Bergen is placed in one of Norway’s most beautiful lush natural areas in the west country. The city is the midpoint of the entire fjord area, stretching along Norway’s coast, with Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord as the longest. Bergen’s residents live in the old historical town which was once Norway’s capital. Until the railway opened in 1909 and more recently when highways were built, the residents were isolated, with waterways being the primary mode of transportation.