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126-563: Landås was a separate administrative borough until the year 2000, when it was merged with the northern part of the borough of Løvstakksiden borough forming Årstad borough. In 1994, Landås borough had a population of 20,252 people. 60°21′41″N 5°22′04″E  /  60.3613°N 5.3679°E  / 60.3613; 5.3679 This article related to Bergen , Norway is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Bergen Bergen ( Norwegian pronunciation: [ˈbæ̀rɡn̩] ), historically Bjørgvin ,

252-519: A 10.5 kilometres (6.5 mi) tunnel between the two stations. In the tunnel there had to be a 900 metres (3,000 ft) long passing loop , to ensure even distances between passing loops along the line. In 1989 the Parliament of Norway approved the plans, including the upgrade of part of the line east of Finse. In total NOK 750 million was invested in rebuilding 32 kilometres (20 mi) of line, shortening it by 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi). At

378-529: A Dutch merchant and treasure fleet supported by the city's garrison. Accidental fires sometimes got out of control, and one in 1702 reduced most of the town to ashes. Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, Bergen remained one of the largest cities in Scandinavia , and it was Norway's biggest city until the 1830s, being overtaken by the capital city of Oslo . From around 1600, the Hanseatic dominance of

504-412: A growth rate of 1.8%. Ninety-six percent of the population lives in urban areas. As of 2002, the average gross income for men above the age of 17 is 426,000 Norwegian krone (NOK), the average gross income for women above the age of 17 is NOK   238,000, with the total average gross income being NOK   330,000. In 2007, there were 104.6 men for every 100 women in the age group of 20–39. 22.8% of

630-473: A higher profitability than 1%. During the 1875 session there was not a majority for the Voss Line, partially due to the lack of capital available from local investors. This was based on a claim from Johan Jørgen Schwartz , the chairman of the committee, that the investment costs were underestimated. This was countered by Nils Henrik Bruun , a constructor from Bergen, who was willing to construct all tunnels on

756-469: A non-Western immigrant background in Bergen. In 2006, this figure had increased to 14,630, so the non-Western immigrant population in Bergen was five times higher than in 1986. This is a slightly slower growth than the national average, which has sextupled during the same period. Also in relation to the total population in Bergen, the proportion of non-Westerns increased significantly. In 1986, the proportion of

882-483: A region without roads and with a climate that saw many metres of snow in the winter and temperatures far below freezing. 113 tunnels, totaling 28 kilometres (17 mi) had to be built; the longest, the 5,311-metre (17,425 ft) Gravehalsen Tunnel , alone costing NOK 3 million and was the longest tunnel north of the Alps. It took six years to build, and had to be excavated manually through solid gneiss . Laying of track

1008-408: A runaway train, finally ploughing into a westbound passenger train at Breifoss, just east of Geilo . The crash and subsequent fire killed 25 civilians and an unknown number of German soldiers. Poor lubrication oil combined with the cold weather is believed to have caused the accident. With Norway's abundance of hydroelectricity and the high cost of importing coal to run the steam locomotives, there

1134-517: A separate county on the same date, and Bergen is now a municipality , in the county of Vestland . The city's history is marked by numerous great fires. In 1198, the Bagler faction set fire to the city in connection with a battle against the Birkebeiner faction during the civil war. In 1248, Holmen and Sverresborg burned, and 11 churches were destroyed. In 1413 another fire struck

1260-706: A significant presence of marine insurance companies, including Norwegian Hull Club . A number of banks maintain large corporate banking divisions in connection with shipping and aquaculture in the city. Bergen is the main base for the Royal Norwegian Navy (at Haakonsvern ) and its international airport Flesland is the main heliport for the Norwegian North Sea oil and gas industry, from where thousands of offshore workers commute to their work places onboard oil and gas rigs and platforms. Bergen Line The Bergen Line , or

1386-494: A similar form existed where the local administrations had less power than previously. (Pertaining to the table above: The acreage figures include fresh water and uninhabited mountain areas, except: 1 The borough Bergenhus is 8.73 km (3.37 sq mi), the rest is water and uninhabited mountain areas. 2 The borough Årstad is 8.47 km (3.27 sq mi), the rest is water and uninhabited mountain areas.) Former borough: Sentrum Sentrum (literally, "Centre")

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1512-481: A trading settlement had already been established in the 1020s or 1030s. Bergen gradually assumed the function of capital of Norway in the early 13th century, as the first city where a rudimentary central administration was established. The city's cathedral was the site of the first royal coronation in Norway in the 1150s, and continued to host royal coronations throughout the 13th century. Bergenhus fortress dates from

1638-504: A transition from tar covered houses, as well as the remaining log houses , to painted and some brick-covered wooden buildings. The last half of the 19th century saw a period of rapid expansion and modernisation. The fire of 1855 west of Torgallmenningen led to the development of regularly sized city blocks in this area of the city centre. The city limits were expanded in 1876, and Nygård , Møhlenpris and Sandviken were urbanized with large-scale construction of city blocks housing both

1764-450: A year bringing nearly a half a million passengers to Bergen, a number that has doubled in 10 years. Almost half of the passengers are German or British. The city's main football team is SK Brann and a unique tradition of the city is the buekorps , which are traditional marching neighbourhood youth organisations. Natives speak a distinct dialect, known as Bergensk . The city features Bergen Airport, Flesland and Bergen Light Rail , and

1890-459: Is berg (n.) or bjǫrg (n.), which translates as 'mountain(s)'. The last element is vin (f.), which means a new settlement where there used to be a pasture or meadow. Bergen is often called "the city among the seven mountains". The playwright Ludvig Holberg , inspired by the seven hills of Rome , decided that his home town must be blessed with a corresponding seven mountains, though locals debate which seven they are. In 1918, there

2016-549: Is single track , and was electrified in 1954–64. The Bergen Line is owned and maintained by Bane NOR , and served with passenger trains by Vy Tog and freight trains by CargoNet . The Flåm Line remains as the only branch line, after the closure of the Hardanger Line . The western section from Bergen to Voss is also served by the Bergen Commuter Rail , and was shortened following the 1966 opening of

