BERGEN (Norway), Nov 18 — Is there a city more idyllic than Bergen? Cradled in between the peak of Mount Fløyen and the pristine blue waters of the Byfjorden, the most well-known landmark of this Norwegian city is a row of wooden buildings along its harbour called Bryggen.
Its name meaning “the dock” in Norwegian, Bryggen is part of what was one of the oldest trading ports in northern Europe. Today a Unesco World Heritage site, Bryggen is a relic of a time when Hanseatic merchants ruled the city’s harbour in the 14th century.
These merchant buildings line the city’s Vågen harbour on its eastern arc. The earliest structures date to around 1100 but due to a multitude of fires — the bane of structures that were, and still are, predominantly wood — most of the existing buildings hail from later centuries.
We can imagine the houses being destroyed by fire and then rebuilt, over and over, throughout the years. It’s a testament to the hardy Norwegian spirit. Today, instead of merchant warehouses run by the Hanseatic League, the Bryggen is home to restaurants, shops and museums. But this doesn’t detract from the romance of its history. Not for us, at any rate.
The colourful fronts of the buildings are especially striking when viewed from the edge of the harbour. Whether by photograph or by memory, in capturing this vision, we find it simply takes our breath away.
Bryggen can be quite the labyrinth, a maze constructed from wood. Wandering from the path isn’t dangerous but encouraged. How else would we discover hidden alleys and mysterious nooks? Sometimes we walk in shadow before a sudden turn brings us out into the light again. Here’s a bench to rest, there a watch tower for sentries in centuries past.
Who says history can’t be fun?
The houses here don’t seem to have much plant life aside from the occasional pot of flowers here and there. Yet their names indicate a theme of courtyards (“gården” in Norwegian) or at least homes as private sanctuaries: Bredsgården, Svensgården, Engelgården, Bugården, Enhjørningsgården. One of the oldest buildings is the 300-year-old Bellgården — the Courtyard of Bells.
Not far from Bryggen, along the Vågen waterfront, we spot a fleet of yachts that almost lean against one another, prow to prow. Sun worshippers lounge on the decks, enjoying the midday heat and an opportunity to tan in an otherwise rainy Bergen. Others are in the water, some taking ski boats out for a spin.
We don’t get on the yachts, of course. The lifestyle of the rich and famous isn’t for us. Something more to our taste awaits on the dock, closer to land: the Torget fish market. Operating since the 13th century, the fish market is where the freshest haul from the sea and seasonal harvest of the land come together.
The original fish market wasn’t located in Vågen but further out in the Nikolaikirkeallmenning. Every stall that sells seafood owes something to the history of the harbour where fishermen used to come and sell their catch every day. Fast forward to the present and Norway is the world’s second largest seafood exporter in the world!
Alongside locals out for their daily shopping, we investigate the seafood on offer. Some of the names in Norwegian are easy to guess: tunfisk is tuna, makrell is mackerel, flyndre is flounder, østers are oysters, naturally. But what on earth are blåskjell, kamskjell, sjøkreps and blekksprut? These turn out to be mussels, scallops, crayfish and octopus with its slippery tentacles.
Smoking and fermenting are two popular ways to preserve seafood in Norway. In addition to fresh fish, many stalls sell smoked salmon, smoked trout, gravlax and even rakfisk (fermented trout). The latter can be quite strong so, aside from locals, it is probably only for the adventurous tourist.
Besides fruits de mer (“fruits of the sea”), Torget is also a showcase of real fruits. Due to the cold climate, fruits ripen more slowly and develop more intense flavours. Apples and rhubarb end up in pies. Berries, in particular, are considered a very Norwegian fruit. There are raspberries and strawberries, lingonberries and bilberries; even wild cloudberries can be found sometimes.
On the northern shore of the Vågen bay lies Bergenhus festning or the Bergenhus Fortress. This castle built from stone is one of Norway’s oldest, with its earliest structures first constructed in the 1240s. We have seen many a medieval fortress before but this is the first we’ve seen standing guard between the mountain and the sea.
It manages to exude an aura that’s simultaneously militant and nautical, straddling two worlds. Indeed that is a good description of Bergen in a nutshell, and part of the city’s idyllic charm.
Perhaps the most prominent structure of the fortress is Rosenkrantz Tower. The stone tower, known as Rosenkrantztårnet in Norwegian, is named after Erik Rosenkrantz, the governor of Bergenhus Fortress from 1560 to 1568. Its name is younger than its foundations; its first stones were laid by stonemasons during the reign of King Magnus the Lawmender in the 1270s.
However, it was supposedly Governor Rosenkrantz who directed the most interesting modifications in the tower, namely the dungeons on the ground floor. Tales of medieval torture may abound in the local tongue; this is one time we are glad we don’t speak Norwegian!
When night falls over the city, Bergen is illuminated by a web of lights. It’s beautiful beyond words. We recall local legends about trolls and wonder if there are fairies in Norway too, for the city looks like it’s lit up by fairy light.
We find ourselves returning to Bryggen. Its daytime coat of colours transform, looking more surreal and ethereal at night. The witching hour has come. The wooden houses, sit pretty in a row, basking in an unearthly glow. No, it’s not hard to believe in fairies and magic taking hold here, in this old and mythical land.
Bryggen
Bryggen, 5003 Bergen, Norway
Open Mon-Sat 9am-4pm, Sun closed
Bergenhus Fortress
Vågen, 5003 Bergen, Norway
Open daily 6:30am-11pm
Admission free
