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EveryParampara

Traditions of Bergen

A Hanseatic port among seven mountains, whose Bryggen wharf and Norwegian Constitution Day parade shape the year.

Bergen was a medieval trading city of the Hanseatic League, and its wooden wharf houses, Bryggen, are a World Heritage site. Norwegians dress in bunad, regional costume, for the national day on 17 May, with children's parades, flags and ice cream. The fish market is the best known in the country.

Bergen: Panoramic view of Bergen from Mount Fløyen , Norway.
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

17 May and the bunad

On Constitution Day, children's parades with bands and flags fill the streets, the bunad is worn with silver brooches and each valley has its own pattern. Bergen's buekorps, boys' marching groups, march with wooden rifles and drums. At Christmas, the julebord, a feast of pork ribs and lutefisk, is held.

At the table

Fish soup, Bergen style, with cream and vegetables, fresh cod, stockfish, and the cured fish lutefisk are traditional. Skillingsboller, cinnamon buns, are the city's classic pastry. Brunost, brown cheese, is eaten at breakfast on bread. Aquavit, a caraway spirit, is served at feasts.

Signature traditions of Bergen

BunadThe costume.BuekorpsThe marching groups.

Also part of it, and being written: Syttende Mai (The national day.), Lutefisk (The fish.), Brunost (The cheese.).

A trail idea for Bergen

  1. Bryggen Walk the wharf.
  2. Fish Market Taste fish.
  3. Fløibanen Take the funicular.
About this page

Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, markets and festival dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

KindSpiritualFestivalRite of passageTable customSeasonalDressPerformanceEtiquetteCraftGameFolkloreHomeCeremony
MealBreakfastLunchDinnerSupperTea-time and snacking customsTea, coffee and drinking ceremoniesSweets given and sharedFeasts and festival mealsFasting and breaking the fast
🇳🇴 Bergen, NorwayBuekorps Youth marching groups of Bergen's neighbourhoods, with drums, banners and a May paradeCeremony 🇳🇴 Oslo, Norway and 3 moreConstitution DaySyttende mai A national public holiday in Norway marked by children's parades, flags, and traditional food.Festival · Tea-time and snacking customs

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly EveryParampara

Every week: one tradition from somewhere new, what is being celebrated around the world this week, and one idea explained.