2142-750: Is 493 kilometres (306 mi), while the Bergen Line proper is 372 kilometres (231 mi). The line has 182 tunnels, totaling ca. 73 kilometres (45 mi), of which ten are over 2.0 kilometres (1.2 mi). Finse Station remains the highest elevated station at 1,222.2 metres (4,010 ft), while the highest point is now in the Finse Tunnel at 1,237 metres (4,058 ft). Section Oslo – Drammen see → Main article: Drammenbanen Section Drammen – Hønefoss see → Main article: Randsfjordbanen Hønefoss in Storelva (Ringerike) valley

2268-499: Is Bergen's highest mountain, at 987 metres (3,238 ft) above mean sea level . Bergen is far enough north that during clear nights at the solstice, there is borderline civil daylight in spite of the sun having set. Bergen is sheltered from the North Sea by the islands Askøy , Holsnøy (the municipality of Meland ) and Sotra (the municipalities of Fjell and Sund ). Bergen borders the municipalities Alver and Osterøy to

2394-481: Is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway . As of 2022 , its population was roughly 289,330. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway after the national capital Oslo . The municipality covers 465 square kilometres (180 sq mi) and is located on the peninsula of Bergenshalvøyen . The city centre and northern neighbourhoods are on Byfjorden , 'the city fjord'. The city

2520-525: Is also well known in Norway for the Isdal Woman ( Norwegian : Isdalskvinnen ), an unidentified person who was found dead at Isdalen ("Ice Valley") on 29 November 1970. The unsolved case encouraged international speculation over the years and it remains one of the most profound mysteries in recent Norwegian history. The rural municipalities of Arna , Fana , Laksevåg , and Åsane were merged with Bergen on 1 January 1972. The city lost its status as

2646-476: Is divided into eight boroughs, as seen on the map to the right. Clockwise, starting with the northernmost, the boroughs are Åsane , Arna , Fana , Ytrebygda , Fyllingsdalen , Laksevåg , Årstad and Bergenhus . The city centre is located in Bergenhus . Parts of Fana, Ytrebygda, Åsane and Arna are not part of the Bergen urban area, explaining why the municipality has approximately 20,000 more inhabitants than

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2772-469: Is double track service between Bergen central station and Arna station. In January 2016, Norwegian National Rail Administration had plans for doubling the Ultriken tunnel, but it was abolished at the end of that year. Bane NOR who took over the responsibilities for the network, authorised its contractors to start building a second single-track tunnel through the mountain adjacent to the 1960s tunnel. It

2898-510: Is from 2019 consisting of Stadler FLIRT Electric multiple units after a process of which led to phasing out the old NSB Class 69 . The first part to Arna represents an important part of the public transport in Bergen, since the rail direct line through the mountain Ulriken is considerably faster than driving over and around. Express trains operated by NSB have always been the primary passenger service on Bergensbanen. Passenger trains follow

3024-584: Is left by the line northwest into the Sogna valley, where the route uses its northern valley flanks to Sokna . To get to the Krøderen (lake) valley, Bergen Line follows Rudselva , passes by Langevannet and Breidvanne t lakes and also through the 2.3 kilometer Haversting tunnel , which runs parallel to the Norwegian National Road 7 , ( Riksvei 7 ), Ørgenvik tunnel . Hallingdal valley

3150-542: Is located behind Herland , immediately followed by the 7.6 kilometer long Ulriken Tunnel , by which the original, much longer, route via Nesttun could be shortened in 1964. Having reached the urban area of Bergen , the route follows a short part of the old line to the Bergen terminus . Vy Tog operates a commuter rail service from Bergen with two hourly departures to Arna, plus fourteen daily departures to Voss, of which up to six continue to Myrdal. The entire rolling stock

3276-620: Is more important than speed for freight trains. CargoNet operates up to four daily trains from Oslo, plus one from Drammen. Rail freight on (the Bergensbanen ), the Bergen line, increased by 80% from 2001 to 2005, but further growth is not possible without better infrastructure. In 2006, CargoNet indicated they wanted five more passing loops , as well as lengthening them to increase freight train length from 400 metres (1,300 ft) to 600 metres (2,000 ft), claiming they could double freight traffic with adequate infrastructure. Parts of

3402-566: Is pronounced in English / ˈ b ɜːr ɡ ən / or / ˈ b ɛər ɡ ən / and in Norwegian [ˈbæ̀rɡn̩] (in the local dialect [ˈbæ̂ʁɡɛn] ). The Old Norse forms of the name were Bergvin [ˈberɡˌwin] and Bjǫrgvin [ˈbjɔrɡˌwin] (and in Icelandic and Faroese the city is still called Björgvin ). The first element

3528-515: Is reached by its branch Bolstadfjord , the route crosses over to the southern valley flank. With the more than eight kilometer long Trollkona Tunnel, opened in 1987, the route reaches lower Bergsdal and Dale (Vaksdal) . Trollkona had become necessary due to the expansion of the European route E16 (main road connection between Oslo and Bergen ) alongside the Bolstadfjord using partly

3654-412: Is surrounded by mountains, causing Bergen to be called the "city of seven mountains ". Many of the extra-municipal suburbs are on islands. Bergen is the administrative centre of Vestland county. The city consists of eight boroughs: Arna , Bergenhus , Fana , Fyllingsdalen , Laksevåg , Ytrebygda , Årstad , and Åsane . Trading in Bergen may have started as early as the 1020s. According to tradition,

3780-528: Is the highest mainline railway line in Northern Europe, crossing the Hardangervidda plateau at 1,237 metres (4,058 ft) above sea level. The railway opened from Bergen to Voss in 1883 as the narrow gauge Voss Line . In 1909 the route was continued over the mountain to Oslo and the whole route converted to standard gauge , and the Voss Line became part of the Bergen Line. The line

