The UNESCO World Heritage site Bryggen lines the harbour of Bergen, Norway.
It’s one of the most picturesque spots in urban Norway and a real tourist magnet. Yet many of the visitors—often in town for just a couple hours before returning to their cruise ship—take a quick selfie and rush on by. That’s a crying shame, because slowing down to enjoy Bryggen is one of the best ways to learn about the culture of Bergen and an important part of Norwegian history.
Unfortunately the five-year closure of the Hanseatic Museum for restoration means many of the stories are now hidden from even the more curious visitors.
A trading powerhouse in northern Europe
While Bryggen is linked with German traders, Bergen’s status as an important port was in place for at least 150 years prior to their arrival. It was in 1350 that the Hanseatic League established an office in Bergen, one of four overseas offices in their network.
From this one office, their presence and influence gradually began to grow. They acquired ownership of the Bryggen area, constructing more buildings for trade and homes for their workforce. Through privileges granted by the Crown, the Hanseatic League took control of the stockfish trade between the Lofoten islands and the rest of Europe. Goods such as cereal moved in the other direction.
There are many houses remaining behind the colourful facades of the Bryggen heritage site in Bergen, ... [+]
A German colony within a Norwegian city
At its height, Bryggen functioned as a self-contained colony for the Hanseatic League. What remains today is enough to get an idea of what the area must have been like to live and work in during the Middle Ages. “It is a type of northern ‘fondaco’, unequalled in the world, where the structures have remained within the cityscape and perpetuate the memory of one of the oldest large trading ports of Northern Europe,” stated UNESCO.
The two- to three-storey buildings are spaced apart with narrow passageways that run in a grid system alongside the docks. Small stone storerooms were located at the back of the district to protect the most valuable goods against the risk of fire.
Living conditions were dark and cramped, but the Hanseatic population did have the Schøtstuene assembly rooms to gather and relax. Here they enjoyed warm communal meals, games and religious ceremonies.
At the start of the 16th-century, the Hanseatic League began to weaken in the face of stiff competition from competing trading networks. Despite many attempts to mitigate such as finding new routes, the League’s influence began to decline. By the start of the 17th-century Dutch and English merchants controlled many key trade rotes and Hanseatic League offices began to close. The Bergen office remained open until 1754 albeit with a much smaller influence.
For hundreds of years, Bergen's Bryggen was a critical location of northern European trade.
Coping with fires
The fact there is anything left of Bryggen at all is truly remarkable given the number of fires that have ravaged the district over the centuries.
The buildings of Bryggen today hark back to the time immediately following the fire of 1702. Archeological evidence discovered after the last great fire in 1955 shows how the district had been rebuilt several times, yet always following the original structure and layout.
Managing a World Heritage Site
In 1979, the site became Norway’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site along with Urnes Stave Church. “Bryggen, the old wharf of Bergen, is a reminder of the town’s importance as part of the Hanseatic League’s trading empire from the 14th to the mid-16th century,” stated the organization.
In 1962, Stiftelsen Bryggen (Bryggen Foundation) was formed to better preserve the protected parts of Bryggen, in accordance with Norway’s Cultural Heritage Act. The foundation owns 35 of the 63 buildings that are now part of the World Heritage Site definition. Among other things, they employ craftsmen who are responsible for maintaining and restoring the buildings.
Project Bryggen: Authentic restoration
An admirable aim of the ongoing restoration work is to use traditional craft methods and materials to repair and replace parts of the buildings. Sourcing timber with matching quality from local forests is the biggest headache.
Because of shrinkage, the pine wood must be allowed to dry for a year before it can be used. The notched beams and planks are shaped on both sides with an axe to produce the same surface structure as the originals.
While the Hanseatic Museum remains closed until 2024, Bryggens Museum is a worthy alternative. Visitors can enjoy the main exhibition that showcases many of the hundreds of thousands of items discovered during the 13-year-long archaeological study that followed the 1955 fire.
