"This whole area of the city was part of the king's property Ålrekstad (Årstad)", according to encyclopedia Store norske leksikon.

[4] During the early Viking Ages, a king of Norway is believed to have had a Kongsgård estate at the foot of Ulriken called Álreksstaðir (Alrekstad).

Later, the founder of Bergen, King Olav Kyrre (Olaf III), ruled the city from Alrekstad for 26 years.

However, Alrekstad lost its importance when King Eystein I moved his seat to Holmen, located within the city limits.

[6] Another theory is that the farm was named after a king Alrek, who may or may not have existed, and who may have ruled over the petty kingdom of Hordariket around year 400.

[5] Today, the area where the farm was located (included in, but not limited to, the place now called Årstadvollen) is not a part of the borough of Årstad, but Bergenhus.

At the end of the century, there were approximately 25 factories in the municipality, and it was the country's 4th largest in terms of industrial production output.

The merger happened after a long political process, following decades of close cooperation between the two municipalities - most of Årstad had been included in the Bergen Police District since 1808.

Årstad videregående skole is one of the largest upper secondary schools in Norway, with a total of 300 employees and 1400 students.

Wergeland[19]), Nattland, Solheim, Slettebakken Årstad is the smallest borough in Bergen (by area), but also the second most densely populated.

Årstad lacks traditional neighbourhood names as found in the city centre borough, Bergenhus, where these were established over several hundred years.