Bergen Norway, Day 2

We are guests for 5 five nights in Bergen Norway at Det Hanseatiske Hotell, located in a historic building within the heart of the Bryggen Harbor District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The hotel is modern, yet successfully retains old world charm.

The hotel manager, Erik has been both welcoming and helpful.

Breakfast is served every morning and features an extensive buffet of meats, cheeses, baked goods, traditional breakfast fare, along with hot and cold beverages.

Less than 100 yards from our hotel door we boarded a “hop on hop off” bus for one hour tour of the city’s main tourist areas.

This has given us an idea of where we want to focus our wanderings. We are finding Bergen to be very walkable and mostly flat, although it is located in a valley surrounded by mountains. Most of the streets and walkways are cobblestone and warrant a bit of caution underfoot.

Commerce in the Bryggen Harbor area dates back 1000 years to the Viking era.

The picturesque wooden structures have been carefully preserved, many of them are over 300 years old having been built shortly after the great fire of 1702. They currently house hotels, restaurants, art, souvenir, and retail shops.

A short walk further down the wharf area brought us to the castle and fortress complex that date to the 13th century. On the way we passed a magnificent sailing yacht.

It was at least 150 feet long with expanses of gleaming chrome and meticulously varnished teak. I wish I knew more of its details and ownership.

I toured the interior of the Rosencrantz Tower (1270), which features steep, narrow, and winding medieval stairs.

Christine welcomed this as an opportunity to relax in the nearby park.

I telephotoed this picture from the tower above while Christine took these of me from down below.

Within the foundations of the tower is a dungeon. Little more than a hole, it lacks fresh air and light. It was used until the 19th century.

The above picture is from the Tower website. The one I took lacked the skeleton who was apparently placed on parole.

The tower was the residence of the last two kings who ruled Norway from Bergen, King Magnus Lagabote, and his eldest son, King Eirik Magnusson.

The tower had only one toilet which was located within the King’s chambers.

Adjacent to the tower  is Hakon’s Hall.

This was built by King Hakon in 1247 as a Royal residence and banquet hall. It remains the largest standing building from the middle ages in Norway. It continues to be used today as a banquet facility and museum.

In 1944 a Dutch munitions vessel blew up near the Tower and Hall. This catastrophic explosion destroyed the roofs of both buildings and leveled many other nearby structures. Restoration was undertaken that year and continued over the next 15 years.

Before returning to our hotel for an afternoon nap Christine and I enjoyed an outdoor café, warmed by radiant heaters and sheltered from the intermittent downpours by broad table umbrellas.

Life is good!… and of course, Peace Everyone. Pete.