About

This image shows the labyrinth of roof tops at the back of Bryggen, the hanseatic settlement in Bergen, Norway.

Context

From the late Middle Ages, the German traders of the hanseatic league settled in an enclave along the eastern shoreline of Vågen, the inner harbour of Bergen (Google map). The main trade was stockfish (dried fish) and fish oil from Northern Norway against cereals from mainland Europe.

Imagine the two thousand male unmarried German traders living here amongst their stock of stockfish and fish oil in this enclosed settlement... No mingling with the Norwegian population was (officially) allowed, this included women. As the area of the settlement was limited, all available space was valuable, resulting in this labyrinth of wooden houses.

The current buildings date back from 1702, when a major fire almost completely ruined the city of Bergen. The site was added to the UNESCO world heritage list in 1979.

More background information at the Bryggen entry on Wikipedia.

Awards

This image was awarded the first prize in the Norwegian national competition and is featured on One Exposure - 1x.com and One Eyeland.

For sale

High quality prints are available for sale at One Exposure and at the offices of Bergen Guide Service at the Bryggen site in Bergen, Norway.