Bryggen, Norway

 The Bryggen Hanseatic Wharf is located in Bergen near Market Square. In Norwegian, the word brygge means wharf or quay. Bergen’s port dates back to the 1200s. The Hanseatic League, with its traders from Germany, took over Bergen’s port from about 1350 in order to trade fish and other items. The wooden buildings seen along the wharf may have been rebuilt over the years, but they were built according to the same architectural principles as it had been when the Hanseatic League traders both lived and worked there. Bryggen is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is the only foreign Hanseatic League base that is still in existence today.
The beautiful row of wooden houses is a must-see in Bergen. The buildings exude charm, and are as striking as they look in postcards of the area. While the look of the buildings has been preserved, the lower levels have been converted into shops, cafes, craft workshops, artists’ studios, and galleries. At the Bryggen Museum, you can see a number of items found in excavations that date back to medieval times. The excavated items give you somewhat of an insight into the daily life of those who lived in the area hundreds of years ago.
While at the wharf, take some time to visit the Hanseatic Museum, a preserved and restored wooden house that shows how the bachelor merchants lived and worked.