Alluring Alesund

Art Nouveau  architecture in Alesund after The Great Fire

Anne was ready for a bit of culture, and our ship excursion in Alesund (pronounced: OL-sund) was just the thing. Alesund is known as an Art Nouveau city. It was totally rebuilt in 1904 after “The Great Fire” destroyed the entire city. Carpenters rallied from all over Norway to rebuild Alesund in the popular Art Nouveau style.  Carpentry, by the way, was in a major slump at that time -  Frank thinks maybe a disgruntled carpenter set the fire, just to get business restarted!

At the Sunnmore Open Air Museum

Our first stop was Sunnmøre Museum, a large open air museum with old buildings and boats on display in a lovely setting of forests and lakes. Our guide Gro (pronounced: Gru, and a common woman’s name in Norway) showed us small wooden houses called “church houses.” 

"Church Houses" at Sunnmore Museum
Note the sod roofs.

Alesund is spread over seven islands, and families who traveled across the fjord to attend church built these places so they could change from their working clothes into their Sunday duds. Like lots of old houses in Norway, the roofs of these buildings were covered with plants and grasses. Sod roofs were used and constructed with layers of birch bark for insulation and support. Grasses would take root on top. These sod roofs would last approximately 70 years with no leaks. Gro told us when the greenery got too wild, folks would just put a goat up there to mow the roof!  

Typical fishermen's homes at Sunnmore Museum

The museum was a lovely place with old homes and buildings scattered around the grounds and along a pretty lake. A storybook version of Norway come to life. 

Inside a family home at Sunnmore Museum

One of the family homes was open and furnished with a table and chairs, cradle, and a loom, looking like the family just stepped out for a moment. Anne couldn’t get over how good it smelled in that little house – she figured it must be ancestral memory!

Old time "church boat" provided
water taxi services on Sundays

Gro also showed us a display of boats, including a replica of a Viking ship whose remains were found nearby and a long, uncovered “church boat” used to collect people from all around the fjord to bring them to church services, like a water taxi service. 

In front of a "Shetland Bus"

Of most interest to us were the fishing boats called the “Shetland Buses.” During WWII, when Norway was occupied by the Nazis, Norwegian fishermen carried resistance fighters to safety, making the long and perilous trip (22-25 hours) to the British-owned Shetlands. Germans wouldn’t stop the fishing boats because they believed the fishermen were just earning a living and feeding their families.  It was a perfect ruse to give safe passage to anyone who wanted to get out of Norway.  Once a year, the people of Alesund reenact the voyage to honor the Shetland Buses and the brave fishermen who saved so many lives.

Gorgeous rhododendron in bloom

It is hard to believe now, but Norway used to be one of the poorest countries in the world. In the late 1800’s, 25% of the population fled the impoverished conditions by emigrating to Canada and the U.S. (primarily settling in Wisconsin and Minnesota). Then everything changed when oil was discovered in the Barents Sea (circa 1969). Suddenly, Norway became one of the richest countries in the world! And you have to admire the way they handled it. In contrast to many Middle Eastern countries for example, the Norwegians have used the oil money to improve living conditions for all Norwegians. Taxes are about 29%, and everyone gets free, high quality healthcare along with free university tuition and generous pensions. They even have the foresight to put large amounts of the money in a national fund to prepare for the day when the oil runs out!

Stunning view of Alesund city with our
cruise ship moored in the harbor

Our second stop was the Mount Aksla Viewpoint purported to be the best view in Europe. Sounded like a lot of hype until we saw it. The breathtaking view was like something out of a fairytale with mountains and fjords, and best of all, the prettiest pastel-colored, steep-roofed houses of Alesund spread out below us. We could not stop taking pictures, and as good as the pictures are, it was impossible to capture the beauty of it.

Serenade of the Seas across Alesund Harbor

Our tour took us on a ride around town past some of the Art Nouveau buildings and up to one last viewpoint. This one overlooked the harbor, and once again, our ship seemed to dwarf everything in sight. BTW we are not the only ones who love Alesund; 176 cruise ships arrive here every year. Seems overwhelming for a city of oy 14,000 people, but Gro said the locals love welcoming visitors from around the world (and of course, tourism is big business here).

Fisherman boy stands guarding Alesund Harbor

After the tour, we walked around on our own. The harbor area was especially scenic with a canal and a statue of a fisherman boy. Fishing is still a very big industry here, particularly cod. For three months of the year, “farmer-fishermen” leave their farms to fish the cod that come here to spawn. Norway exports more salt cod than any country in the world, mainly to Brazil and Portugal for their national dish Bacalhau). They also export Omega-3 tablets made from cod oil.

Dock at Sunnmore Museum

Here’s a strange fact about Alesund. A fancy neighborhood they call Alesund’s Beverly Hills sprawls across a hillside above the town. The road to get up there is so steep, they built pipes under the streets to melt the snow and ice, so that traffic could climb the steep grade. Gro told us they can clear the  snow-covered road in minutes.  Another fact is that Norway was the first country to give voting rights to women (1913).