Ålesund

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Ålesund is a living architectural museum. A fire in the winter of 1904 devastated much of the city; amazingly, only one person died -- of a heart attack. Dozens of young architects, who had been unable to find work elsewhere in Europe, flocked to the city in the aftermath, designing building in the Art Deco style which was on the cutting edge at the time. Those buildings still stand today, thanks in part to preservation and restoration efforts which began in the 1970s.   The harbour of Alesund is sheltered by mountains. The waters that day were so calm, like polished glass. Heather blooming atop Mount Aksla, which overlooks the city.   Fishing warehouses near the mouth of the fjord. Several kilometres outside of Ålesund is the Sunnmore Folk Museum. Here, an example of a traditional, sod-roofed farm house seems to melt into the earth.   Another traditional farm building, perched on rock pilings to keep out rodents. At the Sunnmore open-air folk museum, a traditional blanket covers a farmhouse bed.   Sunnmore -- the mill pond.   More views of the mill pond.         Back Back to index   Next     © 2011 W. Luther Jett. All rights reserved.