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Bergen, in the county of Hordaland, is the second largest city in Norway. The population of Bergen proper (municipality) is 243,219 as of July 1st 2006 according to Statistics Norway. The city is divided into 8 boroughs, Arna, Bergenhus, Fana, Fyllingsdalen, Laksevåg, Ytrebygda, Årstad and Åsane. The population of Bergen metropolitan area is 369,099 as of January 1st 2006 according to Statistics Norway and comprises the city proper, suburbs and neighbouring rural communities. The city is located on the south-western coast of Norway, in the county of Hordaland, with its center situated between a group of mountains known collectively as de syv fjell ("the seven mountains"). Bergen is recognized as the unofficial capital of the region known as West Norway, and also 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. Furthermore Bergen's inter-municipal harbour is by far Norway's largest port and also one of Europe's largest ports according to the inter-municipal company Port of Bergen, handling more than 50% of all cargo handled in Norway in 2005. Time magazine chose to name the city one of Europe's 14 "secret capitals" (August 2004), where Bergen's capital reign is within maritime businesses and activities such as aquaculture and marine research, with the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) (second largest in Europe) as the leading institution. Bergen is also 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 the many oil and gas rigs and platforms. Bergen was one of nine European cities honoured with the title European Capital of Culture in 2000.
History The city of Bergen was founded by king Olav Kyrre in the year 1070 AD. Bergen celebrated its 900th anniversary in 1970. The city was one of the most important cities of Scandinavia during the middle ages. It served as the capital city of Norway until 1299. In 1163 (or 1164) the first coronation of any of the Scandinavian countries took place here as Magnus Erlingsson was crowned King of Norway*. Towards the end of the thirteenth century, Bergen became one of the Hanseatic League's most important bureau cities. The main reason for Bergen's importance was the trade with dried cod from the northern Norwegian coast, starting up around 1100. The German Hanseatic merchants lived in their own separate quarter of town, where Low German was spoken, enjoying exclusive rights to trade with the northern fishermen that each summer sailed to Bergen. Today, one still gets a feel of this at the quayside of Bergen called Bryggen, today on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites. In 1349, the Black Death was introduced to Norway by the crew of an English ship arriving in Bergen. In the 15th century the city was several times attacked by the Victual Brothers, and in 1429 they succeeded in burning the royal castle and much of the city. In 1536, the king was able to force the 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 the biggest city in the Nordic countries, and it remained Norway's biggest city until 1850, when overtaken by Oslo. Bergen retained its monopoly of trade of 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, a Dutch cargo ship 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 also 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. The name The Norse forms of the name was 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'. (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, and they all are pronounced with the second tone. The only exception is the name Bergen (which are 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. Cityscape The oldest part of the city is on the north side of the bay of Vågen. Here you find Bryggen, a number of old, wooden houses from the early 18th century, the product of rebuilding after a fire in 1702, done in the style of the medieval buildings that stood on the site before the fire. Six houses (to the left, see picture) were rebuilt after a fire in 1955. The Saint Mary Church is the oldest building in Bergen, parts of it dating from around 1130. Two other churches, the Cathedral and the Korskirken church are also medieval, although modified later. The fortress of Bergenhus has a number of interesting buildings, notably the Haakon's Hall royal hall from the 1260s, and the Rosenkrantz Tower, built around a medieval fortification in the 1560s. One of the best preserved rococo structures in Europe is Damsgård manor. A popular tourist attraction is the open air fishmarket on the harbour. Further down you find the main shopping area, rebuilt after a fire in 1916 in art nouveau and functionalism, around the main square Torgalmenningen. Several old quarters of white, wooden houses are patched in and around the centre, notably in Nordnes, Marken and Sandviken. Nygårdshøyden is a quaint area with a large number of buildings from about 1900, many with neoclassical facades. Some parts of Bergen have been rebuilt after WWII due to English bombing, an explosion accident and unthoughtful city planning. Whole blocks of ancient wooden houses are still regularly demolished in the city centre, most recently in Nøstet and Krinkelkroken. Strolling around in Bergen will generally reveal areas of very differing architecture. Visitors should not miss the ride with the funicular up to Mount Fløyen, where one is rewarded with a splendid view over the city and the fabled seven mountains. From here, it's also possible to hike in a huge area of spectacular and largely