3906-609: Is the largest denomination in Bergen, with 201,006 (79.74%) registered adherents in 2012. Bergen is the seat of the Diocese of Bjørgvin with Bergen Cathedral as its centrepiece, while St John's Church is the city's most prominent. As of 2012, the state church is followed by 52,059 irreligious, 4,947 members of various Protestant free churches , 3,873 actively registered Catholics, 2,707 registered Muslims, 816 registered Hindus, 255 registered Russian Orthodox and 147 registered Oriental Orthodox . The city centre of Bergen lies in

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4032-680: Is the oldest school in Bergen and was founded by Pope Adrian IV in 1153. The " Bergen School of Meteorology " was developed at the Geophysical Institute beginning in 1917, the Norwegian School of Economics was founded in 1936, and the University of Bergen in 1946. The University of Bergen has 16,000 students and 3,000 staff, making it the third-largest educational institution in Norway. Research in Bergen dates back to activity at Bergen Museum in 1825, although

4158-505: Is the terminus of the Bergen Line . Four large bridges connect Bergen to its suburban municipalities. Bergen has a mild winter climate, though with significant precipitation. From December to March, Bergen can, in rare cases, be up to 20 °C (36 °F) warmer than Oslo, even though both cities are at about 60° North. In summer however, Bergen is several degrees cooler than Oslo due to the same maritime effects. The Gulf Stream keeps

4284-436: Is used as a natural corridor further north-west, mostly on the left river bank, serving the larger settlements of Flå and Nesbyen . At Svenkerud to the north of Nesbyen the valley flank is changed. Soutwestbound to Gol , the ascent becomes gradually steeper in the following section to Geilo . The Hardangervidda is actually crossed behind Geilo. Located in the valley of one of the two upper tributaries of Hallingdalselva,

4410-428: The 1873 parliamentary election the railway supporter Peter Jebsen was elected, spending the next few years furiously defending the railway. Parliament chose to not issue new railway projects in the 1874 session, and instead adopt a complete plan for all railway construction in the country—to be proposed by a committee. When the committee reported on 20 March 1875, the Voss Line was not included since it could not show

4536-540: The Bergen Railway ( Norwegian : Bergensbanen or Nynorsk : Bergensbana ), is a 371-kilometre (231 mi) long scenic standard gauge railway line between Bergen and Hønefoss , Norway . The name is often applied to the entire route from Bergen to Oslo , including the Randsfjord  and Drammen lines between Hønefoss and Oslo, covering a total distance of 496 kilometres (308 mi). It

4662-729: The Bergen School of Architecture , the Bergen National Academy of the Arts , located in the city centre with 300 students, and the Norwegian Naval Academy located in Laksevåg. The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research has been located in Bergen since 1900. It provides research and advice relating to ecosystems and aquaculture. It has a staff of 700 people. In August 2004, Time magazine named

4788-618: The Black Death was brought to Norway by an English ship arriving in Bergen. Later outbreaks occurred in 1618, 1629 and 1637, on each occasion taking about 3,000 lives. In the 15th century, the city was attacked several times by the Victual Brothers , and in 1429 they succeeded in burning the royal castle and much of the city. In 1665, the city's harbour was the site of the Battle of Vågen , when an English naval flotilla attacked

4914-542: The Class 73 tilting trains , branded as Signatur and capable of 210 kilometres per hour (130 mph). However, they cannot be used at those speeds on any part of the Bergen Line, and only some parts of the Asker Line and around Finse can they operate quicker than the other rollingstock used. There has also been reason to doubt their winter capability on the very demanding Bergen Line. Occasionally they have been stuck in

5040-529: The German occupation of Norway , it was a demanding time for the Norwegian State Railways as a whole. This railway line was also very busy. The track was in heavy use for both German military and civilian transportation, and much of the equipment and maintenance was lacking. On 28 February 1944, a descending eastbound freight train loaded with oil and petrol lost its braking power and became

5166-510: The Norway/Vänern Line and had an excess of skilled labor for construction. This import of labor had the effect of pumping money into the local economy, and several taverns were built along the line. There were some accidents, and several deaths among the workers. The construction work was finished in 1882 and some test services began, though not scheduled until the spring of 1883. Official opening commenced on 11 July 1883. Many of

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5292-597: The Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications . In 2018 the fastest line used 6 hours and 32 minutes from Oslo to Bergen. Freight trains are operated by CargoNet , hauled by El 14 and El 16 locomotives. Most transport is from the terminal at Alnabru in Oslo to the terminal at Bergen Station. Freight trains use the Roa-Hønefoss Line instead of going via Drammen since it is shorter—distance

5418-611: The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority was unable to establish a clear and demonstrable direct cause for the fire: but they stated that the highest risks were Hot work , electrical installations, or hot particles from trains. The Bergen Line as a through line is used for up to five express trains operated by Norwegian State Railways, as well as freight trains by CargoNet . From Myrdal to Bergen there are commuter rail services operated by NSB. The total distance from Oslo to Bergen via Drammen

5544-521: The Overhead line might be vulnerable to bad weather, particularly snow and ice. A test 16.5KV transformer was set up at Finse to see if the catenary could be kept ice-free, and it could. The following year NSB launched the "away with the steam" campaign that would replace all steam locomotives with electric or diesel traction. Since electrification was not imminent, the NSB introduced diesel traction on

5670-713: The Ulriken Tunnel . The first documented proposal for building a railway between Norway's two largest cities was announced by Andreas Tanberg Gløersen on 24 August 1871 in Bergensposten . The forest supervisor in Voss suggested building the railway via Voss and Hallingdal , connecting with the Krøderen Line . In 1866, Gløersen had come up with the idea of the Jæren Line . Within days of his proposal for

5796-497: The Usteåne , the railway line runs alongside a number of smaller lakes to the culmination point near Finse . Before Finse, the 2.7 kilometer long Gråskallen tunnel at Haugastøl station is the first important improvement of the section. Immediately after the highest station Finse, the more than 10 kilometer long Finsetunnel was built, which replaced the original open route at over 1200 meters above sea level. At Høgheller junction,

5922-746: The catchment area of the Vosso is pierced: Now the railway line, built partly high on the northern flanks of the valleys, uses the merging upper valleys of the Uppsetf , the Kleielva and the Raundalselva westwards until lake Vangsvatnet in Voss is reached. From here, the Vosso valley corridor is used on its northern flank as far as Bulken station . At Bolstadøyri , where the Atlantic Ocean

