In the year 2000, Bergen, the second largest city of Norway, managed to get the
status of European City of Culture. The new won position provided opportunities
to profile Bergen as a modern city and prove its rank at the national and
international stage. However, results did not measure up to ambitions. Looking
back, it seems that the year turned out to be dedicated to a rural and regional self-celebration. In a way Bergen might be regarded as an example of how pre-modern culture heritage get actualised and rediscovered in an urban setting. This raises questions regarding the intentions of emphasising the past and how people respond to such efforts. In answering these questions, focus will be directed towards how place not only is an integral part of social, economical and political processes, but also the way it constitutes essential elements that touches upon the inner landscape of the individual.
