This section is from the book "Chambers's Concise Gazetteer Of The World", by David Patrick. Also available from Amazon: Chambers's Concise Gazetteer Of The World.
Bergen (Bergen; g hard), a seaport in the west of Norway, and the second city of the kingdom, situated on a promontory at the head of a deep bay. The harbour is safe and commodious, and around it the town is built, presenting a picturesque appearance from the sea, with its cathedral and wooden houses of various colours. It has manufactures of gloves, tobacco, porcelain, leather, soap, and cordage, besides distilleries and shipbuilding yards. Its principal trade, however, is the export of stockfish, herrings, and fish-oil and roe. Since 18S3 Bergen has been connected by railway with the north of the Har-dangerfjord. The chief imports are brandy, wine, corn, cotton, woollens, hemp, sugar, tobacco, coffee, etc. Bergen, formerly called Bjorgvin ('the pasture betwixt the mountains'), was founded about 1070 by Olaf Kyrre. Often devastated by fire between 1189 and 1855, it was long the most important trading town of Norway, but has been recently surpassed by Christiania. The castle of Bergenhus was till 1397 the residence of the Norwegian kings. Bergen was the birthplace of Holberg, Dahl, Welhaven, and Ole Bull. Pop. (1872) 30,252; (1901) 72,251.
 
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