NORWAY – VESTLANDET (Bergen, Stavanger, Ålesund) and SORLANDET (Kristiansand)
WEST NORWEGIAN FJORDS – GEIRANGERFJORD and NAEROYFJORD WHS. Situated in south-western Norway, north-east of Bergen, Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, set 120 km from one another, are part of the west Norwegian fjord landscape, which stretches from Stavanger in the south to Andalsnes, 500 km to the north-east. The two fjords, among the world’s longest and deepest, are considered as archetypical fjord landscapes and among the most scenically outstanding anywhere. Their exceptional natural beauty is derived from their narrow and steep-sided crystalline rock walls that rise up to 1,400 m from the Norwegian Sea and extend 500 m below sea level. The sheer walls of the fjords have numerous waterfalls while free-flowing rivers cross their deciduous and coniferous forests to glacial lakes, glaciers, rugged mountains, submarine moraines and marine mammals.
Vary in breadth from just 250 m to 2.5 km wide. Fjord, a word of Norwegian origin, refers to a long, deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs formed by submergence of a glaciated valley.
BERGEN
BRYGGEN WHS. Bryggen, the old wharf of Bergen, is a reminder of the Hanseatic League’s trading empire from the 14th to the mid-16th century. Many fires, the last in 1955, have ravaged the characteristic wooden houses of Bryggen. Its rebuilding has traditionally followed old patterns and methods, thus leaving its main structure preserved, which is a relic of an ancient wooden urban structure once common in Northern Europe. Today, some 62 buildings remain of this former townscape.
Bryggen was established as a centre for trade in the 12th century. In 1350 the Hanseatic League established a “Hanseatic Office” in Bergen. They gradually acquired ownership of Bryggen and controlled the trade in stockfish from Northern Norway through privileges granted by the Crown. The Hanseatic League established a total of four overseas Hanseatic Offices, with Bryggen being the only one preserved today.
Bryggen has been damaged by a number of fires and has been rebuilt after every fire, closely following the previous property structure and plan, as well as building techniques. Bryggen’s appearance today stems from the time after the fire in 1702. The buildings are made of wood in long, narrow rows of buildings facing the harbour, separated by narrow wooden passages. Today, some 62 buildings remain of this former townscape, and these contain sufficient elements to demonstrate how this colony of bachelor German merchants lived and worked, two- to three-storey buildings with gabled facades. The narrow passages function as a private courtyard. The houses are built in a combination of traditional timber log construction and galleries with column and beam construction, with horizontal wooden panel cladding. The roofs have original brick tiling or sheets, a result of fast repairs after an explosion during World War II. Towards the back of the gård, there are small fireproof warehouses or storerooms (kjellere) built of stone, for the protection of special goods and valuables against fire. This repetitive structure was adapted to the living conditions of the Hanseatic trading post. The German merchants took up winter residence in the small individual wooden houses, and the storerooms were used as individual or collective warehouses. A true colony, Bryggen enjoyed quasi-extraterritoriality which continued beyond the departure of the Hanseatic merchants until the creation of a Norwegian trading post in 1754, on the impetus of fishermen and ship owners of German origin. Today, Bryggen is a significant part of the historic wooden city of Bergen.
The structures have remained in the memory of one of the oldest large trading ports of Northern Europe.
Railway, Metro, Funiculars, Cable Cars
Bergen Trams
Fløibanen funicular, Bergen
Ulriksbanen, Bergen
Sotra Bridge
Tunnel – Damsgård Tunnel
History, Culture, National and City Museums
Hanseatic Museum and Schotstuene
Old Bergen Museum
University Museum – Museum Of History
Castles, Palaces, Forts
Bergenhus fortress
Gamlehaugen
Sverresborg
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Damsgård: Damsgård Manor
Art Museums
Bergen Art Hall
KODE 4, KODE Kunstmuseer og komponisthjem
Lydgalleriet
House and Biographical Museums
Alvøen Country Manor
Edvard Grieg Museum Troldhaugen
Lysøen Museum
Art Design and Music Faculty of Bergen University.
Archaeology and Anthropology Museums: Bryggens Museum.
Religious Temples
Bergen Cathedral
Fantoft Stave Church
St. Mary’s Church
Military, War and Police Museums: Theta Museum
Science, Technology and all Industry and Mining Museums: VilVite – Bergen Science Center
Monuments: Sailor’s Monument
Bergen Aquarium
Augustin Hotel. Hospitality Legends
Torget Fish Market
West Norway Museum of Decorative Art
Maritime Museum
The Dark Side: Leprosy Museum St. Jørgen’s Hospital
Bizzarium: Pepperkakebyen
World Heritage Sites
URNES STAVE CHURCH WHS
Stave churches in general and Urnes in particular are distinctly Norwegian. It’s the oldest original surviving stave church in Norway and features original Viking wood carvings combining Viking-era ornamentation with early Christian symbolism. It’s a small church that can host maybe 20 people, mostly the family of the local noble, as it was a private church belonging to the noble’s estate. The area was never densely settled (and it isn’t to this day). The rough climate and terrain greatly limited the space available for agriculture and with it the population the region could support.
