Bryggen (UNESCO World Heritage)★★★
Bryggen is Bergen's landmark and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979: A row of colorful wooden houses at the Vågen harbor, reminiscent of the Hanseatic League era. From 1360 to 1754, Bergen was one of the most important Hanseatic trading posts—German merchants from Lübeck, Hamburg, and Bremen dominated the trade in stockfish, the dried cod that fed all of Europe.
The current buildings mostly date from the 18th century (after a fire in 1702), but the medieval construction style was preserved: narrow, pointed gabled houses, with narrow alleys and wooden courtyards behind them. Today, the courtyards hide craft workshops, small galleries, design shops, and cafés.
The Hanseatic Museum (Hanseatisk Museum og Schøtstuene) shows the austere life of the Hanseatics: cramped sleeping quarters, strict rules, no fire (fire hazard!), no contact with Norwegian women. The Schøtstuene (assembly rooms) are the only buildings where fire was allowed.
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Bryggen is at its most beautiful in the early morning hours, before the cruise ship guests arrive. The courtyards and passageways are the real experience—here you can feel the Middle Ages. The Hanseatic Museum is currently being renovated; however, the Schøtstuene (Finnegården 1A) are open and just as interesting.
