Fløyen | |
Map: | Vestland#Norway |
Map Alt: | Map of the location |
Label Position: | bottom |
Coordinates: | 60.3944°N 5.3432°W[1] |
Location: | Vestland, Norway |
Easiest Route: | funicular |
Fløyen or Fløyfjellet is one of the "seven city mountains" in Bergen, Hordaland, Norway. Its highest point is 400m (1,300feet) above sea level.[2] The name could originate from fløystangen or a weather vane that was set up to indicate the direction of the wind for sailing ships.[3] The view of the Bergen peninsula makes Fløyfjellet a popular attraction among tourists and locals alike. The Fløibanen funicular transports passengers from the centre of Bergen to a height of 320m (1,050feet) in roughly eight minutes.
There are several hiking options on Fløyen itself, or one can continue further on to or over to Ulriken. Fløyfjellet provides signed hiking roads to Blåmannen, Rundemannen, and Sandviksfjellet. At midtfjellet at the foot of Blåmannen there is a kiosk called .
The roads and paths down from Fløyen are floodlit in the winter months and are popular for sledding. There is also one road suitable for vehicular traffic, but the use of this is restricted to authorised vehicles.
See main article: Fløibanen. Fløibanen is an 850m (2,790feet)-long funicular that links Vetrlidsallmenningen, in Bergen city centre, with Fløyfjellet, at an altitude of 320m (1,050feet) and near the summit of Fløyen. The funicular also has three intermediate stations, at, and, and it was opened in 1918. Since the opening Fløibanen has carried over 48 million people to and from Fløyfjellet. Over the past few years passenger numbers have averaged 1 million per year. Over the years, Fløibanen has cemented its position as Bergen's most popular tourist attraction and according to the Norwegian Council for Tourism, Fløibanen was Norway's fourth most visited tourist attraction in the 2001 summer season. Most of the traffic occurs in the summer months from May to September.
At Fløyfjellet, there is also a viewpoint. In 2002 the site was rebuilt for 46 million NOK, the viewpoint was extended and is called Fløytrappene. This is a broad staircase which goes from the station stop to .