Friday, 16th July 2010
With a little more time for exploration I visited the
Rosenkrantz Tower which dates back to medieval times. The tower was erected by
the governor of Bergen Castle, Erik Rosenkrantz, and served as a combined
residence and fortified tower to Bergen.
In the same grounds lies Håkon's Hall which took its name from its first
builder, King Håkon Håkonsson, and was erected between 1247 and 1261. In the
latter year it was in use as "The Stone Hall" at the wedding and coronation of
King Magnus Lagabøte (the Lawmender), Håkon's son and co-ruler. The hall was the
largest and most imposing building in the royal residence at "Holmen",
the political centre of the 13th-century Norwegian kingdom. It was obviously
built for the great occasions in the history of the monarchy and the realm, but
also for practical daily use.
To complete my exploration of Bergen I headed up to The ‘New’ Church, otherwise
known as St John’s Church. Built in 1894, Johanneskirken is one of the finest
neo-Gothic churches in Norway.
Scroll down to see photos of the walk
Heading past Bryggen . . .
I explored around the Rosenkrantz Tower . . .
and Håkon's Hall . . .
near the harbour
The 'New' Church . . .
has an impressive interior . . .
including the pulpit . . .
and altar
The organ has its own gallery . . .
and the roof is worthy of a photo
Looking down to the main street . . .
and back up to the church