Outside, richly carved wooden panels on the north wall and a single column display intricate Viking ornamentation, serpents and vines twisting in endless motion, their lines fluid and rhythmic. The style clearly reflects the Norse artistic tradition, where animals and plants merge into a symbolic struggle between chaos and order, life and death. Urnes appears more restrained – Its roof ornamentation is surprisingly plain, lacking the dragon-head finials and elaborate tiered gables that give other churches a more dramatic silhouette. Yet this simplicity gives Urnes a quiet dignity. Its beauty lies not in grandeur but in the refinement of its carvings and the subtle harmony between structure, landscape, and light. The church is only open from June through September (the key for the church is with a neighbour).
The best view of the church is from the small hill behind it. Urnes stands out strikingly against the bright blue of the Lustrafjord and the soft green slopes beyond.
The wooden church is very small and smells of tar. Inside is dark and holds fewer than 20-30 people. Medieval runic inscriptions from the Viking age, the 16th- and 17th-century pulpit, altar and sacristy.
Accommodation. You may need to spend at least one night along the route. Sogndal Vandrerhjem Hotel in Sogndal. Eplet Hostel, Wallaker Hotel, and Villa Solovom are all across the fjord from Urnes. B&B in Urnes.
Getting There Solvorn has a ferry across the fjord to Urnes, a small village with only 200 inhabitants. Walk a kilometre up a steep, small road that ends right by the Stave Church, a B&B and a museum.
Bus from Flåm to Sogndal. 2 hours through the 24,5 km long Laerdal-tunnel, the longest tunnel in the world. Often wait several hours at the Sogndal bus station for a bus or tell the driver that you want to get off at Solvorn. Otherwise, they will just drive past it. Solvorn is a 2km detour for them. Or rent a bike at hostel to Solvorn.
Car One car rental place in Flam, which operates out of a hotel in town (Heimly Pensjonat, email: [email protected]). NOK 890, or about $160. Park your car in Solvorn and take the passenger ferry to Urnes.
Ferry. Bergen fast ferry to Sogndal.
Tentative WHS
Viking Monuments and Sites / Vestfold Ship Burials and Hyllestad Quernstone Quarries (10/01/2011)
BERGEN TO KIRKENES by BOAT
A Bergen to Kirkenes cruise, often called the Norwegian Coastal Express, is a classic voyage along Norway’s stunning coast, offered by operators like Hurtigruten and Havila Voyages. These trips range from 7-day northbound or southbound segments to a full 12-day round trip (Bergen-Kirkenes-Bergen), featuring dramatic fjords, charming villages, Arctic scenery, and the Northern Lights (winter) or Midnight Sun (summer). It’s a unique experience blending tourism with authentic local transport, calling at 34 ports and allowing for shore excursions (varying times – minutes to hours). Seasonal phenomena like the Northern Lights or Midnight Sun.
Hurtigruten: The original operator, offering classic round trips and shorter segments. (Sun Aug 23: $3,398 (1,000 less than similar days).
Havila Voyages: A newer, eco-focused option providing similar coastal journeys. Newer. (Mon Aug 24: $1,440)
Stops: Calls at 34 coastal communities, with Northbound (Bergen to Kirkenes) preferred in summer for daytime views of famous fjords like Geirangerfjord (seasonal) and the North Cape. Southbound (Kirkenes to Bergen) offers daytime views of places seen at night on the northbound trip. Wifi included.
