BERGEN

is a city, a municipality, and a former county, in the county of Hordaland, Norway.
The Norwegian city of 'Bergen' was separated from Hordaland as a county of its own in 1831. It was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The rural municipality of Bergen landdistrikt was merged with Bergen January 1, 1877^[1]. The rural municipality of Årstad was merged with Bergen July 1, 1915. The rural municipalities of Arna, Fana, Laksevåg and Åsane were merged with Bergen January 1, 1972. The city lost its status as a separate county the same date. Bergen was the largest city in Norway until 1840 (when it was passed by Oslo).
The city is located on the south-western coast of Norway, in the county of Hordaland, with its centre situated between a group of mountains known collectively as ''de syv fjell'' ("the seven mountains"), although the number of mountains is a matter of definition. The first to name them "the seven mountains" might have been Ludvig Holberg^[2], inspired by the seven hills of Rome. Bergen is recognized as the unofficial capital of the region known as West Norway, and recognized and marketed as the gateway city to the world famous fjords of Norway and for that reason it has become Norway's largest - and one of Europe's largest - cruise ship ports of call^[3]. Bergen's inter-municipal harbour is by far Norway's largest port and one of Europe's largest ports, according to the inter-municipal company Port of Bergen^[4].
In August 2004, ''Time'' magazine named the city one of Europe's 14 "secret capitals" ^[5], where Bergen's capital reign is acknowledged within maritime businesses and activities such as aquaculture and marine research, with the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) (the second-largest in Europe) as the leading institution. Bergen is the main base for the Royal Norwegian Navy (at Haakonsvern) and its international airport Flesland is the main heliport for the huge Norwegian North Sea oil and gas industry, from where thousands of offshore workers commute to their work places onboard oil and gas rigs and platforms.
Bergen was one of nine European cities honoured with the title European City of Culture in 2000.^[6]

Contents

History

Toponymy

Geography

Cityscape

Administration

Boroughs

Climate

Climate change

Education

Schools

University of Bergen

Høgskolen i Bergen

Other education and research institutions

Economy

Transportation

Culture and sports

Famous people from Bergen

Twin cities

References

External links

History

The Haakons Hall and the Rosenkrantz Tower

The city of Bergen is thought to have been founded by king Olav Kyrre, son of Harald Hardråde, in 1070 AD, celebrating it's 900th anniversary in 1970. It is considered to have replaced Trondheim as Norway's capital in 1217, and that Oslo became capital in 1299. Towards the end of the thirteenth century, Bergen became one of the Hanseatic League's most important bureau cities^[7].
The main reason for Bergen's importance was the trade with dried cod from the northern Norwegian coast^[8], starting up around 1100. The Frisian and German Hanseatic merchants lived in their own separate quarter of town, where Frisian and Low German was spoken, enjoying exclusive rights to trade with the northern fishermen that each summer sailed to Bergen. Today, Bergen's old quayside, Bryggen is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites.^[9]
In 1349, the Black Death was introduced to Norway by the crew of an English ship arriving in Bergen^[10]. In the 15th century the city was several times attacked by the Victual Brothers^[11], and in 1429 they succeeded in burning the royal castle and much of the city. In 1536, the king was able to force the Frisian and German merchants to become Norwegian citizens or return home, heralding a decline in the German influence. In 1665, the city's harbour was the site of the bloody Battle of Vågen, between English ships on the one side and Dutch ships supported by the city's garrison on the other.
Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, Bergen remained one of the largest cities in Scandinavia, and was Norway's biggest city until 1850, when it was bypassed by Oslo. Bergen retained its monopoly of trade with Northern Norway until 1789.
In 1916 parts of the city centre were destroyed by a devastating fire, the last of many such fires throughout the city's history. During World War II, the city was occupied on the first day of the German invasion on 9 April 1940, after a brief fight between German ships and Norwegian coastal artillery. On 20 April 1944, during the German occupation, the Dutch cargoship Voorbode anchored off the Bergenhus Fortress, loaded with over 120 tons of explosives, blew up, killing at least 150 people and damaging historic buildings. The city was subject to some allied bombing raids, aiming at German naval installations in the harbour. Some of these led to civilian casualties numbering over 100.
In 1972, Bergen was unified with neighbouring municipalities (Arna, Fana, Laksevåg and Åsane), abolishing its county status and getting its present boundaries.^[12]

Panoramic view of Bryggen

Toponymy

The Norse forms of the name were ''Bergvin'' and ''Bjørgvin''. The first element is ''berg'' n or ''bjørg'' f 'mountain' - the last element is ''vin'' f 'pasture, meadow'. The meaning is then 'the meadow among the mountains'.^[13] (A suitable name: Bergen is often called 'the city among the seven mountains'.)
There are about one thousand names in Norway composed with the element ''-vin'', which are pronounced with the second tone. The only exception is the name ''Bergen'' (which is pronounced with the first tone). The cause of this is probably the German influence in the city.
In 1918 there was a campaign to reintroduce the Norse form ''Bjørgvin'' as the name of the city. This was turned down - but as a compromise the name of the diocese was changed to ''Bjørgvin bispedømme''.