6048-497: The 1240s and guards the entrance to the harbour in Bergen. The functions of the capital city were lost to Oslo during the reign of King Haakon V (1299–1319). In the middle of the 14th century, North German merchants, who had already been present in substantial numbers since the 13th century, founded one of the four Kontore of the Hanseatic League at Bryggen in Bergen. The principal export traded from Bergen

6174-448: The 1950s was it again possible to afford such investments. Vossebanen took electric traction into use on 2 July 1954. The electricity is supplied via an overhead line. In 1952 a new plan was launched by parliament to electrify 1,153 kilometres (716 mi) of railway, with the line from Voss to Hønefoss prioritized fourth. This section of the line was considered "difficult" because of tight curves, difficult track alignment; and also that

6300-455: The Arna end are to be blasted between the old and the new tunnels to allow trains to switch from one to the other; as well as blasting 16 other common interconnections for escape and for installing infrastructure. Double running will only be achieved when the refurbishment of the old 1960s tunnel is complete; and the second half of Arna station, linked to the old tunnel has been rebuilt. To obtain

6426-406: The Bergen Line in 1958. The line was electrified in four stages, from Roa to Hønefoss on 1 February 1961, from Hønefoss to Ål on 1 December 1962, from Ål to Ustaoset on 15 December 1963 and finally from Ustaoset to Voss on 7 December 1964. As the point of electrification moved across the mountain, so did the point NSB changed locomotive on the train. The new locomotive El 13 was put into service on

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6552-528: The Bergen Line, but in July 1872 surveys were performed in person by Pihl and two engineers, and their report was positive. At the same time he launched the idea of a branch line up Valdres to Lærdal . By 1873, an agreement had been reached as to the right-of-way to Voss, but not onwards towards Oslo. On 13 January 1874, the Bergen city council started issuing stock for the Voss Line, to begin with 400,000 Norwegian speciedaler (NOK 1.6 million ) were issued. In

6678-473: The Bergen Line, the city council expressed support for the suggestion. In 1872, the railway director Carl Abraham Pihl and two engineers went on a survey tour along suggested line. At the time it was common that proposals for railways came from local initiative, and that local municipalities and private investors would then pay for about 20% of the investments, the state covering the rest, mostly through foreign debt . On 20 October 1871 two engineers traversed

6804-551: The Bergen Line. Several different routes had been proposed, including over Krøderen , or down Numedal (where the Numedal Line would later be built). In the end Hallingdal was chosen, connecting to Hønefoss and on to Oslo via Sandvika. To save costs a preliminary line would connect Hønefoss to Roa with the branch Roa–Hønefoss Line . The final line would run along the Gjøvik Line to Oslo. The line would also connect to

6930-686: The Communist Party. On 20 April 1944, during the German occupation, the Dutch cargo ship Voorbode anchored off the Bergenhus Fortress , loaded with over 120 tons of explosives, and blew up, killing at least 150 people and damaging historic buildings. The city was subject to some Allied bombing raids , aimed at German naval installations in the harbour. Some of these caused Norwegian civilian casualties numbering about 100. Bergen

7056-678: The Drammen Line and the Asker Line to Drammen, before heading north to Hønefoss on the Randsfjord Line. The express trains offer both transport from villages along the line to either Bergen or Oslo, as well travel between Norway's two largest cities. Expresses are locomotive -hauled trains with modernized coaches. Six nights a week there is a night train service. Several parts of the line service places without road access, such as Finse and Myrdal. Operating deficits are covered by

7182-661: The Finse snow removal facility was closed. Snow drifts and harsh weather (see "Construction of the Bergen Line" section above) had been a problem in the higher-altitude regions of the Bergen line: in one case causing the abandonment of an official opening in December 1909. Hallingskied station is a station built on the Hardangervidda plateau, within an area without population or road access, at an elevation of 1,110 meters (3,640 ft) above mean sea level . The station therefore serves trekkers and mountaineers. The first station, built in

7308-411: The Randsfjord Line to Hønefoss. This allows the trains to pass through more densely populated areas and on trackage with more capacity. However, the change of route actually increased the length between the two termini by 23 kilometres (14 mi). But the better track standard via Drammen results in about the same travel time. Freight trains still goes via Roa. During winter NSB had large costs keeping

7434-456: The city is caused by orographic lift , sometimes causing more than two months of consecutive rainy days. The city is therefore considered the rainiest city in Europe, although it is not the wettest "place" on the continent. Bergen's weather is much warmer than the city's latitude (60.4° N) might suggest. Temperatures below −10 °C (14 °F) are rare. Summer temperatures sometimes reach

7560-520: The city one of Europe's 14 "secret capitals" where Bergen's capital reign is acknowledged within maritime businesses and activities such as aquaculture and marine research , with the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) (the second-largest oceanography research centre in Europe) as a leading institution. Some of the world's largest aquaculture companies, such as Mowi and Lerøy are headquartered in

7686-412: The city was founded in 1070 by King Olav Kyrre and was named Bjørgvin, 'the green meadow among the mountains'. It served as Norway's capital in the 13th century, and from the end of the 13th century became a bureau city of the Hanseatic League . Until 1789, Bergen enjoyed exclusive rights to mediate trade between Northern Norway and abroad, and it was the largest city in Norway until the 1830s when it

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7812-517: The city's industrial sector, particularly in the neighbourhood of Møhlenpris , which is named after him. Bergen retained its monopoly of trade with northern Norway until 1789. The Bergen stock exchange, the Bergen børs , was established in 1813. Bergen was separated from Hordaland as a county of its own in 1831. It was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt ). The rural municipality of Bergen landdistrikt

7938-674: The city's trade gradually declined in favour of Norwegian merchants (often of Hanseatic ancestry), and in the 1750s, the Kontor , or major trading post of the Hanseatic League, finally closed. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Bergen was involved in the Atlantic slave trade . Bergen-based slave trader Jørgen Thormøhlen , the largest shipowner in Norway, was the main owner of the slave ship Cornelia , which made two slave-trading voyages in 1673 and 1674 respectively; he also developed

