Last year, the new Disney movie took the world by storm. After the latest Disney movies had gotten somewhat mellow reviews, Frozen arrived and awed the critics. Combining Norse fairytales and superstition with Danish writer HC Andersen’s The Snow Queen, Frozen created a fairytale universe with princesses, trolls, reindeer, snow, high mountains, and a sprinkle of magic.

 

Disney’s Frozen in Norway

 

It has now grossed US$1.2 billion, making it the most successful animated film of all time, and the fifth highest-grossing movie ever. Allegedly a woman in Japan became so attached to the movie that she divorced her husband when she found out he didn’t like it. That’s saying something, right?

 

Disney's Frozen in Norway 9
Stunning views over the Lysefjord in western Norway from Pulpit Rock, photo by Renate Sandvik

 

The movie is set in the fictional town of Arendelle (which is quite a different place than the Norwegian town of Arendal) and is based on the scenery and traditions of Norway. The architecture, nature, attire, and animals all look like what we find in The Land of the North.

 

But perhaps mostly one place in Norway in particular – the Western fjords. The historic town of Bergen, a UNESCO World Heritage City, is called the gateway to the fjords – and was supposedly the inspiration for Arendelle. It isn’t hard to see the resemblance between the fictional town and Bergen itself, with its colorful wooden Hanseatic architecture along the waterfront.

 

Fishermen and merchants are still found in the city’s bustling harbor, making it a thriving center of trade still. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway, but with only 250,000 inhabitants, it’s not very big and it’s easy to find your way around the city center on foot.