No other Norwegian city looks like Ålesund. A walk around its compact streets will give you a profound appreciation of Art Nouveau architecture, but the Jugendstilsenteret (or Jugendstil Art Nouveau Centre in English) satisfies curious minds and tells the “why” behind the beauty. In 1904, most of Ålesund was destroyed by fire and then rebuilt in the trendy style of the day, thanks largely to gifts of money and resources from Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany. The museum tells the full tale with film, and its reception area retains the original fixtures and fittings from its former use as a pharmacy.