8064-500: The city, and 14 churches were destroyed. In 1428 the city was plundered by the Victual Brothers , and in 1455, Hanseatic merchants were responsible for burning down Munkeliv Abbey . In 1476, Bryggen burned down in a fire started by a drunk trader. In 1582, another fire hit the city centre and Strandsiden . In 1675, 105 buildings burned down in Øvregaten . In 1686 another great fire hit Strandsiden , destroying 231 city blocks and 218 boathouses. The greatest fire in history

8190-420: The city. The municipality has had a parliamentary government since 2000. Up until then, Bergen had been governed by the city council ( formannskap ). The government now consists of seven government members called commissioners, and is appointed by the city council, the supreme authority of the city. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party . Bergen

8316-481: The city. Shipowners based in Bergen control a significant portion of the Norwegian merchant fleet, including shipowners such as Wilson , Odfjell and Gearbulk . The city has a large presence of financial institutions. Banks Sbanken and Sparebanken Vest are headquartered in the city. The Norwegian branches of insurance companies Tryg , DNB Livsforsikring and Nordea Liv are headquartered in Bergen, along with

8442-423: The construction of three single-track tunnels, Ulriken Tunnel (7,660 metres or 25,130 feet), Arnanipa Tunnel (2,177 metres or 7,142 feet) and Tunestveit Tunnel (40 metres or 130 feet). This plan was approved by parliament in 1956, based on private financing from the businessman Fritz Rieber . Construction started in 1959 with the tunnels being finished in 1963, while track laying was finished on 29 May 1964, when

8568-466: The continuous traffic on the line, with 36 departures per day to Nesttun, six to Garnes and four to Voss. In preparation a few curves had to be straightened, the tunnels widened and the bridges strengthened. On the night of 10–11 August 1904 all the track was changed and in the morning the trains could operate on standard gauge to Voss. The first services started on 1 July 1907 from Voss to Myrdal . An official opening train attempted to cross part of

8694-408: The early 1900s, did not have a snow tunnel when it opened, but snow tunnels and snow fences were progressively added after the autumn of 1909 to cover the running line, the passing loop and the station itself. Part of the snow tunnel caught fire in 1948 and spread to the station; and, there was another fire in the snow tunnel in 1953. Yet another fire in 1960, this time external to the tunnel, caused

8820-503: The electric parts. The electrification cost NOK 143 million. The express trains have as one of the main lines always been allocated the newest locomotives by NSB. When the El 14 was delivered in 1968, it was put into service on Bergensbanen, as was the El 16 in 1977, the El 17 in 1981, and finally the El 18 in 1996. The older locomotives have been relegated to freight service. In 2000 electric multiple units were put into service with

8946-481: The electrical supply to the catenary failed; and Telenor telephone cables and communications systems in the area. There were no injuries to the passengers, but they lost all their belongings left behind in the train. This closed the line for seven-days between Myrdal and Finse ; and through traffic on the Bergen line did not reopen until the evening of 23 June 2011. The official accident report, published in May 2012 by

9072-495: The financing was private, it would still have to use the same funding as government debt, and would jeopardize other projects, like the Nordland Line . Shortly afterwards a revised plan, the "Little Rieberplan" was accepted. The first 32 kilometres (20 mi) of the line from Bergen to Takvam represented a very roundabout way, and it was clear that it would be possible to reduce the line by 21 kilometres (13 mi) with

9198-415: The fire of 1955, when a large number of the buildings burned to the ground. Instead of being demolished, the remaining buildings were restored and accompanied by reconstructions of some of the burned buildings. Demolition of old buildings and occasionally whole city blocks is still taking place, the most recent major example being the 2007 razing of Jonsvollskvartalet at Nøstet. Billboards are banned in

9324-501: The first train entered the tunnel. As the new tunnel line deviated from the original line near Arna, a new Arna station had to be constructed adjacent to the tunnel mouth. This also opened in May 1964. The opening of this tunnel meant that it replaced part of the original and that part was no longer needed as a main line. It became a heritage line: the Old Voss Line ( Norwegian : Gamle Vossebanen ). As of May 2nd 2024 there

9450-521: The full benefit of this work, it is intended to double the track all the way from the tunnel to Bergen. In 1980, the Oslo Tunnel was opened, allowing trains along the Drammen Line to go to the new Oslo Central Station , an upgrade of the former Oslo Ø. As a consequence of this, passenger trains were since the late 1980s rerouted via Drammen instead of via Roa, following the Drammen Line and

9576-573: The large industrial activity in the area. The workers' homes in this area were poorly built, and little remains after large-scale redevelopment in the 1960s–1980s. After Årstad became a part of Bergen in 1916, a development plan was applied to the new area. Few city blocks akin to those in Nygård and Møhlenpris were planned. Many of the worker class built their own homes, and many small, detached apartment buildings were built. After World War II, Bergen had again run short of land to build on, and, contrary to

9702-457: The largest part started in March 1876. During the winter the engineers had done the last finesses on the plans. At any given time at least 800 men worked on construction, and at the peak 1,800 men were employed. They worked 12 hours per day, for which they had a daily wage of NOK 2.55, the highest wage for navvies in the country. To a large extent the labor came from Sweden, who had just finished

9828-409: The last overnight freeze (low below 0 °C (32.0 °F)) in spring is April 4 and average date for first freeze in autumn is November 7 giving a frost-free season of 216 days. Extreme temperatures are also quite rare in the city. The highest temperature ever recorded was 33.4 °C (92.1 °F) on 26 July 2019, beating the previous record from 2018 at 32.6 °C (90.7 °F) degrees, and

9954-503: The line from Hønefoss to Sandvika (the "proposed" Ringerike Line ) and electrify the railway. This would save 64 kilometres (40 mi). Since NSB based their fares on the route length travelled, financing would be covered by a surcharge equal to the distance saved; ticket price would remain the same and within twenty years the debt would be covered. The government opposed the suggestion — the newspaper editor and Norwegian Labour Party politician Trygve Bratteli commenting that even though

