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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.

Bryggens musem

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 years old wooden building foundations, giving a unique insight in Bryggen'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

The Hanseatic Museum and Schotstuene

The Hanseatic Museum and Schotstuene are the only places on Bryggen where the original interior is preserved or restored. A tour of The Hanseatic Museum gives you a good introduction to the hanseatic Bergen and the Hansa life, as you walk around an authentic Hanseatic merchant's house from the early 1700s. The building was in use until the late 19th century, when it was converted into a museum. In Schøtstuene, buildings from other parts of Bryggen are rebuilt to show where people ate, celebrated and held meetings. Neither the museum nor Schøtstuene is accessible for those using a wheelchair

Bergen Museum – The Cultural History Collections

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 different buildings. The Cultural History Collections include archaeology, 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

Gamlehaugen

Villa open for guided tours only. Guided tours Tu-Su at 12PM, 1PM and 2PM in Jun-Aug. Tour at 12PM will be given in English if necessary, other tours will be given in Norwegian only (reserve tickets on +47 55 11 29 00). The villa at Gamlehaugen, built to resemble a castle, was the home of Christian Michelsen, former prime minister who helped free Norway from the 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.

Troldhaugen

This is the house of the famous composer Edvard Grieg, who wrote the Peer Gynt suite and is Norway's national composer. His country house (just outside the town center of Bergen) has been preserved in the state it was in when he died in the late 19th century. You can also see his grave; he was buried on his own estate. There is a museum devoted to Grieg and his work, and a concert hall with regular concerts

Gamle Bergen

A reconstructed town with about 50 wooden houses from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. It is a beautiful place to stroll on a sunny day. The more cultural traveler will enjoy a guided tour of the area and the houses


 

May - August

Information not available

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