Meaning the green meadow among the mountains from Old Norse berg = mountain + vin = meadow/ pasture🔍. A reference to the seven mountains surrounding the city.
Like Rome, Bergen is also refereed to as the city of seven mountains. Interestingly, in German, the idea of a valley surrounded/ protected by mountains lead to the word Bergen meaning "to protect or to save."
The picturesque coastal city, steeped in Hanseatic history with stunning fjords views, a vibrant harbor and cozy cafes is a perfect place to escape to between hikes on rainy days.
@ a glance essentials:
Language:
Norwegian
_
Nearly all Locals can speak excellent English.
Norwgn. Krona (kr)
Water safety
Safe to Drink - Among the Cleanest in the World
Currency:
NOK
Local Transport
Metro, Bus, Tram & Trains are sufficient for the cities. Remote areas require a car
.
According to tradition, Bergen, originally called Bjørgvin, was founded in 1070 AD, though a trading settlement already existed on the fjord bay in the 1020 / 30s. The 🔎west coast town was the capital in the 13c, as the largest city🔍 in Norway at the time, and hugely influential as, until 1789, it held exclusive rights to Norweigan overseas trade. (Today it is the second-largest city after Oslo.)
It has suffered numerous fires over the century but some of the original city remains (partly reconstructed) in the Bryggen.
a bit of background...
CHECK OUT THE:
........................Bergen nearly lost the entire Fantoft Stave Church, c. 1150, first due to farmers pillaging (the baptismal font was repurposed to a livestock trough!) and then to arson, set by a metal rocker; Vikernes, AKA Count Grishnackh, part of the "Black Metal Terror" campaign that burned 22 staves.
A reconstruction was built and includes the original crucifix, which survived the fire.
FUN FACT:
....
Skillingsboller - Bergen cinnamon buns ∞ Brunost (Brown Cheese) - sweet, caramelized cheese†
Fiskeboller – fish balls ∞ Cured Fish like Lutefisk - dried in lye & Stockfish - unsalted, dried by cold & wind††
Vafler - traditional heart shaped waffles ∞ Raspeball - potato dumplings* ∞ Finnbiff - reindeer stew
Pinnekjøtt – dried lamb ribs** ∞ Lettrøkt Hvalkjøtt - smoked whale
Fårikål - mutton & cabbage ∞ Rømmegrøt – sour cream porridge
➿➰➿
† Made from whey, milk & cream it's technically not cheese [a coagulation of milk protein, casein; rennet / bacterial enzymes + solid curds, separated from liquid whey & pressed into cheese]
†† The oldest form of fermenting by cold-adapted bacteria * Traditionally served only on Thursdays, also called Klubb, Potetball, Kompe or Komle
** Taking ages to prepare; salted, smoked, & dried for 30 days, soaked for 30 hrs then steamed for 3 hrs!
Must Try Local Cuisine:
SEE
DO TRY
&
VISIT
What to Where to Why . . .