10080-433: The line snow-free. Large diesel-electric snowploughs were stationed at Finse , and tens of kilometers of snow sheds were built on the most vulnerable parts. Especially the 22 kilometres (14 mi) part between Finse Station and Hallingskeid was a drain on resources, and heavy snowfall and drifts regularly closed the entire line. A solution was proposed by NSB's director Robert Nordén in 1984, involving construction of

10206-416: The line to Gulsvik on 9 December 1907, but got stuck in heavy snow and had to return. The railway had to close and it took one and a half months to clear it of snow. Even a rotary snowplow at 750 kW was not powerful enough to get rid of the snow. A new attempt to open the line in 1908 succeeded, and a train ran from Gulsvik to Bergen. The line from Roa to Gulsvik was still under construction, so passage

10332-410: The loss of the snow tunnel; the railway station, which was rebuilt in 1970; and the station hotel, which was not replaced. On 16 June 2011, a possible welding accident may have been the "cause behind a fire" in the snow tunnel at Hallingskeid Station . The fire lead to the complete destruction of all infrastructure in the snow tunnel, the twin Class 73 electric multiple unit trapped in the tunnel as

10458-502: The lowest was −16.3 °C (2.7 °F) in January 1987. The city is quite cloudy year round, although old sunshine hours data might have caused an underestimate of sunshine hours, due to the city's mountainside location. A new sun recorder was established at Bergen Airport, Flesland (a location with less terrain obscuring the sun) in December 2015, and this recorded an average of 1,596 hours of sun annually during 2016–2022. As of

10584-453: The majority of the population lives in relatively sparsely populated residential areas built after 1950. While some are dominated by apartment buildings and modern terraced houses (e.g. Fyllingsdalen ), others are dominated by single-family homes . The oldest part of Bergen is the area around the bay of Vågen in the city centre. Originally centred on the bay's eastern side, Bergen eventually expanded west and southwards. Few buildings from

10710-473: The majority of the railway network in Norway between 1883 and the end of 1996. On 1 December 1996, Norwegian State Railways (NSB) was demerged to create three organisations: On 1 January 2017, as part of the railway reforms: In September 1954, Rieber suggested a package for the politicians, where he would create a company that would borrow money to build both the Ulriken Tunnel, a shortening of

10836-486: The navvies settled on Vossebanen after construction, and started working for the Norwegian State Railways (NSB) on the operation of the line. By the time the Voss Line was completed Norway had entered a recession . Parliament was not willing to give more money to railways, and the country had to make do with a transport plan launched in 1886 that did not follow up with any funding. On 1 March 1894 parliament after five days of debate chose, with 60 against 53 votes, to build

10962-471: The new line merges back into the original road, which runs along the northern flank of the Moldåtal with numerous enclosures. After bridging the river and thus changing the traveled on side of the valley, the route passes by Seltuftvatnet and Reinungavatnet lakes. Behind that, Myrdal and Flåmsbana is reached. With the following Gravhals tunnel, more than five kilometers long, the mountain massif to

11088-554: The new tunnel has a double portal at Arna station and is double-tracked for a short distance, before combining into a single running track. Bane NOR awarded a contract to Grupo Azvi to refurbish the old 1960s tunnel, with work due to start in February 2021 and due to finish in June 2023. The requirement is do this refurbishment without lifting the existing rail track. As part of this work it will be fire-proofed; two diagonal tunnels at

11214-420: The north, Vaksdal and Samnanger to the east, Os ( Bjørnafjorden ) and Austevoll to the south, and Øygarden and Askøy to the west. Bergen has an oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb , Trewartha : Dolk ), with mild summers and cool winters. Rainfall is plentiful in all seasons, along with intermittent snowfall during winter, which often melts quickly. The exceptionally plentiful precipitation that defines

11340-586: The old railway line substructure. South of Dale, at Stanghelle , the Veafjord , which merges into the Sørfjord (Osterøy) , is reached. On its south-east bank, the route to Herland passes by the Osterøy Bridge . Worth mentioning is the six kilometer long Hananipa tunnel between Vaksdal and Trengereid , which was put into operation in 1970 as line improvement. The 2.2 kilometer long Arnanipa tunnel

11466-416: The oldest period remain, the most significant being St Mary's Church from the 12th century. For several hundred years, the extent of the city remained almost constant. The population was stagnant, and the city limits were narrow. In 1702, seven-eighths of the city burned. Most of the old buildings of Bergen, including Bryggen (which was rebuilt in a mediaeval style), were built after the fire. The fire marked

11592-568: The original plans, many large apartment buildings were built in Landås in the 1950s and 1960s. Bergen acquired Fyllingsdalen from Fana municipality in 1955. Like similar areas in Oslo (e.g. Lambertseter ), Fyllingsdalen was developed into a modern suburb with large apartment buildings, mid-rises , and some single-family homes, in the 1960s and 1970s. Similar developments took place beyond Bergen's city limits, for example in Loddefjord . At

11718-458: The period 1993–2008 increased by 119.7%, while the ethnic Norwegian population grew by 8.1% during the same period. The national average is 138.0% and 4.2%. The immigrant population has thus accounted for 43.6% of Bergen's population growth and 60.8% of Norway's population growth during the period 1993–2008, compared with 84.5% in Oslo. The immigrant population in Bergen has changed a lot since 1970. As of 1 January 1986, there were 2,870 people with

11844-485: The plans was carried out in its original form; the Marken and Stølen redevelopment plans were discarded and that of Nordnes only carried out in the area that had been most damaged by war. The city council of Bergen had in 1964 voted to demolish the entirety of Marken, however, the decision proved to be highly controversial and the decision was reversed in 1974. Bryggen was under threat of being wholly or partly demolished after

11970-473: The poor and the wealthy. Their architecture is influenced by a variety of styles; historicism , classicism and Art Nouveau . The wealthy built villas between Møhlenpris and Nygård, and on the side of Mount Fløyen; these areas were also added to Bergen in 1876. Simultaneously, an urbanization process was taking place in Solheimsviken in Årstad, at that time outside the Bergen municipality, centred on