ALESUND
Alesund Museum
Jugendstilsenteret. Art Museums
Fisheries Museum
KRISTIANSAND
Malls/Department Stores: Kristiansand: Sørlandssenteret
Natural History and Earth Museums: Kristiansand: Agder Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden
Kristiansand: DS
KRISTIANSUND
Clipfish Museum. Museums – Various
Kristiansund: Nordmøre Museum
Bridge – Kristiansund: Omsund Bridge
STAVANGER/SANDNES
Norwegian Children’s Museum
Hotel Victoria
Norwegian Canning Museum. Museums – Various
Monuments: Brutt lenke
Sverd I Fjell
Art Museums
Reidar Berge Museum
Stavanger Art Museum
Archaeological Museum
Stavanger Botanical Garden
Stavanger Maritime Museum
Architectural Delights
Andalsnes: Norwegian Mountaineering Center
Lindesnes: Under Restaurant
Mandal: Mandal Slipway
Religious Temples
Ålesund: Volsdalen Church
Hopperstad: Hopperstad Stave Church
Kaupanger: Kaupanger Stave Church
Knarvik: Community Church Knarvik
Laerdal: Borgund Stave Church
Undredal: Undredal Stave Church
Urnes: Urnes Stave Church
Military, War and Police Museums: Bud: Coastal museum
Science, Technology and all Industry and Mining Museums: Tyssedal: Norwegian Museum of Hydropower and Industry
Monuments: Haugesund: Haraldshaugen
World of Nature
Folgefonna NP
Frafjordheiane Nature Reserve
Hardangervidda NP
Jostedalsbreen NP
Naustdal-Gjengedal Nature Reserve
Raet NP
Botanical Gardens: Hjellestad: Det Norske Arboretet
Waterfalls
Kjelfossen
Kjeragfossen
Langfossen
Låtefossen
Mardalsfossen
Mongefossen
Ramnefjellsfossen
Seven Sisters Waterfall
Steinsdalsfossen
Søtefossen
Vinnufossen
Vøringfossen
Caves, Sinkholes and Saltmines: Svarthola
Lakes: Hornindalsvatnet Lake
Trails 2 – Hikes: Kjeragbolten Hike
Festivals
Bergenfest
Kristiansand: Kristiansand International Children’s Film Festival
Kristiansund: Nordic Light International Festival of Photography
Molde Jazz Festival
Molde/Nesset: Bjørnson Festival
Aquariums
Alesund: Atlantic Sea Park
Risør: Risør Akvarium
Theme Parks, ‘Fun’ Museums and Miniatures
Ålgård: Kongeparken
Beaches
Godalen Beach
Hoddevik Beach
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Damsgård: Damsgård Manor
Hospitality Legends
Balestrand: Kviknes Hotel
Egersund: Grand Hotell Egersund AS
Hardanger Fjord: Fossli Hotel
Lofthus: Ullensvang Hotel
Solvorn: Walaker Hotell
Lighthouses
Høllen: Lindesnes Lighthouse
Kråkenes: Kråkenes Lighthouse
Ona: Ona Lighthouse
Pedestrian and Historical Bridges
Mandal: Adolph Tidemand Bridge
Sand: Høse Bridge
Museums – Decorative Arts, Design, Fashion
Salhus: Textile Industry Museum
Maritime/Ship Museums: Bygland: SS Bjoren
Vehicle Museums: Skavenik: Norsk Motormuseum
Aviation Museums: Sola: Flyhistorisk Museum
Open-Air Museums
Alesund: Sunnmore Museum
Haugesund: Dokken Outdoor Museum
Rygnestad: Rygnestadtunet
Voss: Voss Folk Museum
Museums – Various: Balestrand: Norsk Reiselivsmuseum
Culinary Delights: Raspeballer/Komler (Vestlandet)
History, Culture, National and City Museums
Arendal: Kuben
Brandal: : Aarvak Museum
Langevag: Devold Museum
Molde: Romsdal Museum
Islands
Averøy
Bremangerlandet
Bømlo
Hareidlandet
Karmøy
Osterøy
Sotra
Stord
Tysnesøy
Villages and Small Towns
Balestrand
Bjørnsund
Flam
Flekkefjord
Geiranger
Grimstad
Skudeneshavn
Undredal
Urban Legends
Arendal: Glassheisen til Fløyheia
Lysebotn: Kjeragbolten
Røldal: Trolltunga
Songesand: Preikestolen
DARE Ona island group
Airports: Alesund (AES), Bergen (BGO), Florø (FRO), Haugesund (HAU), Kristiansand (KRS), Kristiansund (KSU), Molde (MOL), Stavanger/Sandnes (SVG)
Railway, Metro, Funiculars, Cable Cars
Loen Skylift
Norway Intercity Railway Experience
Rauma Railway
Roads, Road Bridges and Tunnels
Bridge – Atlantic Ocean Road (Averøy)
Bridge – Bergsøysund Bridge
Bridge – Hordaland – Hardanger Bridge
Bridge – Møre og Romsdal: Straumsund Bridge
Road – Norwegian National Road 7 (Granvin-Hønefoss)
Scenic Road – Dalsnibba Road
Scenic Road – Lysebotn Road
Scenic Road – Romsdal – Trollstigen road
Scenic Road – Sognefjell Road
Scenic Road – The Old Strynefjell Road
Scenic Road – Tindevegen Road
Scenic Road – Ørnevegen “The Eagle Road”
Tunnel – Eidfjord: Kvernhushaug Tunnel
Tunnel – Eidfjord: Måbø Tunnel
Tunnel – Folgefonna Tunnel
Tunnel – Gudvangen Tunnel
Tunnel – Jondal Tunnel
Tunnel – Lærdal Tunnel
Tunnel – Møre og Romsdal: Freifjord Tunnel
Tunnel – Ryfylke tunnel
Tunnel – Vallavik Tunnel
Tunnels – Fyllingsdalen Tunnel
