Norway: Bergen – Bryggen Wharf
This picturesque historic Hanseatic wharf in Bergen is the oldest UNESCO World Heritage Site in Norway. The medieval Hanseatic League of independent German city-states established an official port and trading post here in the 13th century. The wooden buildings that front the wharf today are several centuries older, but still medieval in character and look; especially if you go inside and inbetween the tightly packed houses with overhanging balconies and upper floors. The front buildings all used to be merchant houses while the buildings in the back served as warehouses for fish from Norway and goods from Europe. Today most of the buildings are museums or restaurants or boutique hotels and massive amounts of cruise ship tourists come here for photo ops rain or shine (mostly rain).
