Bergen was founded in the 11th century and became capital of Norway in the 13th century.
Towards the end of the 13th century, Bergen became one of the Hanseatic League's most important bureau cities, holding the monopoly of dealing with dried cod from northern Norway. The German speaking merchants lived in their own quarter, Bryggen, which is now on UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites. In the 16th century the King of the country was able to force the merchants to become Norwegian citizens, or else to return home, heralding a decline in the German influence.
Another point of interest is Bergenhus Fortress, dating back to the 13th century,