The City and the Stril country

The relationship between Bergen and its neighbouring districts, normally known as “Strilelandet”, has, over the centuries, given rise to greater conflicts than the contacts between any other Norwegian city and its nearest hinterland.

Vernacular Architecture and the Landscape

Trading Posts And Guest Houses

Bergen – The Urban Community

Bergen - our first royal residence city – has for centuries been Norway’s, and for long periods, Scandinavia’s biggest city. The historical monuments round the Vågen bay tell us that the city has been of national, historical significance.

The Chapel and the Layman’s Movement

Den kristelege lekmannsrørsla, den frilynde norskdomsrørsla og den politiske sosialradikalismen er ideologiske motpolar, men kulturelt og politisk er dei på linje – demokratiske folkerørsler.

The Church and the Monastery

The Wooden Calendar- Tradition and popular belief

The old Norwegian farmers’ calendar, the wooden calendar staff, follows the Norse system of reckoning time, and divides the year into a summer half, and a winter half.

Folk Music and the Hardanger Fiddle

It is in Hordaland County that we find the oldest traces of a folk music stemming from our national instrument, the Hardanger fiddle. And it is still this musical tradition which is characteristic of folk music here.

Local Dialects in Hordaland

Language tells us both about social distance and human contact in many different ways. The dialects show how people who have had connections and dealings with one another throughout the ages, have developed a common language.

The Literary Landscape

Naturopplevinga hjå lyrikarane våre gjev ofte vår eiga landskapsoppleving ein djupare resonnans-botn, men styrken i naturens krefter kjem også fram, i mektige epos om fjellet og om havet.