Three students sitting on the Blue Stone. Photo

The Blue Stone

One of the first things you need to know as a new student in Bergen, is the location of the Blue Stone. This is the preferred meeting point for many inhabitants of the city, and sooner or later someone will suggest that you meet them there.

The blue stone is situated at Kong Olav Vs. plass, between Øvre Ole Bulls plass and Nedre Ole Bulls plass. That’s the end of Torgallmenningen, right next to Hotel Norge. 

The blue stone is made of concrete, constructed at an angle and covered in slabs of blue sodalite stone from Brazil. If you’re expecting to find a bright blue stone in an azure, royal blue or light sapphire tone you’ll be disappointed or you might end up walking right past it. The colour of the blue stone is somewhat anonymous, more grey than blue.  

With no cover and exposed to the elements, the fact that it’s the main meeting point is a testament to the collective philosophy of the Bergenese; it doesn’t rain that much in Bergen, the city just has a lot of moisture in the air at times. If you’re still acclimatising to this, or not on board with this philosophy, you can watch out for the person you’re going to meet under the cover of the entrance of the old department store Sundt. 

 

The Blue Stone is a sculpture is made by the artist Asbjørn Andresen, and was given to the city of Bergen as a gift in 1993, by “O. Kavli og Knut Kavlis Allmennyttige Fond. The citizens of Bergen rarely shy away from a discussion. When the blue stone was originally unveiled, there was some debate as to whether the sculpture was nice enough to be placed in the city. This debate has subsided, and in later years it has also become a place for commemorative ceremonies and demonstrations.