Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Rising seas threaten Bergen


Climate change and rising sea levels are posing huge threats to the historic city of Bergen on Norway's west coast. Large areas of downtown face submersion, and the ancient wharf known as Bryggen is especially vulnerable.

A sudden fall in groundwater levels under Bryggen, years of settling and frequent flooding are endangering the structural stability of the complex, which dates back to Viking times. The wharf's current buildings stem from the early 1700s, rooted in the latter days of the Hanseatic League.
Bryggen (Norwegian, "The Wharf"), also known as Tyskebryggen ("the German Wharf") is a series of Hanseatic commercial buildings lining the eastern side of the fjord coming into Bergen, Norway. Bryggen is on the UNESCO list for World Cultural Heritage sites. The name has the same origin as the Flemish city of Brugge.

No comments:

Post a Comment