Ålesund – Rådhuskaia

Welcome aboard. You are now standing in the heart of Ålesund – one of Norway’s most distinctive cities, shaped by a single dramatic event. The night of January 23, 1904, a fire broke out just a stone’s throw from here, and within a few hours, almost the entire city was reduced to ashes. More than 800 houses were lost, and around 10,000 people were left without homes. But what makes Ålesund unique is what came next. The city was rebuilt quickly, in Jugendstil, with detailed facades, towers, and spires inspired by Europe. Among those who contributed to the rebuilding was Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. And from the sea, it all makes the most sense. Because this is how Ålesund was first discovered. Now we leave the harbor and move out into the landscape that has always been the foundation of the city: the archipelago.