With a population of about 240 000, Bergen's strongest points are its oil industry, its lively harbour and its university. However, as a lively cultural centre with preserved architecture and traditions and numerous events, the town attracts a crowd of visitors. It was named European city of culture in 2000, and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Bergen was founded by King Olav Kyrre in the 11th Century. In the 13th Century, the German Hansas (merchant guild) opened one of their four offices on the quayside called Bryggen. Their wooden buildings on the wharf are one of the major tourist attractions. Actually, the buildings were restored in the 18th Century after a fire, but the style and the atmosphere of the Medieval Hanseatic bureau was retained. One of the best preserved buildings houses the Hanseatic Museum that can give you an idea of the life of a Hanseatic merchant.

The town saw many vicissitudes in its history. It was hit by the plague in 1349, raided by the Baltic pirates known as the Victual Brothers in 1429, and repeatedly devastated by fires which reduced the wooden buildings to ashes.

A few stone buildings have survived and are today part of Bergen's precious architectural heritage. The Bergenhus is a Medieval fortress including a hall and a defensive tower. It is today used by the Norwegian Navy. The 16th-century Rosenkrantz tower was built as both a defensive structure and as a residence, and is now open for visitors. The church of St. Mary is the oldest one in Bergen. Built in the 12th Century, it is remarkable for its finely carved Baroque pulpit.