Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Fantoft Stave Church
Several museums listed here—including the Bryggens Museum, Håkon's
Hall, Rosenkrantz Tower, Leprosy Museum, and Gamle Bergen—are part of
the Bergen City Museum (Bymuseet) organization. If you buy a ticket to any
of them, you can pay half-price at any of the others simply by showing your
ticket.
▲BergenhusFortress:Håkon'sHallandRosenkrantzTower —Thetower
and hall, sitting boldly out of place on the harbor just beyond Bryggen, are
reminders of Bergen's importance as the first permanent capital of Norway.
Both sights feel vacant and don't really speak for themselves; the included
guided tours, which provide a serious introduction to Bergen's history, are es-
sential for grasping their significance.
Cost and Hours: Hall and tower—60 kr each, includes guided tour; mid-
May-Aug—both open daily 10:00-16:00; Sept-mid-May—hall open daily
12:00-15:00, Thu until 18:00, tower open Sun only 12:00-15:00; tel. 55 31 60
67.
Visiting the Hall and Tower: While each sight is covered by a separate
ticketandtour,it'sbesttoconsiderthemasoneandstartatHåkon'sHall(mid-
May-Aug tours leave daily at the top of the hour; Sept-mid-May full tour runs
on Sat, Sun Håkon's Hall tour only, no tours Mon-Fri). Stick with your guide,
as the Rosenkrantz Tower is part two of the tour.
Håkon's Hall, dating from the 13th century, is the largest secular medieval
building in Norway. It's essentially a giant, grand reception hall (used today
for banquets) under a ceiling that feels like an upturned Viking boat. While
recently rebuilt, the ceiling's design is modeled after grand wooden roofs of
that era. Beneath the hall is a whitewashed cellar. Banquets were a men-only
affair. The raised seats gave royal, church, and military dignitaries the appro-
priate elevation.
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