Awash in maritime heritage, Bergen beckons
Bergen’s old Hanseatic Quarter has a crude yet romantic charm. I crouch under creaky timbers as I wander through the Hanseatic Museum. The oversized cupboards around me once housed humble workers — each minuscule “bedroom” giving them darkness and warmth through the cold and short Nordic night. Primitive paintings of buxom maidens with come-hither smiles decorated the doors as if to bring sweet dreams to those rustic 16th-century lives.
I pick up a dried cod fish, shaped like a baseball bat and just as hard. I can’t resist using it to knock the dirt off my shoes, like a ballplayer with mud on his cleats.
Bergen, Norway’s second city, wears her maritime heritage proudly. A scenic, seven-hour train ride west of Oslo, this rugged, compact city seems made for tourists. Its lively fish market, pedestrian-friendly old quarter, and local little “mountain” (equipped with a handy funicular) fill a pleasant daylong visit.
Famous for its lousy weather, Bergen gets an average of 80 inches of rain annually. A good year in Bergen has 60 days of sunshine. But, Bergen takes its soggy weather in stride. When I complained about an all-day downpour, a local cheerfully informed me, “There’s no such thing as bad weather — just inappropriate clothing.”
Permanently salted with robust cobbles and a rich sea-trading past, Bergen was Norway’s capital in the 12th and 13th centuries. Reminders of Bergen’s medieval importance sit barren, bold and stony on
the harborfront. Hakon’s Hall, which is the largest secular medieval building in Norway, was a royal residence 700 years ago when Bergen was the political center of Norway. The Rosenkrantz Tower — the keep of a 13th-century castle — while pretty empty, offers a fine harbor view from the rooftop. Worthwhile tours, which cover both sights and provide a serious introduction to Bergen’s history (in English), start near Hakon’s Hall.
The city’s wealth and importance were due to its membership in the heavyweight medieval trading club of merchant cities called the Hanseatic League. And Bergen’s historic Hanseatic Quarter, called Bryggen, is the sightseeing highlight of any visit. From 1370 to
1754, German merchants controlled Bergen’s trade. In 1550, it was a Germanrun city of 2,000 workaholic merchants walled and surrounded by 8,000 Norwegians.
Bryggen, which has burned down several times, has become gentrified and boutiquish, but it’s still lots of fun. This heart of the old town and former trading center is still a trading center of sorts as you’ll find plenty of atmospheric restaurants, planky alleys, slouching wooden warehouses, and shops bursting with pewter trinkets, trolls and hand-knit sweaters.
For an understanding of Bergen’s 900-year history, join a local guide for a 90-minute walk through the Hanseatic district. And for your best look inside the trademark wooden houses of Bryggen, visit the
Hanseatic Museum when it reopens after renovation in 2024. Housed in a medieval merchant’s home from the early 1700s, it’s where you’d see those dried fish, cupboard beds and the medieval maidens.
Just across the street, Bergen’s colorful harborside fish market bustles daily, offering lots of smelly photo fun. While the harborfront is a fine place to kick back and watch the pigeons mate, it’s also a fine springboard for some delightful strolls.
And from downtown, you can hop aboard the funicular for a steep ride to the thousand-foot-high summit of “Mount” Floyen. At the top, visitors enjoy the best view of town, plus a good look at the surrounding islands and fjords. Sunsets are great here, and picnicking is popular. Pose
for photos with the goofy giant troll or wander your choice of the many hiking paths that crisscross the mountain.
Two worthwhile sights, just outside of Bergen, compete for your attention. Music lovers enjoy Edvard Grieg’s home at Troldhaugen, in a romantic Victorian setting, where Norway’s greatest composer spent his last 22 years (1885-1907) soaking up inspirational fjord beauty and composing many of his greatest works.
The house and adjacent museum are full of memories, and his little studio hut near the water makes you want to sit down and modulate.
In the same neighborhood, in a quiet forest next to a mysterious stone cross, stands the Fantoft Stave Church. It’s an evocative example of the majestic 12th-century wooden churches that dotted Norway after the arrival of Christianity.
While the precious original burned down in 1992, this replica still conjures images of Nordic pagans trying to get comfortable in pews.
From inspirational fjordside settings to dank castle towers to dried sticks of cod, Bergen connects visitors to the roots of Norwegian culture.
Rick Steves (www.rick steves.com) writes European guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours. This column revisits some of Rick’s favorite places over the past two decades. You can email Rick at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.