Historic Bergen
From the days of the Vikings and through the Hanseatic times right up to the present day, Bergen has been trading with the world. Bergen was founded in 1070 by King Olav Kyrre, and the city grew up around its colourful harbour. Ever since the early days, Bergen has been a hub of commerce, seafaring and craftsmanship. Located between the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, the city has always looked outwards towards overseas markets and opportunities.
The old harbour in the heart of Bergen
So important was Bergen by the 13th century that the Hansas (the German medieval guild of merchants) opened one of their four European offices on the wharf called Bryggen. The original Hanseatic merchant houses remain today in the heart of the city as symbol of the long established tradition of trade and commerce in Bergen. Today Bryggen is on UNESCO's World Heritage List and Bergen is a World Heritage City.
Until the beginning of the 20th century the city was in many ways closer to Britain and Continental Europe than to the rest of Norway. Commercial life in Bergen still prospers, although nowadays much of its economic activities are centred on the North Sea Oil Industry as well as the shipping, fishing and aquaculture industries.
The people of Bergen are fiercely proud of their city, and rightly so. It is a very charming city, with the special atmosphere of the city due to the old-fashioned North European architecture, cobblestone streets, the fish market and the harbour area with its many ships and old Hanseatic buildings. Bergen is surrounded by seven mountains, fjords, sheltered waters and many islands, and in the year 2000 the city was selected as one of the European cities of culture. Bergen is famous not only for its charm, but also for the rain. On average it rains about 2250 millimetres a year. That means plenty of good days to stay inside and study!
"Gamle Bergen" - the old town
As the capital of Western Norway, Bergen is also "the gateway to the fjords". During spring and summer it is possible to take day-trips to the fjords, which are world famous and definitely worth a visit.
To see Bergen and the surrounding area for yourself, have a look at a selection of Bergen web cameras at: www.bt.no/kamera/
You can also see the view of the city from NHH and check out the weather today at: www.nhh.no/it/weather/
More information on Bergen can be found at www.visitbergen.com and there is an interactive tour at www.discovernorway.no.