12096-528: The population were under 17   years of age, while 4.5% were 80 and above. The immigrant population (those with two foreign-born parents) in Bergen, includes 42,169 individuals with backgrounds from more than 200 countries representing 15.5% of the city's population (2014). Of these, 50.2% have background from Europe, 28.9% from Asia, 13.1% from Africa, 5.5% from Latin America, 1.9% from North America, and 0.4% from Oceania. The immigrant population in Bergen in

12222-415: The railway for less than the budgeted sum. When Jebsen in addition was willing to act as personal guarantee for Bruun in case of his death, the majority in the parliament shifted. On 9 June 1875 parliament voted with 61 against 42 to build the Voss Line. The Voss Line was built with narrow gauge, 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ). The first parts of the construction started in December 1875, while

12348-468: The rest of the network via the Randsfjorden Line at Hønefoss. Local financing was ready within a year, yet it took six years to survey the line properly, and construction start had to wait until 1901. Construction started with the building of roads to get in supplies to the construction sites, completed in 1902. The construction was exceptionally challenging, taking place at high altitudes in

12474-494: The same time as planned city expansion took place inside Bergen, its extra-municipal suburbs also grew rapidly. Wealthy citizens of Bergen had been living in Fana since the 19th century, but as the city expanded it became more convenient to settle in the municipality. Similar processes took place in Åsane and Laksevåg. Most of the homes in these areas are detached row houses , single family homes or small apartment buildings. After

12600-409: The same time the permitted speed could be increased from 70 kilometres per hour (43 mph) to 160 kilometres per hour (99 mph). The tunnel opened on 16 June 1992 while the rest of the upgrades opened in five steps between 1995 and 1998. The highest point on the line, previously at 1,301 metres (4,268 ft), became 1,237 metres (4,058 ft)—located inside the tunnel. After the tunnel opened,

12726-520: The sea relatively warm, considering the latitude, and the mountains protect the city from cold winds from the north, north-east and east. The city of Bergen was traditionally thought to have been founded by king Olav Kyrre , son of Harald Hardråde in 1070   AD, four years after the Viking Age in England ended with the Battle of Stamford Bridge . Modern research has, however, discovered that

12852-415: The snow, and on 21 February 2007, a multiple unit derailed after running into a pack of snow. As refurbished carriages become available, the multiple units will be removed from the line, and replaced by traditional locomotive-hauled trains. The Norwegian State Railways ( Norwegian : Norges Statsbaner or NSB ), a government agency / directorate, was the state-owned railway organisation which operated

12978-723: The start of 2022 , the municipality had a population of 286,930, making the population density 599 people per km . Urban areas outside the city limits, as defined by Statistics Norway , consist of Indre Arna (6,536 residents on 1 January 2012), Fanahammeren (3,690), Ytre Arna (2,626), Hylkje (2,277) and Espeland (2,182). As of 2007, people of Norwegian origin (those who have two parents born in Norway) make up 84.5% of Bergen's residents. In addition, 8.1% were first or second generation immigrants of Western background and 7.4% were first or second generation immigrants of non-Western background. The population grew by 4,549 people in 2009,

13104-553: The surrounding municipalities were merged with Bergen in 1972, expansion has continued in largely the same manner, although the municipality encourages condensing near commercial centres, future Bergen Light Rail stations, and elsewhere. As part of the modernisation wave of the 1950s and 1960s, and due to damage caused by World War II, the city government ambitiously planned redevelopment of many areas in central Bergen. The plans involved demolition of several neighbourhoods of wooden houses, namely Nordnes , Marken, and Stølen. None of

13230-629: The total population in the municipality of non-Western background was 3.6%. In January 2006, people with a non-Western immigrant background accounted for 6 percent of the population in Bergen. The share of Western immigrants has remained stable at around 2% in the period. The number of Poles in Bergen rose from 697 in 2006 to 3,128 in 2010. As of 2022, immigrants of non-Western origin and their children enumerated 30,540, and made up an estimated 11% of Bergen's population. Immigrants of Western origin and their children enumerated 22,954, and made up an estimated 9% of Bergen's population. The Church of Norway

13356-405: The town, where Middle Low German was used, enjoying exclusive rights to trade with the northern fishermen who each summer sailed to Bergen. The Hansa community resented Scottish merchants who settled in Bergen, and on 9 November 1523 several Scottish households were targeted by German residents. Today, Bergen's old quayside, Bryggen , is on UNESCO 's list of World Heritage Sites . In 1349,

13482-400: The tunnel and at Arna station , to replace the manually controlled system at Arna station that has been in use since 1964; and upgrading half of Arna station. The new tunnel opened on 13 December 2020 and the signalling system was linked into the train control centre in Bergen. Because of space constraints at Arna station, due to the need to move trains between platforms within the station,

13608-502: The two possible routes from Bergen to Voss; the one via Fana , Os and Hardangerfjord , the other via Dale and Sørfjord . Though covering a less populated area, the latter would be cheaper to build, and have less elevation. A railway committee was created on 25 January 1872 with a limited mandate, which was expanded on 20 December. At the same time there was a dispute between the Ministry of Labour and Pihl about whether to prioritize

13734-786: The university was not founded until 1946. The university has a broad range of courses and research in academic fields and three national centres of excellence, in climate research , petroleum research and medieval studies . The main campus is located in the city centre. The university co-operates with Haukeland University Hospital within medical research. The Chr. Michelsen Institute is an independent research foundation established in 1930 focusing on human rights and development issues. The Western Norway University of Applied Sciences , which has its main campus in Kronstad , has 16,000 students and 1800 staff. It focuses on professional education, such as teaching, healthcare and engineering. The college

13860-562: The upper 20s, although temperatures over 30   °C were previously only seen a few days each decade. The growing season in Bergen is exceptionally long for its latitude, more than 200 days. Its mild winters and proximity to the Gulf Stream provide the city with a plant hardiness zone of 8b and 9a depending on location; this zone is much more common below 50°N even in Europe, with cities as far south as Bordeaux , Thessaloniki and Istanbul falling into this category. The average date for