untouched scenery. The aquarium with seals, penguins and fish from the area is also popular. Administration 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 Høyre (conservatives), the Christian Democrats and Venstre (liberals). The conservative party member Herman Friele has been mayor, while conservative Monica Mæland is the leader of the city government, the most powerful political position in Bergen. Climate See also: Geography of Norway Bergen is renowned for its plentiful rainfall (and has been nicknamed the City of Rain or the Seattle of Europe), which makes up most of the 2250 mm (88 in) yearly average precipitation. The highest 24 hour rainfall which has been measured is 192.2 mm. For some years there were paraplyautomater (umbrella vending machines) installed in the streets, however, they did not turn out to be a success. A joke is told in Bergen about a tourist asking a local boy if it ever stops raining. "I don't know," replies the boy, "I'm only twelve." Bergen is one of the warmest cities in Norway, thanks to the Gulf Stream. 10°C and rain can happen both in January and July, although they both occur rarely. A normal summer temperature is around 20-25°C, and 0-5°C in the winter. The warmest temperature ever recorded is 31.8°C, the coldest ever recorded is -16.3°C. Universities and research The University of Bergen (UiB) is known for its strong marine biology and geology (petroleum) research. Recently the university was awarded three national centers 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. Only months later (April 2005), he added an additional NOK 50 million. UiB has approximately 17,000 students and 2,500 staff. Bergen University College offers studies of high quality directed towards specific professions. The college is organised in 3 faculties: Faculty of Education, Faculty of Engineering, and Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. HiB has approximately 6,000 students and 600 staff. Bergen is also home of the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH), a leading school of business and economics in Norway. Finn E. Kydland, the last (2004) of three Norwegian laureates of the "Nobel Prize" in economy, has studied and lectured at this school. NHH has approximately 2,800 students and 300 staff. Bergen Architect School (BAS), funded in 1986 by architect Svein Hatløy, has one of Scandinavias most leading and progressive alternative programs, with successful graduants like 3RW arkitekter and Tommie Wilhemsen. The Naval Academy of the Royal Norwegian Navy is located at Laksevåg in Bergen. The Chr. Michelsen Institute is also 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 Institute of Marine Research, an internationally renowned institution for marine research Norwegian Institute of Marine Research. Commerce and industry Main businesses in Bergen are: Transportation Bergen has an international airport, Bergen Airport, Flesland, with direct flights to many European cities. The Bergensbanen railway line runs east to Voss, Geilo, Hønefoss and Oslo. Public transportation is provided by Gaia Trafikk and Hardanger Sunnhordlandske Dampskipsselskap (HSD). Local train transport to Arna is provided by Norges Statsbaner. There is also a funicular (Fløibanen) and an aerial tramway (Ulriksbanen). The tram system was closed in 1965, although a museum line still operates on Møhlenpris. A modern light rail line connecting the city centre with Nesttun and Bergen Airport is in the works and has been passed by Stortinget. Among the fleet of about 450 buses are 8 trolleybuses (two of them are dual-mode buses), making Bergen the only city in north-west Europe to have them. Eastbound, highway E16 runs to Voss, Valdres and Oslo. Along the coast, highway E39 runs south to Haugesund, Stavanger and Kristiansand, and north to Førde, Ålesund, Molde and Trondheim. Express buses ply both highways, as well as serving numerous other destinations. 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 and Hirtshals in Denmark, Lerwick and Newcastle in the United Kingdom, Tórshavn on the Faroe Islands, and Seyðisfjörður on Iceland. Culture and sports Bergen is also 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. The orchestra performs regularly at the 1,500 seat Grieg Hall. Bergen was a European Capital of Culture in 2000. Other main cultural events include ''Nattjazz'' and ''Bergenfest'' (formerly Ole Blues). In addition, 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 is also home to Buekorps, a prominent feature in the city's Constitution Day celebrations. In the late 1990s and early 2000s many pop and rock artists from Bergen became famous, at home and 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, Erlend Øye, Immortal, Kings of Convenience, Röyksopp, and Sondre Lerche. Bergen has a small but thriving scene for contemporary art, most notably centered around ''BIT Teatergarasjen'', ''Bergen Kunsthall'', United Sardines Factory, USF and Bergen Center for Electronic Arts, BEK. The biggest football team, S.K. Brann, plays in the Norwegian Premier League (2006) at Brann stadium, while Løv-Ham Fotball plays in first division. The biggest women's football team is Arna Bjørnar. Bergen also hosts the Fyllingen football team, based in the Fyllingsdalen borough, currently playing in second division. Famous people from Bergen Twin cities Bergen has several sister cities. They are: See also | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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