Our second store is located at the venerable and historic Bryggen in Bergen.
Back to Hansa city
The jewelry entrusted to Regine and Frank Juhls in the 1950s and 1960s often has roots reaching back to the Middle Ages. Many pieces have been passed down through generations. A significant part of our historical jewelry collection arrived by sea from Bergen – a city that played a key role in the Hanseatic trade.
The Hanseatic merchants dominated trade between northeastern and northwestern Europe for several centuries. They established their northern trading center at Bryggen in Bergen. Through this network, they brought silver, jewelry, and other luxury goods to Northern Norway, while trading for dried fish, furs, and other valuable commodities. This trade had a profound and lasting influence on the economy and culture of Northern Norway, shaping the region’s connection to Europe.
Bryggen, with its characteristic wooden buildings stretching along the waterfront, has been a central hub of trade since the Middle Ages. As one of the oldest trading areas in Europe, with roots in the Hanseatic period, Bryggen stands as a symbol of the historical connection between Norway and Europe. Today, the area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, bearing witness to the wealth and influence generated through trade. The Hanseatic merchants based at Bryggen operated with strict control, yet their goods and networks helped spread European craftsmanship and luxury items such as silver and jewelry throughout the northern regions.
Today, in many ways, the silver has returned to its point of origin through our shop at Bryggen. This creates a link between past and present, as we continue the tradition of bringing precious materials and craftsmanship to people from around the world, much as the Hanseatic merchants once did.
