Cort Piil-smauet

Cort Piil-smauet is a narrow, steep alleyway in Bergen defined by its uneven stone steps and the white wooden houses that crowd tightly against one another. It takes its name from Cort Piil, a Dutch merchant who settled here in the seventeenth century. Piil grew wealthy trading timber and stockfish, eventually owning several properties along this path. Local stories often recall him as a harsh landlord who kept the alley under his thumb, ensuring his tenants maintained the strict order he demanded.