My stay in Bergen with Tom is amusing and educational at once.
My Norwegian friend is patiently showing me all the most interesting places in Bergen,
which is a very ancient town!
I'm posing here in front of Rosenkrantz Tower, which dates back to medieval times.
The tower was erected by the governor of Bergen Castle (Bergenhus), Erik Rosenkrantz,
and served as a combined residence and fortified tower to Bergen. Earlier structures existed -King Magnus Lagabote’s (Magnus the Lawmender) keep from about 1270 and Jorgen Hansson’s defences from about 1520. Both these were incorporated by Erik Rosenkrantz.
The view of the sea front is amazing.
You can take a tour of the castle there and learn some interesting stories about life in those days.
The true medieval town lies between the Bergenhus/Sverresborg fortresses and the present Cathedral. It is within these limits that the main features of medieval Bergen are to be found,
with the seats of royal and ecclesiastical power at Bergenhus,
the medieval harbour at Bryggen and the medieval housing area in Vågsbunnen.