Bergen
Marty and I enjoyed exploring the beautiful city of Bergen on a rainy day. Even with the weather far from perfect, we could not ignore the charm of this place. Bergen is both dramatic and welcoming. The colorful buildings, narrow streets, and changing weather give this Scandinavian harbor city its storybook appearance.
For centuries, Bergen served as one of Norway’s most important port cities and became a major center of the Hanseatic League. Merchants from Northern Europe traded fish, timber, grain and goods through Bergen’s harbor, helping shape both the city’s prosperity and its international identity.
History and daily life blend together in Bergen. The colorful buildings and historic streets are not frozen like a museum. People live, work, shop and gather among these centuries’ old surroundings.
Today, Bergen remains one of Norway’s most beloved and historic cities and serves as the gateway to many of the country’s famous fjords.
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Gustav Vigeland
Standing just inside the entrance to Vigeland Park is a bronze figure dressed in a long work coat and holding the tools of his profession. This is Gustav Vigeland, the Norwegian sculptor who devoted much of his life to creating the remarkable landscape of sculpture that stretches beyond him. Born in 1869, Vigeland became one […]
Byparken
In the heart of Bergen is Byparken, a green space surrounding Lille Lungegårdsvannet that provides a surprisingly peaceful setting in the middle of the city. The flower beds, lawns, pathways, sculptures, and benches make it feel almost like a formal garden set among Bergen’s cultural institutions. Byparken has roots in the nineteenth century. After a […]
The Leprosy Museum
While traveling through Bergen, Norway, we found ourselves standing outside one of the most unusual museums we have ever visited: the Leprosy Museum. Housed in St. George’s Hospital, this quiet wooden building preserves the story of a disease that for centuries inspired fear, isolation, and misunderstanding. Leprosy, now known as Hansen’s disease, has been documented […]
