Country Gees

Bergen (Norway)

The Norwegian city – Bergen is the second largest city in the country and has a population of around a quarter of a million. The city is located on the Inner Byfjord on the west coast of Norway and is the starting point for the Bergen Railway and the Hurtigrutten.

There is a major seaport and shipbuilding industry in Bergen. The University of Bergens mainly deals with the areas of marine biology and geology. Furthermore, the important Norwegian commercial college is located in Bergen. Bergen also has a lot to offer in terms of culture, for example the Den Nationale Scene theater and the Grieghallen and the Grieg Academy, a music college.

But the sights of Bergen are also interesting. You should n’t miss the Bryggen Hanseatic Wharf. This has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site for some time. The fish market is definitely worth a detour. Visit shoe-wiki for Norway Travel Guide.

The Marienkirche is one of the highlights of Bergen. The sacred building was formerly known as the German Church known. The building is a Romanesque basilica based on the Speyer Cathedral. Like this church, the Marienkirche was built from natural stone. In most travel guides you can read that St. Mary’s Church is the oldest sacred building in Bergen. You should also have seen the St. Olav Cathedral. This dates from the twelfth century.

When visiting Bergen, a visit to Begenhus Fortress is an absolute must. The fortress is considered to be the oldest and best-preserved fortress in the whole country. The oldest part of Berghus was built in the twelfth century. The younger part was not built until World War II.

The Hakonshalle is also something special. This is a building in the royal court of Bergen. The hall was built between the years 1247 and 1261. The builder was King Hakon Hakonsson. In the hall there is a ballroom, as well as the king’s apartment as well as work, lounge and storage rooms. In 1944 it was damaged by an explosion on a cargo ship loaded with dynamite. But shortly afterwards the Hakonshalle was repaired again. Today the Hakonshalle is used for concerts and various festivities.

Those who love theater will be delighted by Den Nationale Scene. This is the oldest Norwegian theater. Gamle Bergen, an open-air museum, is well worth a visit. Art lovers should visit the Bergen Art Museum not to be missed. You can learn more about the history of the city at the Bergen Museum. Other interesting sights of Bergen are the Griegvilla Troldhaugen, the Floyen mountaintop, the Fantof Stave Church and the Technical Museum.

Oslo in Norway

Oslo has many interesting attractionsto offer. So you should definitely not miss Stortog. Translated into German, Stortog means something like big market. Here is the famous statue of Christian IV in the center and on the southeast side of the square of the city’s cathedral.

The Rathausplatz should also be seen, as well as the Hauptbahnhofsplatz, as this is where the life of the cityplays.

Oslo City Hall is an impressive building for its size alone. It was designed by the architects Arneberg and Pouisson. The plans were only implemented between 1931 and 1950. Shortly after construction, the town hall became the Landmark chosen by the city. In the tower of the town hall there is a carillon with 35 small bells and most of the city tours start from here.

You should also have seen the parliament building. It was built between 1857 and 1866. Guided tours of the building take place in the summer months. Here you can also see the famous mural “Consultation of the Constitution 1814”. It was created by the artist Wergeland.

The university or the whole complex of the university is worth seeing. This dates from the years 1839 to 1866. The auditorium was built in 1911. Inside it is decorated with wall paintings by Edvard Munch. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded annually in the auditorium.

The royal castle is a simple building, but still worth a visit. It was built between 1825 and 1848. It is not accessible to tourists, but you can still watch the changing of the guard here.

Museum lovers are in the right place in Oslo, as there are a number of different museums here.

The state art museum, whose buildings were built between the years 1879 and 1881, is certainly interesting. A short time later, in 1907, extensive expansion measures took place in order to provide more space for the extensive collection of Norwegian art. It includes works by Rubens, Rembrandt, Lucas Cranach, Manet, etc. The works also include masterpieces by Danish and Swedish artists.

Also worth seeing is the arts and crafts museum, the highlight of which is a Baldishol carpet from the twelfth century.

Other museums in the city include the Ethnographic Museum, the Historical Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Norwegian Museum of Industry and Technology and the Munch Museum.

In Norway, art and culture are particularly important, so there are a number of opera houses and theaters here. These would be the Oslo Nye Theater, the National Theater, the Oslo Opera House, the Norske Theater etc.

In Oslo there are also some sacred buildings to visit. The cathedral church is definitely worth seeing, as it has impressive ceiling paintings inside. Vigeland’s stained glass windows are also not without it. The cathedral was built in 1697.
The Trinity Church is worth a visit. It was created between the years 1853 and 1858. It is home to the oldest organ in the country and has magnificent stained glass inside.

Other churches in the city are the Märgareta Church, St. Olav’s Church, Gamie Akers Church, etc.

Akershus Fortress is a true architectural masterpiece. King Hakon V began building it in the thirteenth century. It was only completed by his successor Hakon VII, who has his final resting place inside the fortress. Casemates and two museums belong to the fortress.

Oslo also has some stadiums, such as the Holmenkoller Stadium, the Uilevaal Stadium, etc.

