Hieronimus Scholaeus’ prospect of Bergen
Hieronimus Scholaeus’ prospect of Bergen was painted about 1580 and published in Cologne in 1588 in a large atlas with pictures of “cities from the whole world” (Civitates orbis terrarum. The edition which is presented here was published in Amsterdam in 1657. Although the picture of the city is the same as on prospect from 1580, the original Hanseatic cargo ships are replaced with more up to date Dutch fløytskip, a flat-bottomed, three-masted trading vessel with an ample hull. The low houses portrayed here with the red roofs would mostly have had turf roofs. (photo: Svein Skare, owner: Universitetsmuseet i Bergen (B 1332)).
Bergen – The Urban Community
Bergen - our first royal residence city – has for centuries been Norway’s, and for long periods, Scandinavia’s biggest city. The historical monuments round the Vågen bay tell us that the city has been of national, historical significance. In the well-known view of Bergen from the 1580s by Hieronimus Scholeus we can recognise Håkonhallen’s characteristic stepped gables and feudal lord Erik Rosenkrantz’ proud building from the 1560s; what we today call the Rosenkrantz Tower. That is not so strange, because both buildings have been restored with that engraving as a model. Erik Rosenkrantz built together Magnus Lagabøtes castle gatehouse from the 13th century and captain Jørgen Hanssøns defence works into a powerful defence tower – a “donjon” – and equipped it with a Renaissance façade looking out over the city. Behind today’s construction at Bergenshus we can make out the contours of the medieval royal estate at Holmen, which at that time was linked to the mainland by a low, marshy neck of land.
An attempt at a reconstruction of Bryggen in the 16th century. Even although this water colour from the turn of the century is not historically accurate, it gives us a picture of the busy activity at Kontoret. Note the acanthus tendrils on the buildings. (Waterolour: Rasmus Christiansen, ca. 1900. Poto: AV-avd. UiB, eier: Picture collection, University Library in Bergen).
As the city expanded in the 17th century Sandviken became an area which in addition to farms, was characterised by handicraft activity, mills, rope makers and wharf buildings. An extract from a view of the city from the 1740s. (photo: Egil Korsnes, owner: University Library in Bergen).
“The Bu man”, a construction stril from Osterøy. A wooden figure from 1706 on the gable wall of Bugården at Bryggen. (photo: Einar Nilsson).
The Town Hall Square with the Town Hall and the Governor’s Manor (Hageruspgården) on the right. A piece over the door by J.C.Dahl 1806. Both buildings are shown here in Baroque style, before the reconstruction later in the 19th century. The Town Hall was built by the local administrator Christoffer Valkendorf in the 1550s. The stiftsgården was built just after the city fire in 1702 as a private mansion. ("Rådstuplass 1806", 48x128. Photo: Fotograf Henriksen a.s./Geir S. Johannessen, eier: Bergen Billedgalleri (BB 626)).
Nygårds bridge is an expression of the city’s expansion in the middle of the 19th century. Now the city got a new southern entry point. Gradually it took over more and more of the traffic which until now had gone through the City Gate. (Drawing: unknown owner: Picture collection, University Library in Bergen) (KK 233/4)).
Torvalmenningen in 1898. The classical features this part of the city got after the fire in 1855 was exchanged in the 1880s for a more up-to-date Continental “city architecture”. (photo: O. Svanøe, owner: Picture collection, University Library in Bergen) (KK 360/1)).
The view from the fire station towards Torvalmenningen a winter’s day in early 1916. (Knud Knudsen & Co, owner: Picture collection, University Library in Bergen) (KK 9941, 16x22)).
Landås with the high rise flats at Mannsverk in the foreground. (Svein Nord).