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Bryggen and Bergen fish market – UNESCO heritage meets fresh seafood

Bryggen's colorful wooden buildings have stood since the 1700s, when Hanseatic merchants dominated Northern European trade. Today, this UNESCO World Heritage site sits steps from Bergen's famous fish market – where you can taste fresh seafood pulled from Norwegian waters that morning. Two must-see Bergen experiences, a few minutes apart.
3 min readUpdated: Mar 4, 2026By: The Fjord Tours team
Dusk view of waterfront with boats and hillside town lights.

Bryggen harbour in Bergen

The Bryggen area - one of Bergen's main attractions - consists of a series of commercial buildings that line the eastern side of the fjord in Bergen. Its architecture is unique and since 1979, it has been listed by UNESCO as one of the world's most significant examples of the history and culture of a medieval settlement. The administrative buildings of Bryggen housed clerks from many areas, especially Germany. The warehouses were filled with goods, particularly fish from Northern Norway, and cereal from Europe.
During its history, Bergen has experienced many fires and around a quarter of the buildings now date back to the time after 1702, when the older wharf-side warehouses and administrative buildings burned down. The rest predominantly consists of younger buildings, although there are some stone cellars that date back to the 15th century.
Brightly lit wooden buildings in Bergen with moonlit night sky.
Today, Bryggen is a fascinating honeycomb of workshops – where painters, weavers and craftsmen produce fine-quality, original items. Bryggen also has a wide selection of places to eat and museums telling the story of Bryggen and Bergen.

Facts about Bryggen:

  • Part of the Hanseatic League’s trading empire from the 14th to the mid-16th centur
  • The first German clerks were established at Bryggen in 1230
  • Included on Unesco´s Wold Heritage List in 1979
  • Today, some 62 buildings remain of this former townscape
  • Location: Bergen city centre, next to the Fish Market
  • Price: Free admission, open air attraction
People walking in narrow wooden alley with historic charm.

At Bryggen you can:

  • See the unique architecture, listed on UNESCOs World Heritage List
  • Learn the story of Bryggen and Bergen in one of the museums
  • Visit workshops where weavers and craftsmen produce fine-quality, original items
  • Relax and get something to eat in beautiful surroundings
Fishmonger at Bergen market prepares seafood at a stall surrounded by fresh fish, boats, and waterfront buildings.

Bergen fish market

The Bergen fish market is a picturesque and lively spot in the heart of Bergen. As the name would suggest the stalls in the market mainly sells fish, but you can also buy fruit, vegetables, handcrafted objects and souvenirs. A lot of people enjoy buying fresh shrimp and eat them by the market stalls or at Bryggen next to the fish market.
People sit on benches by the Bergen harbor, enjoying sunshine with boats and a glass building in the background.
The Bergen fish market is most active during the summer, during the winter season and colder periods a lot of trade has moved indoor to the Mathallen.
A market vendor with short, curly red hair smiles while holding up a large lobster at a seafood stall.

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