Geography

Bergen is located on the south-western coast of Norway, in the county of Hordaland. Its city centre is situated between a group of mountains known collectively as ''de syv fjell'' ("the seven mountains"), describing the mountains Ulriken, Fløyen, Løvstakken and Damsgårdsfjellet, as well as three out of Lyderhorn, Sandviksfjellet, Blåmanen, Rundemanen, and Askøyfjellet. These seven mountains are, however, only a few of the mountains located within the borders of the Bergen municipality. Gullfjellet is the highest mountain in Bergen, at 987 metres above sea level.^[14] Bergen, as well as neighbour municipality Os and a part of Samnanger, is located on the Bergen peninsula in mid-western Hordaland.
Bergen borders the municipalities Meland and Osterøy to the north, Vaksdal and Samnanger to the east, Os to the south, and Sund, Fjell and Askøy to the west.

Cityscape

White wooden houses in Bergen.

View of Vaagen and Nordnes from Fløyen.

The oldest remaining part of the city is on the north side of the bay of Vågen. ''Bryggen'', the product of rebuilding after a fire in 1702, is in this area. The buildings that form Bryggen were done in the style of the medieval buildings that stood on the site prior to the fire. ''Saint Mary's Church'' is the oldest building in Bergen, parts of it dating from around 1130. The altar piece of the church is the oldest ornament preserved. It dates back to the Hanseatic period, probably the 15th century, when the church was used by the German hanseats as their parish church. Much of the interior was replaced during a restoration of the church in the second half of the 18th century..
Two other churches, the cathedral (''Domkirken'') and the Korskirken church are also medieval, although modified later. The ''Bergenhus fortress'' has several interesting buildings, notably ''Haakon's Hall'', a royal hall dating from 1261, and the ''Rosenkrantz Tower'', built around a medieval fortification in 1563.
An open air fishmarket is located along the inner harbour of Vågen. Further south is the main shopping area, rebuilt after a fire in 1916 in art nouveau and functionalist style, around the main square Torgallmenningen. Several old quarters of white, wooden houses are scattered in and around the centre, most notably in ''Nordnes'', ''Marken'' and ''Sandviken''. ''Nygårdshøyden'' is a quaint area with a large number of buildings dating from late 19th century, many with neoclassical facades. Some parts of Bergen were rebuilt after World War II, rectifying damage due to bombing, the 1944 explosion accident, and thoughtless urban planning^[15]. Whole blocks of ancient wooden houses have been demolished in the city centre, most recently in ''Nøstet'' and ''Krinkelkroken'', due to a lack of maintenance of the buildings.^[16]
Mount Fløyen (320 metres above sea level^[17]) and Mount Ulriken (643 metres above sea level^[18]) are connected to the city centre with a funicular and a cable car, respectively. The mountains, as well as the areas that surround them, are popular hiking areas for locals as well as tourists.

A penguin under water in Bergen Aquarium.

The Bergen Aquarium, housing fish, marine invertebrates, seals and penguins, as well as reptiles and monkeys, is located at the tip of the Nordnes peninsula.

Administration

{| {| class=wikitable align="left"
|colspan="2" | 'Bergen city council 2003-2007'
|-
|Conservative Party (conservatives)||18 (14)
|-----
|Labour Party (social democrats)||16 (20)
|-
|Progress Party (radical right wing/liberal conservatives) ||11 (13)
|-----
|Socialist Left Party (social democrats) ||8 (5)
|-
|Red Electoral Alliance (revolutionary socialists) ||4 (4)
|-----
|Christian Democratic Party (christian democrats)||4 (7)
|-
|Pensioners Party (pensioners' party/conservatives) ||2 (1)
|-----
|Liberal Party (social liberals) ||2 (2)
|-
|Centre Party (centrists) ||1 (1)
|-----
|Independent ||1
|-
|'Total' ||'67'
|}

Map of the boroughs of Bergen

Since 2000, the city of Bergen is governed by a city government (''byråd'') based on the principle of parliamentarism. The government consists of 5 government members called commissioners, and is appointed by the city council, which is the supreme authority of the city. Since the local elections of 2003 the city has been ruled by a centre-right coalition of Conservatives, Christian Democrats and Liberals. The conservative party member Herman Friele is mayor, while conservative Monica Mæland is the leader of the city government, the most powerful political position in Bergen.