13986-488: The urban area is on or close to a fjord or bay, although the urban area has several mountains. The city centre is surrounded by the Seven Mountains , although there is disagreement as to which of the nine mountains constitute these. Ulriken , Fløyen , Løvstakken and Damsgårdsfjellet are always included as well as three of Lyderhorn , Sandviksfjellet , Blåmanen , Rundemanen and Kolbeinsvarden . Gullfjellet

14112-403: The urban area. Local borough administrations have varied since Bergen's expansion in 1972. From 1974, each borough had a politically chosen administration. From 1989, Bergen was divided into 12 health and social districts, each locally administered. From 2000 to 2004, the former organizational form with eight politically chosen local administrations was again in use and from 2008 through to 2010,

14238-402: The west of the municipality, facing the fjord of Byfjorden . It is among a group of mountains known as the Seven Mountains , although the number is a matter of definition. From here, the urban area of Bergen extends to the north, west and south, and to its east is a large mountain massif. Outside the city centre and the surrounding neighbourhoods (i.e. Årstad , inner Laksevåg and Sandviken ),

14364-647: Was a borough (with the same name as a present-day neighbourhood ). The borough was numbered 01 , and its perimeter was from Store Lungegårdsvann and Strømmen along Puddefjorden around Nordnes and over to Skuteviken, up Mt. Fløyen east of Langelivannet, on to Skansemyren and over Forskjønnelsen to Store Lungegårdsvann, south of the railroad tracks. The population of the (now defunct) borough, numbered in 1994 more than 18,000 people. There are 64 elementary schools, 18 lower secondary schools and 20 upper secondary schools in Bergen, as well as 11 combined elementary and lower secondary schools. Bergen Cathedral School

14490-461: Was a campaign to reintroduce the Norse form Bjørgvin as the name of the city. This was turned down – but as a compromise, the name of the diocese was changed to Bjørgvin bispedømme . Bergen occupies most of the peninsula of Bergenshalvøyen in the district of Midthordland in mid-western Hordaland. The municipality covers an area of 465 square kilometres (180 square miles). Most of

14616-407: Was again proposed to electrify the line. However, although both the branch lines were built with electric traction, the main line was not. Counter-suggestions were raised proposing a conversion to the locomotives running on oil or coal dust . In 1939 a plan for national electrification was launched, and the Voss Line was top priority. But the breakout of World War II set the plans back, and not until

14742-529: Was along the Drammen Line via the Krøder Line with ship over Krøderen to Gulsvik. The first scheduled train from Oslo West Station to Bergen departed on 10 June 1908. On 25 November 1909 a train en route from Bergen rolled into Oslo Østbanestasjon , and two days later the railway was officially opened at Voss. King Haakon VII stated upon the opening that the line was the Norwegian engineering masterpiece of his generation. In World War II , during

14868-459: Was considerable economic benefit to be realised by electrifying the line. Plans for the electrification of the line had existed since the line was opened. In 1912 the line from Nesttun to Bergen was proposed electrified and rebuilt to double track, following the opening of the electrified Thamshavn Line in 1908. During the planning of the Hardanger Line and the Flåm Line during the 1930s it

14994-400: Was created through amalgamation in 1994; campuses are spread around town but will be co-located at Kronstad . The Norwegian School of Economics is located in outer Sandviken and is the leading business school in Norway, having produced three Economy Nobel Prize laureates. The school has more than 3,000 students and approximately 400 staff. Other tertiary education institutions include

15120-452: Was dried cod from the northern Norwegian coast, which started c.  1100 . The city was granted a monopoly for trade from the north of Norway by King Håkon Håkonsson (1217–1263). Stockfish was the main reason that the city became one of North Europe's largest centres for trade. By the late 14th century, Bergen had established itself as the centre of the trade in Norway. The Hanseatic merchants lived in their own separate quarter of

15246-468: Was in 1702, when 90% of the city was burned to ashes. In 1751, there was a great fire at Vågsbunnen . In 1756, yet another fire at Strandsiden burned down 1,500 buildings, and further great fires hit Strandsiden in 1771 and 1901. In 1916, 300 buildings burned down in the city centre including the Swan pharmacy , the oldest pharmacy in Norway, and in 1955 parts of Bryggen burned down. Bergen

15372-425: Was its own county . In 1972 the municipality absorbed four surrounding municipalities and became a part of Hordaland county. The city is an international centre for aquaculture, shipping, the offshore petroleum industry and subsea technology, and a national centre for higher education, media, tourism and finance. Bergen Port is Norway's busiest in terms of both freight and passengers, with over 300 cruise ship calls

15498-444: Was merged with Bergen on 1 January 1877. The rural municipality of Årstad was merged with Bergen on 1 July 1915. During World War II, Bergen was occupied on the first day of the German invasion on 9 April 1940, after a brief fight between German ships and the Norwegian coastal artillery . The Norwegian resistance movement groups in Bergen were Saborg , Milorg , " Theta-gruppen " , Sivorg , Stein-organisasjonen and

15624-400: Was overtaken by the capital, Christiania (now known as Oslo ). What remains of the quays, Bryggen , is a World Heritage Site. The city was hit by numerous fires over the years. The Bergen School of Meteorology was developed at the Geophysical Institute starting in 1917, the Norwegian School of Economics was founded in 1936, and the University of Bergen in 1946. From 1831 to 1972, Bergen

15750-413: Was started in 1906, and in 1907 the two groups, both having started at their own end, met at Ustaoset. A small celebration was held at the spot (see image). It had been decided that the Bergen Line, unlike the Voss Line, was to be built with standard gauge . So, the newly laid line from Bergen to Voss had to be converted in time for the opening of the Bergen Line. This was especially challenging because of

15876-418: Was to be constructed in a number of main contracts: the first was boring the single-bore 7.7 kilometres (4.8 mi)) tunnel, which began in January 2016, and was completed on 29 August 2017. The second was the installation of the infrastructure: installing the rails in the form of a cast fixed track ; the overhead catenary ; a tunnel drainage system; installing a remotely-controlled signalling system both in

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