the gold and items from the Norwegian churches, including Saint Sunniva’s casket from the Christ Church in Bergen and Saint Olav’s casket from Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim. Norway couldn’t stop the Reformation or the union; Norway was without leadership, seriously poor, and already dependent on the Danish royal house.

    After the Danish union, Danish lords began to come to the area to establish law and order, as well as diversify trade. Around this time, the Hanseatic League was lessening in importance in Europe, and many of the trading offices had closed down. The North Norwegian fishermen were still dependent on the Hanseatic League, and they continued to operate out of Bryggen for 150 years after the Hanseatic League had ended, but the Danes allowed for other countries to establish their trading warehouses. Scottish, Dutch and non-Hanseatic Germans settled in the city on the side of the harbour opposite Bryggen, and Norwegians even had their own warehouses.

    Conflicts, Battles & Witches

    The Hanseatic League didn’t react well to these changes, and there were often conflicts between the Danish-Norwegian authorities and the Hansa federation. The Hanseatic merchants would evacuate the city, introduce trade blockades, loot buildings, and take part in violent riots. Eventually they settled down, and many took Norwegian citizenship.

    Bergen wasn’t the safest city in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the 1560s alone, there were five murders a year; this means 1 murder per 1,200 residents. That is higher than the rates today in New York. The town had an executioner in the court of Nordnes, and it was here that Anne Pedersdatter, one of 350 ‘witches’, were burned at the stake during this time.

    The Battle of Vågen

    In 1655, the city’s harbour was the site of the Battle of Vågen, when an English naval flotilla attacked a Dutch merchant and treasure fleet supported by the city’s garrison. A Dutch merchant navy, chased by English warships, sought refuge in Bergen’s natural harbour. The garrison at Bergenhus chased the English away after a bloody sea battle.

    It’s worth noting that during this time Bergen was one of the largest cities in Scandinavia. In 1300, approximately 7,000 people lived in Bergen, compared to 3,000 in Nidaros (Trondheim) and 2,000 in Oslo. At the time, medium-sized cities in Europe had a population between 5,000-10,000, and Bergen was the only Norwegian city of this magnitude. In the 1600s, Bergen was the largest city in the Nordics with 15,000 inhabitants; Copenhagen had about 13,000 and Trondheim, Norway’s second-largest city, had about 5,000 inhabitants. Bergen remained the largest city in Norway until the 1830s when it was overtaken by the capital Christiania (Oslo).

    Trading Dominance Ends

    Until the 17th century, Bergen had enjoyed exclusive rights to mediate trade between Northern Norway and abroad. However, the Hanseatic dominance of the city’s trade gradually declined in favour of Norwegian merchants (often of Hanseatic ancestry) and in 1753 the Hanseatic Kontor finally closed. Bergen maintained its monopoly of trade in Northern Norway until 1789 when Vardø and Hammerfest were granted town status and market rights.

    20th Century Growth

    In 1901, women were granted municipal voting rights in Norway, and in Bergen, a handful of female municipal representatives were elected that year.

    By the early 20th century, the export goods were mainly fish products as well as timber. Additionally, steamship companies and industry were growing along the Bergen harbour, and Bergen became the starting port for Hurtigruten. New economic life was also growing in the city, including banks and insurance companies. Urban expansion had been huge during 1877 and 1914, and Bergen’s rural district was incorporated into the city.

    After World War I, Bergen was hit by economic crises with closed industrial plants, ships in storage, and so on. A lot of the merchant fleet had been damaged during the war, despite the fact Norway was neutral.

    World War II

    Bergen was occupied on the first day of the German invasion on 9 April 1940, after a brief fight between German ships and Norwegian coastal artillery. The Bergen section of the operation was fronted by the German cruisers Konigsberg and Cologne, with 1900 soldiers on board. The fort at Bergen was staffed with 33 officers and 279 corporals and privates. The fort shot at the ships as they sailed towards Bergen at 3:58am, and it immediately became obvious how outdated the fortress was; one of the few grenades that hit the ships did not go off. The ships did not fire back, but sent the message “stop shooting!”. By the time the locals woke up on 9 April, Nazi flags were flying on Bergen’s buildings.

    Resistance groups were operating out of Bergen, including Saborg, Milorg, the Theta Group, Sivorg, the Stein-organisasjonen, and the Communist Party. Additionally, the Shetland Group also operated near Bergen.

    losed industrial plants, ships in storage, and so on. A lot of the merchant fleet had been damaged during the war, despite the fact Norway was neutral.

    Bombing Raids

    The city was subject to some Allied bombing raids, aimed at German naval installations in the harbour, and some of these caused Norwegian civilian causalities numbering about 100. Nordnes was also damaged by Allied bombing raids, and the old theatre was destroyed. One of the most known events took place in 1944, when the city was hit by the bombing of Laksevåg, a suburb in Bergen. The British were targeting the German U-boat pen Bruno, located at the end of the harbour. 152 aircraft took part in the raid, which dropped 1,432 bombs over the area, most of which hit civilian targets. 191 civilians were killed, including 61 kids at the Holen School, which was accidentally bombed.

