Bryggen in Bergen

One of the most popular sights in Bergen, or for that matter in Norway as a whole, is the ancient wharf called Bryggen ('the harbour'). The area is full of life, and has an interesting history than spans several hundred years of international bustling trade as the main harbour in the nordic region connecting Europe with Scandinavia.

The Hanseatic League that had monopoly on the trade on Bryggen for several centuries formed a unique environment on the east side of the Bergen's waterfront. The Hanseatics were unmarried and had to live in celibacy untill moving back to Germany.

Sections:

Bryggen early history 1070 - 1360

The Hanseatic League 1360-1754

The Norwegian Kontor 1754 - 1899

The World Heritage Site of Bryggen is all that remains of an ancient wharf on the east side of Bergen's central harbour - Vågen.

The buildings are arranged in tenements - long rows of wooden houses and store rooms on one or both sides of a common passage. At the back there are a number of stone buildings said to date back to the 15th and 16th Centuries. Today Bryggen is a living illustration of the city's history, with 61 protected buildings covering about 13,000 square metres. Bryggen has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 1979.

Bryggen Location:

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The history of Bryggen reflects on the history of Bergen city. This was the place where the trade and commerce took place for several hundred years that supported Bergen as one of the most important cities in northern Europe, and the most populous one in Scandinavia during mideavel times. Today you can walk through the many If you enter some of the alleyways between the storefronts you can get a feel of what Bergen must have been like in the middle ages.

Smau in Bryggen

Smau means in the local dialect "Bergensk" a small narrow passageway which is truly a Bergen experience and these narrow streets can be explored taking a peek into the many sidestreets in Bryggen.

Quick bite to eat in Bryggen

If you are a bit hungry on your way through Bryggen you should stop at a bakery and try a "Skillingsbolle". The names comes from the time when the price for one of these buns were 1 Schilling. Read More..

Dinner suggestions

There are several good restaurants within the Bryggen area. One to recommend is certainly Bryggeloftet which is a favourite for several years serving local dishes and daily affordable specials in an authentic atmosphere. If you want something further up the scale, Finnegaaards Stuene is a very good alternative situated inside an original Hanseatic wooden building.