Highlights:
📍 St Mary's Church🔍 oldest building in Bergen (12c), Victorian Johanneskirken (St John's) &
900+ yr old Bergen Cathedral🔍†
📍 Arboretum & Botanical Garden - 125 acres; Japanese garden, Alpine🔍 garden & local plants
📍 Bergenhus Fortress - with Haakon's Hall c. 1250's & Rosenkrantz Tower†† c. 1560's &
home of Erik Magnusson, last king to hold court in Bergen
📍 Fisketorget (Bergen Fish Market) - dates all the way back to 1200's CE (The indoor portion is
open year-round- outdoor market opens in the summer, with a Saturday Farmers' Market)
[Great to wander, but touristy & expensive - a better option for fiskesuppe (fish soup) is
nearby Søstrene Hagelin. Like many restaurants it's cheaper if you order it ta-med (to-go)]
† Dedicated to St Olaf was the site of Norway's 1st royal coronation in the 1150's
†† A 14c Danish noble surname meaning "rose wreath" - named for governor Erik Rosenkrantz no direct relation there to Shakespeare's Rosencrantz
of HAMLET; who was likely a reference to the Danish Frederik Rosenkrantz, who, along with Knud Gyldenstierne, visited England in 1592
Surprises:
📍 Leprosy Museum - Bergen, with 3 leprosy hospitals, was home to the greatest concentration of lepers in all Europe
📍 Tubakuba - a "rabbit hole room" designed by architecture students as a challenge meant to get children interested in
the Norwegian woods. It's a small rabbit hole-esque cabin in the forest, designed to mimic the horn of a tuba,
with a Scandinavian minimalist interior. perched on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the city of Bergen†
† Available for rent on a nightly basis. for up to five individuals (with families being given priority)
Most Known For:
♦️ Bryggen Wharf / Vågen Harbor - full of narrow alleyways & colorful gabled
Hanseatic blds c.18 & 19c (cellars from ~16c), famous Fish Market (above)
National Aquarium, & the Heksestein (Witch Stone) memorial to the 350 'witches'
burned in Nordnes (originally home to a monastery)
🔸 Gamle Bergen (Old Bergen) - open-air museum with 55 reconstructed traditional
buildings c. 18 & 19c & craftsmen/ actors
♦️ Maritime Museum. with 8c Kvalsund Viking longship, an original Halsnøy boat
c. 390 -535 AD & largest burial ship in the world, the Bergen Aquarium (Europe’s
largest seal & penguin exhibits), KODE; 2nd-largest art museum in Norway, (incl.
the Edvard Grieg Museum) & Bergen University Museum; 1st museum of Norway
with 4.5+ million items
🔸 The 7 Mountains - great for hiking, incl: Mt Ulriken, Bergen's highest @ 2,000+ ft with Norway’s fastest
zip-line + Mt Fløyen with Fløibanen Funicular, (1,000+ ft) & panoramic views of fjord islands
(try to spot the 'cat face' island that looks like a cat from above, whiskers and all)
📽️ NOTABLE FILMS SHOT IN BERGEN:
⭐ Succession | 2023 (TV- 4th S.) ⭐ The Snowman | 2017 ⭐ The Witches | 1990 ⭐ Frozen† | 2013
† Animated kingdom of Arendelle, inspired by Bergen Wharf
🍿
.......................Like all of Norway, Bergen is obsessed with Trolls 🧌. Local composer Grieg's world-famous piece I DOVREGUBBENS HALL (In The Hall of the Mountain King) was inspired by fellow Norweigen Ibsens'
PEER GYNT troll, King Dovregubben. More recently, this very song was used in Dreamwork's movie TROLLS as the tune for the HAIR UP song, theme of their BERGEN TROLLS.
🌀 Bergen International Festival (May) - biggest in Scandinavia; 2+ weeks of music, opera, ballet, theater etc.
🌀 Fjordsteam Bergen (Aug) - Largest festival in Europe for historic ships, planes, trains & trams etc.
🌀 Bergen Knitfest & Ullveka (wool week) (Sep/ Oct) - celebration of Norwegian wool, native🐑 sheep breeds &
textile traditions; including farmers, producers & artisans
🌀 Grieg in Bergen - 4 days of chamber music @ King Haakons Hall
🌀 International Organ Festival - celebrated throughout the summer @ local churches
🌀 Bergen Spillfestival - 2.5 weeks of games
🌀 Tredreiefestivalen (Tree-turning) of GLESVÆR (June) celebrating woodturning & old woodworking traditions
🌀 Festplassen - park used for fairs, feast days, festivals amusement parks etc. - always good to check to see what's
being hosted during your visit; it's a lovely place to relax in the summer even if nothing's on
Close Enough to Visit:
🪧 Folgefonna National Park - on the Folgefonna Glaciers, 3 separate glaciers, over 200 square km, home to the
massive golden eagle, with guided walks including the “blue-ice” hike
🪧 Nærøyfjord, Lysefjord (near Stavanger) & Hardangerfjord ("Queen" of Norways Fjords) with boat tours & kayaking
🪧 Lærdal Road Tunnel - world's longest @ 15 ms long, (24m+) so long it has features to manage mental strain on
drivers, like widened 'caves' to break up the monotony & varying the lightning between different bright colors.
colors. There're even cameras to count the # of cars in & out (to make sure no one is stranded inside.)
Site Key:
Five Star Recommend
Make the Time!
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