You Are Here - Bergenhus Castle - Bergen, Norway - 'You Are Here' Maps on Waymarking.com

A 'You Are Here' map and interpretation board at Bergenhus Castle, Bergen.

From the interpretation board:

"Bergenhus Castle -

Bergenhus is among the oldest and best preserved fortresses in Norway. In medieval times, the area of the present-day Bergenhus Castle was known as Holmen (The island). Holmen has a long history as a religious, royal and military centre.

The Buildings at Bergenhus Castle -

Two of the buildings from medieval times still exist within the fortress grounds: Håkon's Hall and King Magnus the Lawmender's keep. The keep is incorporated into the Rosenkrantz tower.

Håkon's Hall was constructed by King Håkon Håkonsson in the middle of the 13th century as a royal residence and banqueting hall. The hall has been the site of major national events, such as the drawing up of Norway's first complete codex.
In addition to the great hall itself, there are two more levels.

The Rosenkrantz Tower was completed as a combined residential and defensive tower in the 1560's. Two older structures were incorporated into the tower: the oldest from about 1270.
With its strategic position in the southern part of the grounds, the tower has been a cornerstone in the strong-hold of the Bergenhus Castle.

Holmen's Church History -

Holmen was a centre for the church from the end of the 11th century to 1531. During this era a cathedral, the bishop's residence, a royal chapel, and a monastery were situated on the premises.
The Christ Church, Bergen's'old cathedral, was erected by King Olav Kyrre in the period 1066-1093. During the 1200s Holmen and the Christ Church constituted Norway's political centre. The churches were torn down in 1531 after strong pressure from King Fredrik. This was done to ease the defence of the military constructions. Today, the ground plans of the Christ Church are marked by a hedge in the park north of Haakon's Hall.

A Dominican friery was also situated at Holmen. This is the monastery in Bergen one knows the least about. It is assumed that the monastery was built around 1240, and that it was situated north of Haakor's Hall and the Christ Church. The monastery was torn down in 1528 after a fire. No archaeological traces have been found of this monastery.

The Royal Seat at Holmen -

Bergen became the town of royal residency when King Øystein Magnusson moved his seat from Alrekstad to Holmen in the 12th century. His royal estate was built in wood.
The castle's girdle-walls were built in the first half of King Håkon Håkonsson's reign in the 1200s. These walls were supposed to protect the wooden structures from fire and foes. When the Norwegian civil wars ended around 1240, Bergen became the capital of Norway and Holmen the country's political centre. Håkon's Hall was then erected in the period 1247 to 1261. King Håkon Håkonsson also fortified the royal castle in stone.

The King's throne was moved out of the country when Norway came into union with Denmark in the late medieval period. However, Bergenhus still remained the political and administrative centre for the western and northern regions of Norway, but from 1660 Bergenhus' only function was as a defensive fortification.

Military History -

Bergenhus Castle was enlarged and further fortified throughout the 17th century. The castle was at its most complete in around 1700 when Holmen and the Sverresborg fortress were united into one large fortification. The only time Bergenhus Castle has been involved in battle, however, was some years previously: August 2.1665:
A Dutch merchant and treasure fleet sought refuge from an English flotilla of warships in Bergea's neutral port when the English attacked, they met heavy resistance from the garrison at Bergenhus. The battle was short and has been known under the name the Battle of Vågen.

During World War II, the German navy used several of Bergenhus' buildings for their western headquarters, and they also constructed a large concrete bunker within the fortress walls.
The older buildings, including the Håkon's Hall, were severely damaged when a Dutch ship in the service of the German navy, carrying tons of dynamite, exploded on 20 April 1944 in the harbour just outside the fortress walls.

Immediately after World War II, the Norwegian government commenced the work of restoring and protecting the area for the future.

Bergenhus Castle Today -

Several military units still hold office at Bergenhus Castle, which from 2006 has had its own military position of command. Today, approximately 150 civilians and military officers work on the premises. The National Fortification Heritage is responsible for the preservation and development of Bergenhus Castle as a vital fortification.


Sources, National Fortification Heritage, Bryggens Museurn / Bergen City Mineum"

Location Name: Bergenhus Castle

Visit Instructions:

A photo of either you or your GPS at the site is welcomed but not required.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   06/28/2025 Ariberna visited it