Bergen Bergen
Founded
in 1070, Bergen was the largest city in medieval Norway
and remained the country's busiest port until well
into the 19th century. A diverse era dawned in the
14th century when Hanseatic merchants from northern
Germany established a trading station here; a rich
class of traders flourished at the expense of local
fishermen, a system that continued even after the
Norwegians regained control in the 1550s. Nevertheless,
the Bryggen (the old waterfront trading centre) has
since become the city's architectural treasure, and
is now one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. The Leprosy
Museum and the Bergen Art Museum are other local highlights,
while the port is the main gateway to the dramatic
and untamed west coast.
Oslo
Founded
around 1050 by King Harold Hardrada, Oslo came into
prominence in the 14th century when Hakon V moved
from Bergen to Oslo's fortress of Akershus. Under
Danish rule its fortunes initially waned, only to
flourish again after Christian IV rebuilt the town
in 1624. Christiania prospered in the 19th century
and became the capital of an independent Norway in
1905, after 90 years of union with Sweden . Reverting
to its original name in 1925, Oslo consolidated its
role as a university town throughout the 20th century.
Now a wealthy modern city, Oslo has two cultural centres,
one focused on Karl Johans Gate, the main thoroughfare,
the other on the Bygdoy Peninsula .
The
Fjords
Among
the world's most spectacular geological formations,
the Norwegian Fjords are long, narrow inlets stretching
deep into the surrounding mountains. At their innermost
reaches, their depth often matches their innermost
reaches, their depth often matches the height of the
cliffs above, while shallower waters connect them
to the sea. They were created by a gradual process
of glacier erosion during the last Ice Age (around
110,000 to 13, 000 BC) when enormous glaciers crept
through the valleys, gouging steep-sided crevices
into the landscape, often far below the surface of
the sea. When the glaciers finally melted, sea water
burst in and filled the hollows left by the ice.
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