Bryggen is located on the seashore 3 km west of the center of Bergen. Bryggen means "embankment" in Norwegian. Most of the buildings in the town are old wooden houses, which are famous for their concentration of ancient buildings. These renovated wooden houses have been restored to their past appearance. Most of them are three-story buildings, with narrow windows, steep roofs, and gables made of wooden strips. The houses generally have stone basements. There is also an open-air museum consisting of 35 wooden houses from the 18th and 19th centuries, which showcases the old style of the town.