Boroughs

Bergen is divided into 8 boroughs^[19], as seen on the map to the right. Going clockwise, starting north, the boroughs are Åsane, Arna, Fana, Ytrebygda, Fyllingsdalen, Laksevåg, Årstad and Bergenhus. The city centre is located in Bergenhus. Parts of Fana, Ytrebygda, Åsane and Arna are not part of the Bergen urban area, explaining why the municipality has approximately 20,000 more inhabitants than the urban area.

Climate

Climate diagramme for Bergen

: ''See also: Geography of Norway''
Bergen has been nicknamed ''Regnbyen'', which means The City of Rain, for the plentiful rainfall it's renowned for - annual precipitation is 2250 mm (88 inches) on average^[20]. This is due to the fact that the city is surrounded by mountains, which the clouds can not easily get over. Rain fell every day between 25 October 2006 and 20 January 2007, 89 consecutive days. In the winter, Bergen is one of the warmest cities in Norway, thanks to the Gulf Stream; 10°C and rain can happen in both January and July. The highest temperature ever recorded was 31.8°C, a record that dates back to 1947^[21]. The lowest ever recorded is -16.3°C in 1987.
The high amount of precipitation is often used in the marketing of the city, and figures to a degree on postcards sold in the city. For a period of time there were umbrella vending machines in the city, but these did not turn out to be a success^[22].

Climate change

''See also: Hatlestad slide''

Damaged house after the 2005 slide

In recent years, precipitation and winds have increased in the city. In late 2005, heavy rains caused floods and several landslides, the worst of which killed three people on September 14. It is predicted by meteorologists that severe storms, and as a consequence landslides and floods, will become more powerful in the area and in surrounding counties in coming years.^[23] As a response, the municipality created a special 24-man rescue unit within the fire department to respond to future slides,^[24] and neighborhoods considered at risk of slides were surveyed in 2006.^[25]
Another concern is the rising sea levels brought about by global warming. Already today, Bryggen is regularly flooded at high tide, and it is feared that as sea levels rise, floods will become a major problem in Bergen. Floods will in the future reach the old fire station in Olav Kyrres Gate, as well as the railroad tracks leading out of the city.^[26] It has therefore been suggested by among others Stiftelsen Bryggen, the foundation responsible for preserving the UNESCO site, that a sea wall, built so that it could be raised and lowered as demanded by the tides, be built outside the harbour to protect the city.^[27]
Another effect of recent years' weather conditions in the area is that skepticism among Norwegians to global warming has been reduced.^[28]

Education

Schools

There are 64 elementary schools, 18 lower secondary schools and 20 upper secondary schools in Bergen, as well as 11 combined elementary/lower secondary schools.
Bergen Katedralskole (Latin: ''Scholae Bergensis Cathedralis'') is believed to have been founded in 1153 by Pope Adrian IV (then known as ''Nicholas Breakspear''), thus making it Bergen's oldest school and one of the oldest schools in Norway. The school moved to its present location in 1840, and the old building was left mostly unused until the School Museum of Bergen moved into the building in 2003^[29]. Since 1972 the school is a regular upper secondary school (similar to a high school in the United States and the United Kingdom).

University of Bergen

Bergen Museum, a part of The University of Bergen

The University of Bergen (Norwegian: ''Universitet i Bergen'') has approximately 16,000 students and 3,000 staff^[30], making it the third largest university after the University of Oslo and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. The university is known for its strong marine biology and geology (petroleum) research. Recently the university was awarded three national centres of excellence in climate research, petroleum research and medieval studies. In December 2004, billionaire Trond Mohn donated 250 million NOK to the University as research funding^[31]. In addition, he has given the university several individual gifts of 50 million NOK.^[32][33]

Høgskolen i Bergen

Bergen University College (''Høgskolen i Bergen'', approximately 6,000 students and 600 staff^[34]) offers studies directed towards specific professions. The college is organised in 3 faculties: the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Engineering, and the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences.

