“I find dead bodies and traces of murder everywhere.”
Gunnar Staalesen
You never know what dark secrets and delightful surprises lie around the next corner when strolling through Bergen with key Nordic noir writer Gunnar Staalesen.
Come along and check out one of the world's most beautiful fictional crime scenes.
Bergen's best cultural spots
With Gunnar Staalesen
“I have found a lot of inspiration for my writing in these alleyways.”
Gunnar Staalesen
“This street is called Skottegaten, simply because this was where the city's Scottish community once lived.”
Gunnar Staalesen
Bergen has become home to many immigrants from Germany, the Netherlands, and the British Isles. This has given the city a continental feel that it still retains today.
“Some people believe — including some people from Oslo — that Bergen is the only continental city in Norway.”
Gunnar Staalesen
We leave these old wooden houses behind and stroll over to Fisketorget, the fish market by the harbour.
“Varg Veum's office is here in this building. It's on the fourth floor, the fourth window from the left.”
Gunnar Staalesen
“Varg Veum passes by here every day on his way to his office. In one book, he was hit by a car and almost killed here.”
Gunnar Staalesen
Little do we suspect that Staalesen is about to be served a dish to die for ...
“This is one of my absolute favorite dishes: persetorsk (pressed cod).”
Gunnar Staalesen
For this unique Bergen dish, the cod is first marinated in a mixture that's both sweet and salty, before being pressed together to release some of the liquid. This makes the filet a little firmer than fresh cod. It's precisely this firmness that is so characteristic of persetorsk.
“This dish is specially made by Gard Haugland, who is truly one of the best chefs in Bergen.”
Gunnar Staalesen
“There is a small library on the second floor of this unique hotel.”
Gunnar Staalesen
“When your legs are tired from walking around in the city, you can find a book on the shelves here. For example, a book by Gunnar Staalesen.”
Gunnar Staalesen
“The man who was found drowned on Wednesday 19 October 1932 in the sea by the pier at Nøstet was quickly identified by the soaking wet papers in his inside pocket ...”
Gunnar Staalesen
If you want to read the rest of 1950. High Noon, you now know where to find the book.