We hope you will enjoy your stay in Bergen. If you have the chance, we encourage you to spend some time exploring the city and the beautiful west coast of Norway. It will also be possible to sign up for school visits on Friday. But even if your time is limited, you will still be able to see some of Bergen’s main attractions.
The conference hotel is located in the historical area Bryggen with many attractions within walking distance. The Opening Reception on Friday will take place at King Håkon’s Hall, a short walk from the hotel. Our Conference Dinner on Saturday at Fløien Folkerestaurant will start with a ride with the funicular railway Fløibanen and give you a spectacular view of Bergen.
Bryggen
Bryggen is one of Bergen’s and Norway’s main attractions. Bryggen was built after the great fire in 1702 and is included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The very first buildings in Bergen were situated at Bryggen, which has been a vibrant and important area of the city for many centuries.
Bryggen has been ravaged by many fires, the great fire of 1702 in particular. It reduced the whole of the city to ashes. The area was rebuilt on the foundations that had been there since the 12th century, which means that Bryggen is unchanged despite the passing centuries.
Kreditering: Bergen Reiselivslag / Robin Strand – visitBergen.com
Bryggen is now part of our common heritage and has a place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, and the city of Bergen is a designated World Heritage City. The world heritage site consists of the old Hanseatic wharf and buildings, and one of the best-known urban areas from the Middle Ages in all of Norway.
In 1360, the German Hanseatic League set up one of its import and export offices at Bryggen, dominating trade for almost 400 years. To stroll through the narrow alleyways and overhanging galleries is to step back into the mists of time and a bygone era.
Bryggen is very much a living part of the cultural heritage that is still in active use in this historical area of the city.
You can read more about Bryggen here.
King Håkon’s Hall
Håkon’s Hall was built between 1247 and 1261 by Håkon Håkonsson. It was the largest and most imposing building of the royal residency in the 13th-century when Bergen was the political center of Norway.
Håkon’s Hall is 750 years old and was built by King Håkon Håkonsson as a royal residence and banqueting hall. When his son Magnus Håkonsson Lagabøte married the Danish princess Ingeborg in 1261, 2000 guests were invited. At that time Bergen was Norway’s largest and most important town, and Håkon’s Hall was the site of major national events, such as the drawing up of Norway’s first complete set of laws.
As a national cultural monument, King Håkon’s Hall is still used both for royal dinners and other official occasions.
Fløibanen
Take the funicular railway to Mount Fløyen and see all of Bergen in just 6 minutes. The funicular railway is one of Norway’s most famous attractions. The trip starts in the city center, just 150 meters from the Fish Market and Bryggen. The exciting trip up to the mountain is a magnificent experience in itself.
From Mount Fløyen, approx. 320 meters above sea level, you can enjoy the beautiful view, study the cityscape in detail, and the seaward approaches and fjords surrounding Bergen.
Read more about Fløibanen and Mount Fløyen here.
If you want to see more of Bergen and the area, we recommend exploring VisitBergen.com!