Historic places in Bergen

Historic places in Bergen

1. See

   Bergen Maritime Museum

   Bergens Sjøfartsmuseum

   This traditional maritime museum is in the middle of the campus of the University of Bergen. Exhibitions of maritime history, shipping history, the Vikings, naval warfare, maritime archeology, and more.

   Daily 11:00-15:00, closed on holidays, Christmas eve, new year's eve and the 17th of May·kr 30; children and students free

2. See

   Bergen Museum – The Cultural History Collections

   Kulturhistorisk museum

   Bergen Museum is a part of the University of Bergen, and is in the heart of campus. It is divided in two collections, the Cultural History Collections and the Natural History Collections, located in two buildings. The Cultural History Collections include archeology, anthropology and art- and culture studies sections. Among other things, the museum has a large collection of Norwegian folk art and national costumes. It is notable for its unique exhibition of Norwegian medieval church art, including painted altarpieces, crucifixes and portals from demolished stave churches, all in wood.

   Tue–Fri 10:00–15:00, Sat Sun 11:00-16:00; 1 Jun–31 Aug: Tue–Fri 10:00–16:00, Sat Sun 11:00-16:00·Kr. 40; senior citizens: kr. 20, children under 16, students and University of Bergen staff: free. Ticket is also valid at the Natural History Collections

3. See

   Bergen Museum – The Natural History Collections

   Naturhistorisk museum

   The Natural History Collections include botany, geology and zoology. The zoology exhibitions is preserved more or less as they were when they were put up almost a hundred years ago. Enormous whale skeletons suspended from the ceiling in the exhibition halls are visible through the windows from the outside. The geology exhibition is modern and varied and contains samples from most parts of the world, in addition to a nice local collection. Around the museum is a garden which is at its finest in spring and summer. There is also a green house where you can enjoy tropical plants.

   Closed for renovation·Kr. 150. Senior citizens: kr. 110, children under 16, students: free. Ticket is also valid at the Cultural History Collections. Access to the garden and the green house is free of charge

4. See

   Bergenhus fortress

   Bergenhus

   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 13'th century, but the area was a royal residence from the late 11'th century. The fortress is situated close to the international ferry terminal. The royal hall, Håkonshallen, (Håkon's Hall), named for King Håkon Håkonsson, 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. 170 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 forb

   Closed · opens 6:30 am tomorrow·free

5. See

   Bryggen

   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.

6. Eat

   Bryggen Tracteursted

   Bryggen Tracteursted offers a modern kitchen inspired by Hanseatic and local traditions, served in historic surroundings. A hidden treasure with its somewhat anonymous appearance. The restaurant can in principle fit up to about 200 guests, but the kitchen is very small, and expansion is not allowed by the cultural heritage authorities. This forces the restaurant to accept a relatively low number of patrons at a time – giving a peaceful atmosphere. A reservation is recommended.

7. See

   Bryggens Museum

   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 Bergen'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).

   1 Sept-14 May: Mon-Fri 11:00-15:00, Sat 12:00-15:00, Sun 12:00-16:00; 15 May-31 Aug: daily 10:00-16:00·adults kr. 170, students kr. 85, children (under 17) free, guided tour (includes ticket to Hanseatic Museum) kr. 120

8. See

   Gamlehaugen

   The villa at Gamlehaugen, built to resemble a castle, was the home of Christian Michelsen, former prime minister who helped free Norway from Swedish rule through the peaceful dissolution of the union in 1905. Nowadays, the villa is the royal family's residence in Bergen. There is a large and very popular park around the villa. Bathing possibilities.

   Villa open for guided tours only. Guided tours Tue-Sun at 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00 in Jun-Aug. Tour at 12:00 will be given in English if necessary, other tours will be given in Norwegian only·Tour tickets kr. 50; children kr. 25. Access to the park is free for all

9. See

   St. Jørgen's Hospital

   The Leprosy Museum

   St. Jørgens 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 breakthrough in medicine as he proved that a chronic 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 inscribed 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.

   21 May–2 Sep: Daily 11:00-15:00·Kr 40; children kr 20

10. See

    St. Mary's Church

    Mariakirken

    The oldest remaining building in Bergen, St. Mary's Church was built in the 12th century, presumably around 1150. It is the best preserved of the city's three medieval churches and one of the few basilica-shaped churches in Norway. It was built in the Romanesque style, 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. Possibly planned to be city's main church at the time before the dominance of the German merchants.

11. See

    The fish market

    Fisketorget

    Bergen's outdoor fish market has a long history, being the historical centre 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 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.

    Jun–Aug: daily 07:00–19:00, Sep–May: Mon–Sat 07:00–16:00

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Bergen (CC BY-SA 4.0).