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 Pine Forest, the Sash Saw and the Scots Trade

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.

The Tourists, the Landscape and the Fantasy Hotels

Tourist travel in western Norway experienced its great breakthrough with the regular scheduled steamship traffic.

Names in the Landscape

A tale of man and the environment