A Journey to Escape the Heat: A 2013 Summer Trip through Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark
This travelogue was updated in 2020. Please note that operating hours can vary depending on the season and that there may be regular closure days as well as closures on specific holidays such as Christmas, Epiphany, and New Year's Day. Therefore, when planning your schedule, be sure to check Google Maps or the official websites directly.
@Bryggen district
Bryggen, inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, is located on the eastern side of Bergen's central harbor and consists of old harbor and buildings in the area. Due to a devastating fire in 1702, about a quarter of the area was reconstructed, resulting in the present-day appearance.
The buildings were wooden structures with one or two entrances, and they were arranged in a row as they are today. At the back, there are stone-built basements dating back to the 1400s to 1500s, some of which were recently relocated from buildings across the street. This area is a historic district with 61 buildings today. The colorful wooden buildings, each with its own character, lined up in a row, create an impressive sight.
In the 14th century, Bergen gained a reputation as a commercial city, led by German merchants who operated and managed trade. Along the eastern waterfront of Bergen's docks, there are rows of simple and unadorned three-story wooden houses, with narrow and elongated windows and steeply pitched triangular roofs catching the eye. Despite this, there are many medieval landmarks, including the St. Mary's Church, built in the 12th century.
— Excerpt from UNESCO World Cultural Heritage (National Geographic Teachers' Association)
@Bryggen museum
Open_ 9:00~16:00 (Excluding the summer season 11:00~15:00)
Fee_ 100 NOK
Closed_ Irregular closing days
It is located behind the Bryggen wooden building district and is a museum about Bryggen, the busiest city in Norway around the 1300s.
@Haansa museum
Open_ 9:00~18:00 (It depends on month, so you have to check it!. (11:00~15:00 on October~Apri)
Fee_ 120 NOK (Discounted with Bergen card)
The place is currently undergoing remodeling and is scheduled to reopen in 2024, so be sure to check the operating hours. There's a temporary exhibition taking place at the Hanseatic Great Hall across from Maria Church.
The Hanseatic League was an agreement among merchants from various cities near the Baltic Sea. They formed a group with defensive and offensive capabilities beyond mere commercial and contractual alliances.
Starting from northern Europe, like Hamburg in Germany or Gdańsk in Poland, the influence of the League expanded to the Scandinavian Peninsula. Later, it became a formidable force not only in trade among member cities but also in intermediary trade between Western and Eastern Europe. However, with the opening of new sea routes in Western Europe, trade shifted from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, leading to the decline of the League. The name of the German airline Lufthansa also represents this concept.
@Fisketorget; Fish market
Open_ 9:00~23:00 (It depends on stores)
When you hear "Fish market," you might immediately think of a traditional market near the seaside with the smell of seafood wafting through the air, and you might not feel like visiting it. However, this place not only sells seafood but also fruits and vegetables, and it doesn't have that salty smell of the sea. It feels fresh. Moreover, they also sell simple dishes that they cook themselves, so you can have a meal there.
After enjoying a plate of seafood, I bought some fruits to eat back at the hotel and wandered around the market taking photos. While I was snapping pictures of the market stalls, I happened to capture a moment when a lady, who seemed to be a tourist like me, turned around from taking a photo of the same stall and smiled brightly. It's such a naturally beautiful photo; I'd love to share it with her! 😄
Bergen's Fish Market Square was originally a residential area for merchants and was reborn as a museum in 1872. Across from the cathedral, there is a large public vault made of stone. Bergen is famous as the hometown of Ludvig Holberg, a Danish-Norwegian playwright, and Edvard Grieg, a composer.
- Excerpt from UNESCO World Cultural Heritage (National Geographic Teachers' Association)
From the Fish Market as a starting point... Unfortunately, there are hardly any photos because my camera's battery ran out. I'll just give a brief introduction to the place. 😅
@Haakon's hall
Open_ 10:00~16:00 (Excluding the summer season 12:00~15:00)
Fee_ 100 NOK
Closed_ Irregularly closing days
Haakon's Hall, built between 1247 and 1261 under King Haakon's reign, served as the royal residence and banquet hall. In 1261, it was also the venue where 2,000 guests were invited to the wedding of his son, Magnus Haakonsson Lagabøte. At that time, Bergen was the largest and most important city in Norway, and this site is where Norway's first constitution was created.
As a national cultural monument, Håkon's Hall is still used today for royal banquets and other official events.
@Rosenkrantz tower
Open_ 10:00~16:00 (Excluding the summer season 12:00~15:00)
Fee_ 100 NOK
Closed_ Irregularly closing days
The Rosenkrantz Tower, erected by Erik Rosenkrantz, the governor of Bergen Castle in the 1560s, is the most important Renaissance monument in Norway. While some parts date back to the 1270s, it has undergone several renovations for fortification and displays of power.
Ascending the narrow and dark staircase, one can enjoy views of Bergen city from the rooftop, and it's said that the basement was once used as a prison.
@Torgallmenningen
It's a bustling street with large department stores and shops. And we went back to hotel and rest for next day's plan.
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