    Bergen after the explosion

    In 1944, the Dutch ship Voorbode exploded by the fortress quay with 120 tons of ammunition on board. The explosion was so powerful that 131 houses disappeared, 117 houses were condemned, 45 houses were severely damaged, and 3,500 buildings were damaged. 98 people were killed and 4,800 were injured. Important historical buildings such as Nykirken, Tollboden, the Rosenkrantz Tower and Håkonshallen were severely damaged by later restored.

    Post-War Developments

    In 1955, the last devastating fire took place, when 1/3 of Bryggen burnt down. The area was investigated by archaeologists, and they discovered the first settlement of Bergen. The Bryggen Museum stands there today.

    Bergen Travel Guide
  • Bergen, Walking Guides

    Bryggen Self-Guided Walking Tour

    Bryggen Self-Guided Walking Tour

    When you come to Bergen, you have to go for a walk through Bryggen. Many people wander along the front of these timber houses, browsing in and out of the shops. But there’s a whole world behind the postcard view. And it’s best explored with either a walking tour with a guide or a self-guided walking tour.

    Bryggen has a fascinating story. It is where Norwegians first settled in the city. It’s where trade took off in the country, and it was the largest settlement in Scandinavia until the 16th century. For hundreds of years, Bryggen was operated by the Hanseatic League, a large German trading society. During World War II, Norwegian resistance workers hid in Bryggen. There’s so much to tell. 

    In this article...

    Bergen Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    What is Bryggen?

    Bryggen (the wharf) is Bergen’s historic trading centre that goes back to the 11th century. While Bryggen was built up as a Norwegian wharf, between 1360 and 1954 the area became a main trading settlement for the Hanseatic League.

    Read more: The Hanseatic League. Simplified.

    After some fires and modernisation efforts, Bryggen is a fraction of what it used to be. There are 61 buildings (or 30%) left, and 25% of them are from 1702, the last time Bryggen burnt down in its entirety.

    Bryggen is the most popular place for visitors coming to Bergen. It’s packed full of Norwegian restaurants, souvenir shops, museums and galleries. The image of Bryggen is on t-shirts, postcards, Norwegian forums and tourism campaigns. Yet, at first glance, these buildings seem unassuming. Bryggen has a fascinating history, and in my self-guided walk, I try to provide an outline of what that history is. This is like the walk I do for groups, and I’ve done this walk hundreds of times. Hopefully, you enjoy it!

    The Walk

    Bryggen Museum

    This tour starts from behind the Bryggen Museum. As you are approaching the museum at the front, walk to the right (between the museum and the Radisson Blu Hotel). You will see that the museum has glass windows on your left-hand side. Look inside the windows to see the first warehouses of Bryggen.

    The First Wooden Buildings

    These are the oldest buildings on Bryggen. They were warehouses and had a similar appearance to the current ones on Bryggen. The difference is that they were single storey and coated in tar. The oldest ones, which are closest to St. Mary’s Church, are from around 1150. Families lived and traded together in these buildings. When they burnt down in 1170, the remains were pushed into the water and the buildings in front were constructed. These new buildings were on the water; with piers out into the harbour.

    Yes, Bryggen we have today is built on the water. About 150m, to be exact.

    The Old Chapel & City Hall

    The square stone building with the entranceway carved out is St. Lawrence’s Chapel. It was built here sometime in the 12th century, but after one of the fires, it was never rebuilt.

    The same goes for the city hall, which is the remains next to the chapel. The city hall had its name from St. Mary’s Church (Maria Guildhall). This is because the original city hall meetings took place in the church graveyard. After one of the fires, the new city hall was constructed further away from Bryggen. Later it, it was moved far away from the Hanseatic League.

    St. Catherine's Hospital

    St. Catherine’s Hospital is Norway’s first hospital for women. It is from some time around 1250 and remained in use until a fire in 1527. The building was then abandoned and forgotten until it an excavation in 1986. It’s believed that (before it burnt down) the Hanseatics were large donors to the hospital.

    There is an information board just inside the building so you can read more about the hospital.

    Buekorps Statue

    The Buekorps is a unique Bergen tradition. It consists of clubs (depending on where you live) made up of boys up to the age of 18. They are something like marching bands; practising through the streets of Bergen. Their main performance is on the 17th of May, Norway’s national day. The Buekorps began in the 19th century. Bored kids started copying the Norwegian army practice marches. Eventually, that developed into the Buekorps. If you are in Bergen in spring or early summer you may hear or even see them! What makes them especially unique is that they carry wooden weapons when they march. You can see this statue is holding a crossbow.

    This particular statue is to commemorate the members of the Buekorps who fell during World War II.

    St. Mary's Church

    St. Mary’s Church is the oldest building in Bergen; built sometime between 1130 and 1170. The towers are a Romanesque style and there are High Gothic characteristics inside. The church received the country’s first stained-glass window in 1336 when a German glass painting was put in the northern wall. The church was important to Bergen. The king may have taken initiative to build the church in cooperation with the citizens of the town. It was most likely built to be the main church of Bergen.

