Bergen, Norway

Today we are in Bergen. Thinking back it is our 4 visit here and the second this year. This time we were on a walking tour, no bus to ride. Made us happy.

We started at the fort and saw the fortress first. Bergen was the original capital of Norway in the 1200s. Trondheim was the religious center, but Bergen was the political center.

The Bergenhus Fortress has 2 main towers, Holmen and Rosenkrantz. It is the oldest fortress in Norway. It was partially destroyed during WW II, when a ship blew up near it in the harbor. It has been rebuilt to the original specifications.

We next went to St. Mary’s Church. It was built in 1240 and has never been destroyed or rebuilt. Since it is a civil holiday today, it was closed.

We next started our tour of the Bryggen, the merchant buildings. It was started as warehouses by the Germans during the Hanseatic Era. It is several blocks of wooden buildings which today have been restored to their original look. They are mostly colored in red and yellow. Today there are small stores selling souvenirs, jewelry and other goods. Many spaces also house restaurants. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and those that use the spaces have many rules to follow. We saw the Schotstuene which was the only building in the complex that could have a fire and so all hot meals were served there. It was also where you could get a warm bath and we heard it was also part of the red light district.

Our walk continued to the Magic Ice Bar, where we donned parkas and gloves and had a drink in an ice glass. The walls were covered with ice decorations recreating some of the famous Norwegian art by its famous artists.

We finished at the fish market area. We carried umbrellas, but it never rained. It was pretty cold, low 40s and very windy, but it was a fun day.