Other education and research institutions

Bergen is home of the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (''Norges Handelshøyskole'', approximately 2,700 students and 350 staff^[35]), a leading school of business and economics in Norway^[36]. Finn E. Kydland, the last (2004) of three Norwegian laureates of the Economy Nobel Prize^[37], has studied and lectured at this school.
The Bergen School of Architecture (''Bergen Arkitekt Skole''), founded in 1986 by architect Svein Hatløy, has alternative programs, with graduants like 3RW arkitekter and Tommie Wilhemsen.
The Bergen National Academy of the Arts (''Kunsthøgskolen i Bergen'', approximately 300 students and 100 staff^[38]) is one of the two independent institutions of higher learning in the visual arts and design in Norway. Students can take a three-year Bachelor degree and a two-year Master degree in the following areas: Visual Art; Interior Architecture; Furniture Design; Room Design; Visual Communications; Photography; Printmaking; Ceramics and Textiles.
The Naval Academy (''Sjøkrigsskolen'') of the Royal Norwegian Navy is located at Laksevåg in Bergen.
The Chr. Michelsen Institute (''Christian Michelsens Institutt'') is located in Bergen. Founded in 1930 it has become one of Scandinavia's major independent research institutes on human rights and development issues.
Since 1900, the Norwegian Fisheries Investigations (''Norske Fiskeriundersøgelser'') was located in Bergen. Today this is known as the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (''Havforskningsinstituttet''), an internationally renowned institution for marine research.

Economy

The shopping street Strandgaten

Bergen is host to part of the country's large oil industry, as well as deep sea operations and the headquarters of the TV 2 television channel. Its harbours is used by everything from small pleasure vessels to cruise ships and cargo vessels, and is the base of many of the country's fishing vessels.
Tourism is an important income source for the city. More than 2,2 million people visit the city annually, to the point where the hotels in the city may be full at times, especially during the Bergen International Festival.

Transportation

A trolleybus operated by the defunct Gaia Trafikk

Bergen has an international airport, Bergen Airport, Flesland, with direct flights to European cities. The Bergensbanen railway line runs east to Voss, Geilo, Hønefoss and Oslo.
The E16 road to Oslo passes through the Lærdalstunnelen, the longest road tunnel in the world^[39].
Public transportation is provided by the transportation company Tide, the result of a merger between ''Gaia'' and ''HSD''. Among the fleet of buses are 8 trolleybuses (two of which are dual-mode buses). Local train transport to Arna is provided by Norges Statsbaner. There is a funicular (Fløibanen) and an aerial tramway (Ulriksbanen). The city's tram system was closed in 1965, although a museum line still operates on Møhlenpris. The construction of a modern light rail line connecting the city centre with Nesttun and Bergen Airport has been approved by Stortinget and is underway^[40]. Express buses go to all larger destinations in Norway.

Coastal Express ''MS Midnatsol''

The Norwegian coastal steamer service Hurtigruten originates in Bergen, running north to Trondheim, Bodø, Tromsø and Kirkenes. Passenger catamarans run from Bergen south to Haugesund and Stavanger, and north to Sognefjorden and Nordfjord. Car ferries connect to Hanstholm, Hirtshals and Copenhagen in Denmark, Lerwick, Scrabster and Newcastle in the United Kingdom, Tórshavn on the Faroe Islands, and Seyðisfjörður on Iceland.

Culture and sports

Bergen is an important cultural centre in its region and in Norway, maybe best known for hosting the annual Bergen International Festival (''Festspillene i Bergen''). The city is home of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, which was founded in 1765 and is one of the world's oldest orchestral institutions^[41]. The orchestra performs regularly at the 1,500 seat^[42] Grieg Hall. Bergen was a European Capital of Culture in 2000^[43]. Other main cultural events include ''Nattjazz'' and ''Bergenfest'' (formerly ''Ole Blues''^[44]).
There are numerous amateur bands in Bergen and the surrounding communities, performing regularly throughout the city. They generally fall within two distinct categories: brass bands, following the British band tradition, and ''Janitsjar'' or wind bands, which include both woodwind and brass instruments. Both of these types of bands tend to be quite competitive, and the Grieg Hall in Bergen is home to the annual Norwegian Brass Band Championships, which takes place in late winter.
Bergen has two fairly large newspapers, Bergens Tidende and Bergensavisen.

Markens and Mathismarkens buekorps at Bryggen

Bergen is home to Buekorps, a prominent feature in the city's Constitution Day celebrations. Buekorps consists of a parade in the streets with wooden sticks shaped as guns or crossbows, sabres and even halberds, to a military snare sounded by several drummers. The performers are usually boys between 7 and 16 years of age, but older veterans can be seen. There are buekorps for girls and for both girls and boys as well. Buekorps are regarded with warmth by some, whilst others dislike it due to its militarised appearance or the dominant sound of the drumming.