If you are on holiday in Oslo with your children, you should not miss the Kristiansand Zoo. With its six hundred thousand square meters, it is not only the largest park in the country, it is also the oldest. The zoo can convince its visitors not only by its size, because there is a special biodiversity of fauna to visit from all over the world.

Stavanger in Norway

Stavanger

The Norwegian city ​​of Stavanger was the European city in 2008 main cultural capital. Stavanger was founded in 1125 by King Sigurd Jursalfar. For centuries, Stavanger was of little importance.

Only after the city started canning as a source of income discovered, it experienced a true heyday from 1970 onwards. After that, oil in the North Sea too discovered the city was “conquered” by the rapidly developing oil industry.

Those who visit Stavanger will be particularly impressed by the old core of the Norwegian city. There are still the small, narrow cobblestone streets and lots of small white wooden buildings from the eighteenth to nineteenth centuries.

But not only the city has a lot to offer, the surroundings are also really fantastic. The area around Stavanger is made up of several lakes, islands, waterfalls and mountains.

In any case, visitors have the unique opportunity to get to know a city with a wide range of attractions, regardless of whether they are of natural origin or built by human hands.

The Jernaldergarden is one of the city’s special buildings. This is a small homestead made up of reconstructed longhouses from the Iron Age. Kongsgard is something special. Kongsgard is the royal manor, which used to be the residence of kings, bishops and regional governors. The building has housed a school for 15 years.

The national monument in Hafrsfjörd is also worth seeing. The monument is intended to honor the victory of Harald Harfagre, who won the battle in 872 that led to Norway’s unification as a kingdom.

For the locals, the meaning of the monument is to be equated with peace, unity and freedom. The monument itself was created by the artist Friz Roed between 1928 and 2002.

The Urllandhaug Tower is also worth a visit. The television tower in Stavanger was built in 1964. The tower is 64 meters high and stands on a 135 meter high mountain. From up there you have a wonderful view over the city of Stavanger and its neighboring cities Ryfylke and Nordjaeren.

Another attraction in Stavanger is the Valbergtarnet.

But the absolute highlight of the Norwegian city’s attractions is Stavanger Cathedral (Domkirke). It is the oldest cathedral in the country. According to legend, the construction of the sacred building began in 1100 under Bishop Reinald. However, it took almost thirty years for Stavanger Cathedral to be completed.

In 1272 the church was damaged by fire. However, these were removed again shortly afterwards.

The cathedral church was expanded during the time of Bishop Arne, and elements of the Gothic have been found in the building since then. The Stavanger Domkirke is the only church in the country that was built in the Middle Ages and is still in use today. During later renovations, the appearance of the church was changed so that you can barely recognize the medieval appearance.

Two other delightful sights in Stavanger are Breidablikk, a villa from 1880 and Leedal, a castle (built between 1799 and 1803).

Museum lovers will not miss out on a visit to Stavanger, as there are a number of museums to be found here.
There is the Archaeological Museum, which shows cultural and natural history exhibits from the last 15,000 years. These even include finds from Rogaland and exhibitions on various other topics.

The Norsk Barnemuseum, a children’s museum, is something special. Children will be delighted as there are a lot of toys here. Other attractions of the museum are a tree house, mazes, games and much more.

You definitely have to see the guard museum. It is located at the Valberg Tower and was founded between the years 1850 and 1853. The Guard Museum used to be the lookout tower for the city’s guards.

But culture is also something you don’t have to neglect on a holiday in Stavanger. The Norwegian city has the Rogaland Teater and the Stavanger Concert Hall.

There are some impressive natural beauties to explore near the city, for example the Lysefjord, Pulpit Rock, Flori or Kjerag.

Trondheim in Norway

Trondheim is a city in Norway. It is located in the province of Sor-Trodelag and has about 170,000 residents. Trondheim is the third largest city in Norway and lies at the mouth of the Nidelv River in the Trondheimsfijord.

The Norwegian city is well worth a visit as it has a wide range of sights to offer. Among the most important cultural and historical attractions include the Nidaros Cathedral and the Archbishop’s Palace. Both are direct neighbors on the edge of the old town. The sacred building is still considered the spiritual center of Norway to this day. Royal ceremonies of Norway take place in Nidaros Cathedral. Trondheim is also home to the Norwegian king’s residence, Stiftsgarden. The residence is one of the most important classic wooden structures in the country.

The synagogue in Trondheim is also worth a visit. It is said to be the furthest north lying church of the Jews.

Another attraction in Trondheim is located in front of the harbor entrance on the tiny island of Munkholmen. A monastery was built here during the Christianization period. In later pages it was also used as a prison and ammunition store. Anti-aircraft guns were erected on the island during the Second World War, the remains of which can still be seen today. Locals like to use the island for swimming and sunbathing.

The Tyholttarnet television tower is particularly worth seeing. The television tower has a viewing platform from which one has a wonderful view over the city. There is even a revolving restaurant on the tower, where you can eat very well.

Other attractions in Trondheim are the old warehouses on the Nidelva, the wooden bridge Gamle bybro and the Kristiansten fortress.