    St. Mary’s is the only church to survive (without major fires) because the Hanseatic merchants loved the church. The Germans controlled the church from 1480 onwards. It was a church for the German congregation in Bergen until 1874. Moreover, the Germans had the resources to maintain the church. They also kept the Reformation from affecting the interior.

    You’ll notice a lot of the graves have German names on them. When the Hanseatic merchant died, they left their fortune to the church were buried here.

    Schøtstuene Museum

    You are standing outside the Schøtstuene Museum, which provides information about how merchants lived in Bergen. When the museum opened in the late 1930s, the Hanseatic merchants had a rather negative reputation in Bergen. The museum aimed at changing this. It represents the spirit of the Hanseatic’s through their games, drinking, meals, and social order. It’s a fantastic museum well worth a detour.

    Schøtstuene Museum

    Bredsgården

    Bredsgården is the most original of the gårder on Bryggen. It was first mentioned in history in 1310 and stands on the same site. It has been rebuilt a few times, for the last time in 1702, but the building style has always been the same.

    The Front of Bryggen

    We are now standing at the front of Bryggen. You’ll see the cobblestone patterns on the front change. The cobblestone path closest to the buildings is as far out as Bryggen used to go. The road and square are from the 20th century.

    On the front of the buildings, you’ll notice each one has a mascot of sorts (lumberjack, unicorn, etc). These were like company logos. It wasn’t common for fishermen to read. When they were arriving with their stockfish, they’d find their Hanseatic merchant according to the logo on the front. They always returned to the same merchant. Often they had relationships spanning generations. If the fishing catch was bad that year, the fishermen could still get the food and tools he needed; like a credit system.

    Enhjørningsgården & The Theta Museum

    This alley, which translates to Unicorn Alley, is dark and narrow. More-so than the others, it gives you the feeling of being in another century. It has the oldest wooden planks, fastened with wooden pegs. The alley also has some of the bare timber (the newest buildings are with wooden planks).

    Svensgården

    These two red wooden buildings used to be connected and belong to Svensgården, the closed-off alley. Svensgården has been closed for over a decade due to extensive rot. I’ve been coming to Bergen for nine years and never walked down it. The red wooden building to the left is the only remaining schøstuene in its original place. Today it’s a restaurant, so you can sit in the same spot the Hanseatics did and enjoy a traditional Norwegian meal!

    Jacobsfjorden & Bellgården

    The small wooden building you’ll see between Jacobsfjorden and Bellgården is an old schøtstuene. It is from the end of the use of Bryggen, so it was constructed in the middle of the alley rather than at the back. Both were separate alleys.

    Bellgården was first mentioned in 1310 and Germans owned it from 1370. Jacobsfjorden used to be called Åfjorden (after a fjord in Sogn) and was first mentioned in 1309. The Munkeliv Monastery owned the building and land in 1399. The stone cellar (which was behind the stockfish statue) is from the 1420s. After a fire in 1476, the two alleys merged and came under German ownership. The name Jacobsfjorden took over in the early 1500s.

    The Brick Buildings

    Lets have a closer look at the brick buildings. When you’re standing on the front of Bryggen, look up to the walls of the brick buildings. You’ll see the coat of arms for various cities; London, Brygge, Skåne (a region in southern Sweden) and so on. These are various Hanseatic cities.

    The date on the building refers to each time it has been rebuilt. This used to be the site of the Kjøpmanstuen, or the main meeting area for the German Office. It was originally built in the late 13th century (first mentioned 1389). The wine cellar was the oldest part of the building and had rooms for serving and warehouses.

    The Kjøpmanstuen was rebuilt after 1476. It is rumoured that shortly after this King Christian II of Denmark had an affair with Dyveke Sigbritsdatter here.

    The Kjøpmanstuen burned again in 1702 and was rebuilt. The wooden structure had two floors with high ceilings. Above the entrance were weapons. The ground floor had a living room and a guard room. This is where all the merchants in Bryggen would have their meetings to discuss important matters. ‘Kjøpman’ means merchant and ‘stuen’ (like schøtstuene) refers to the room.

    Hanseatic Museum

    Finnegården is the last gårder on Bryggen. The building was first mentioned in 1403 but is probably much older than that. Finnegården was owned by Germans from 1414 onwards. It was the largest commercial premise on Bryggen and more equipped than others.

    Johan Wilhelm Wiberg ran trade here between 1866-1898. When he noticed that interest in Bryggen and the Hanseatic League was coming to an end, he took care of the interior of his building and collected objects from the other gården to preserve as much of Bryggen’s old trading environment as possible.

    He founded the Hanseatic Museum, which his son Johan Christian Koren Wiberg developed further. The municipality purchased the building in 1916 to ensure it was never demolished.

    In 2018 the Hanseatic Museum closed for renovation as it was found that the building was sinking. The renovation work is expected to take several years.

    Bergen Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide