If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 86

 Fisktorvet, Bergen Norway, ca 1900

Fisktorvet, Bergen, Norway, early 1900s

One of the most famous tourist attractions in Bergen, Norway is the fish market or Fisketorvet located in the heart of the city right on the waterfront.  The first postcard in sepia tone dates from around 1900 and shows the small boats tied up at the lower right.  It was glued or has been mounted on thick cardboard.  The title is Fisktorvet – Bergen  D.  The second card shows horse drawn wagons at the front right, tables where the fish was sold in the center area and the covered stalls at the left side of the photograph.  It is numbered 9964. Bergen: Fisketorvet with the photographer or studio identified as Atelier K. K., Bergen.  The quality of both cards has deteriorated with age.  To improve the images they have been slightly enhanced.  Both of these cards were in the Landaas family collection.

The third postcard, sent to I.C. Lee, shown below was taken from the funicular railroad, Fløyen, and shows the Bergen harbor with ships at the upper left.  The date on the reverse is 1920.  There is the familiar post horn stamp on the reverse of the card.

 Bergen harbor, Norway, ca 1920

 

Reverse

These cards are “historic” cards because they show the city and the people doing normal everyday activities such as shopping at an outdoor market.  When sections of the cards are enlarged it is possible to see the details of life as it was a hundred years ago.  Also since Bergen has experienced several large fires and many of the building were wood some of these structures may no longer exist making the window in time even more valuable for those of us who had ancestors living here when these photos were originally taken.  




The pictures below are from the 1980s and show parts of the fish market. The last photo shows Bergen harbor also taken from Fløyen.