S.K. Brann's stadium Brann stadion

In the late 1990s and early 2000s several pop, rock and black metal artists from Bergen became famous, at home as well as abroad. Many of these were connected to the small record label ''Tellé''. In the domestic press this became known as the Bergen Wave. Musicians and bands from Bergen include Annie, Burzum, Enslaved, Gorgoroth, Immortal, Erlend Øye, Kings of Convenience, Röyksopp, Sondre Lerche, Nazgûl and Datarock.^[45][46]
Bergen has a small but thriving scene for contemporary art, most notably centred around ''BIT Teatergarasjen'', ''Bergen Kunsthall'', United Sardines Factory, USF and Bergen Center for Electronic Arts, BEK.
The city's most successful football team, Brann, plays in the Norwegian Premier League^[47], while Løv-Ham plays in the Norwegian first division^[48].

Famous people from Bergen

Main articles: Famous people from Bergen

:''See also (category)

★ Trond Torleivsson Benkestok, nobleman (1490–1558) ★ Dorothe Engelbretsdotter, author (1634–1713) ★ Ludvig Holberg, playwright (1684–1754) ★ Johan Sebastian Welhaven, author, poet (1807–1873) ★ Ole Bull, violinist, composer (1810–1880) ★ Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy researcher (1841–1912) ★ Edvard Grieg, composer, pianist (1843–1907) ★ Amalie Skram, author (1846–1905) ★ Christian Michelsen, ship owner, prime minister (1857–1925) ★ Carl Joachim Hambro, politician, President of Parliament (1885-1964) ★ Arnulf Øverland, author (1889–1968) ★ Tryggve Gran, aviator (1889–1980) ★ Nordahl Grieg, poet, author (1902–1943) ★ Torborg Nedreaas, author and winner of the Kritikerprisen (1906-1987) ★ Leif Andreas Larsen, a.k.a. ''Shetland Larsen'', naval officer (1906–1990) ★ Karsten Solheim, golf equipment manufacturer (1911–2000) (emigrated to the United States as a child)

★ Roald Jensen, football player (1943–1987) ★ Helge Jordal, actor (1946–) ★ Terje Rød-Larsen, diplomat, sociologist (1947–) ★ Gunnar Staalesen, author (1947-) ★ Jan Eggum, singer-songwriter (1951–) ★ Terje Hauge, football referee (1965–) ★ Sissel Kyrkjebø, singer (1969–) ★ Roger Tiegs, musician (1972–) ★ Olve Eikemo (Abbath), musician (1973–) ★ Varg Vikernes, black-metal musician (1973-) ★ Eirik Glambek Bøe, musician (1975–) ★ Erlend Øye, musician (1975–) ★ Kurt Nilsen, musician (1978–) ★ Sondre Lerche, musician (1982–) ★ Christine Guldbrandsen, singer (1985–)

Edvard Grieg
composer, pianist
(1843–1907)

Christian Michelsen
ship owner, prime minister
(1857–1925)

Gunnar Staalesen
author
(1947-)

Sondre Lerche
musician
(1982–)

Twin cities

Bergen has several sister cities. They are:

★ Gothenburg, Sweden

★ Turku, Finland

★ Århus, Denmark

★ Newcastle upon Tyne, England

★ Seattle, Washington, United States

★ Asmara, Eritrea

★ Ilha de Moçambique, Mozambique

References

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. European Capitals of Culture 2000 - 2005
7. Castle and City: Through historical Bergen, , Robert, Kloster, , ,
8.
9.
10. The Black Death in the Fourteenth Century, , Justus Friedrich, Carl Hecker, , ,
11. A History of the Vikings, , Thomas, Downing Kendrick, , ,
12.
13. Kulturhistorisk vegbok Hordaland, , Nils Georg, Brekke, Hordaland Fylkeskommune, ,
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23. I værgudenes vold, Dagsavisen, Feb. 4, 2006, retrieved July 1, 2007
24. Bergen oppretter egen rasgruppe, Nov. 14, 2005, retrieved May 18, 2007
25. Rasfare sjekkes i hele kommunen, Aftenposten, Sept. 28, 2005, retrieved May 18, 2007
26. Bergen går våt fremtid i møte, Aftenposten, April 22, 2007, retrieved July 13, 2007
27. Sluse kan redde Bryggen, Bergens Tidende, Dec. 6, 2006, retrieved July 1, 2007
28. Klimaskepsisen fordampa i rekordvarmt år, Bergens Tidende, Jan. 2, 2007, retrieved July 1, 2007
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.

External links

★ Municipality website in 'Norwegian' and 'English'

★ The World Heritage City Bergen

★ Bergen Guide

★