Ålesund: Art Nouveau among the fjords

Climbing the four hundred and eighteen steps of Mount Aksla reaches a viewpoint that overlooks the entire city and surrounding islands of the archipelago.

A short walk away, the Art Nouveau buildings of the center, rebuilt after the 1904 fire with the help of German architects and funding from Emperor William II, compose a historic center unique in Norway.

Continuing on, you visit the Jugendstilsenteret, a museum dedicated to the local Art Nouveau style, housed in a former first-century pharmacy.

Toward evening, the still-active fishing port reminds of Ålesund's historic role as one of Norway's principal cod fishing centers.

The 1904 fire destroyed nearly a thousand wooden buildings within hours, leaving most of the population homeless; reconstruction in stone and Art Nouveau style was completed in just three years with international aid.

German Emperor Wilhelm II, who loved Norway and spent his summers there, personally contributed funds toward Ålesund's reconstruction after the fire.