Bryggen, the waterfront

Bergen. Norway. July 2004. Photo: v.c.

In the late Middle ages the Hanseatic League established the German Kontor in
Bryggen (meaning “the waterfront” or wharf), which became a thriving center of
international trade. The characteristic parallel rows of buildings, with their
seaward-facing gables represent a building tradition dating back almost 900
years. The old wooden buildings along the harbor front in Bergen were placed
on UNESCO World Heritage List in 1980.