Art Nouveau in Ålesund

Even though nowhere near as remote as Tromsø or Svalbard, it still feels like I’ve reached the very end of Norway. Why someone chose to build a town out here in the rugged island semi-archipelago is a mystery to me. Even getting from the airport to the town center takes crossing several bridges and tunnels.

View from Mount Aksla.

But Ålesund really is a hidden gem. The entire town burned to the ground in 1904, but was rebuild in Art Nouveau (Jugend). Since most of the buildings were build during three years after the fire, the town has a very unified look. I enjoyed wandering around and looking at all the quirky architecture.

Ålesund harbor.

For us interested in Nordic history and myths, the famous viking Rollo is said to come from the island Giske outside Ålesund, before going to France where he founded Normandy in 918 AD.