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Bern is the capital of Switzerland and a wonderful and charming city located in the hilly landscape north of the country’s high Alps. The old town is located on an elongated peninsula in the winding run of the River Aares, and its almost endless arcades bring you through the fine medieval town’s streets and sights.
You can easily see why Bern’s old town is inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site. Here is a unique, homogeneous atmosphere from a time that most places is history and revitalized city centers. Old city gates and towers, churches and townhouses are located throughout the city, and as an extra thing, Bern’s many Renaissance figure fountains are preserved in the streets.
The figureheads of the fountain are almost in themselves worth the trip to Bern. They are located in many streets and on squares in the center of Bern, and among the best known is the somewhat quirky Kindlifresser. Walking around between the fountains will automatically lead you around the pleasant streets of Bern’s old town.
As the capital, Bern holds a number of institutions for the democracy and the state administration. First and foremost, the country’s parliament building, which stands as a castle and thrones over the city along with the cathedral, Berner Münster, whose tower gives a magnificent view of the city and to the surrounding countryside, where in clear weather you can see the Alps in the Bernese Oberland to the south.
Bundeshaus is the impressive home of the Swiss government and parliament. The large, symmetrical facility spreads out from the central building on Bundesplatz. It consists of three larger, connected buildings that together measure over 300 meters in width. It is also in the building on the Bundesplatz that both chambers of the federal assembly Bundesversammlung have their homes; it is the Federal Council/Bundesrat and the Council of States/Ständerat.
The oldest part of the complex is the western building, which was built 1852-1857 after an architectural competition. Due to space problems, the eastern wing was erected in 1884-1892. In the years 1894-1902, the central parliament building was built, and it stands with neo-renaissance style and domes in contrast to the rest of the Bundeshaus. The facades are of the local Bernese sandstone, of which most of the old town was built.
The central dome of the Bundeshaus reaches a height of just over 60 metres. The roofing is copper with inlays of gold leaf. On top of it is a gilded Swiss cross. Inside, the Kuppelhallen/Kuppelhalle impresses with its stairs, decoration and ceiling.
In the central building is also the parliament hall itself, where the National Council/Nationalrat has its meetings. Behind the bureau, the painter Charles Giron’s work ‘Die Wiege der Eidgenossenschaft’ dominates. The painting depicts the landscape around Lake Urnersee, where the mountain meadow Rütli can be seen. Rütli is the site of the founding of the first Swiss confederation in 1291, where the areas of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden formed a confederation.
Marktgasse is one of Bern’s central streets in the old town. It was mentioned for the first time in 1286 and is very typical of the city’s old streets with the many sandstone buildings, arcades and Renaissance wells. In 1399, the Marktgasse was paved for the first time, which was done with rounded stones from the river Aare. However, it was not until 1796 that the street got its current name.
Like many other places in the city, the Renaissance wells are worth seeing. In Marktgasse there are two wells, Anna-Seiler-Brunnen and Schützenbrunnen. Anna-Seiler-Brunnen was erected in 1545-1546 and shows a woman pouring water into a bowl. The well was named after Anna Seiler, who founded Bern’s first hospital in 1354.
The Schützenbrunnen was established as a well in 1527, while the figure of the archer in armor was added in 1543. In his left hand, the archer has a sword, and in his right hand, since the 19th century, he has carried the banner of the archery association Reimusketen-Schützengesellschaft, based in Bern . Between his legs is a bear cub.
The Kindlifresserbrunnen is the best known of Bern’s many 16th-century Renaissance wells, which can be seen in the old streets and squares in the center. It was created by Hans Gieng and erected in 1545-1546.
The well figure represents an ogre, a large and terrifying troll from folklore. The ogre was often portrayed as a child-eater in fairy tales, and that is exactly the image that was recreated with the Kindlifresserbrunnen. Here the ogre is in the process of eating a small child, while holding several others who are going the same way.
Berner Münster is a cathedral that, with a height of 100.60 metres, is the highest in Switzerland. The location in the old town high above the course of the river Aare only makes the church’s slender tower even more impressive when seen from a distance.
Its history dates back to 1191, when a smaller chapel was built as a precursor to today’s church. In 1276, Bern became an independent parish, and a new building immediately replaced the first chapel. An earthquake in 1356 caused quite a bit of damage, and after rebuilding and expanding the church until 1575, completion was halted until the 19th century. However, the church was constantly in use during the period, and after the Reformation in 1528, the first Protestant service was held here in April of the same year.
The Bernese Münster is a three-nave church without a transverse transept. The ground plan for the entire church is up to 84×33 meters, and it was built mainly in the local Bernese sandstone.
The church entrances are to the west under finely decorated portals. The middle one is decorated with figures that symbolize doomsday. Above the entrances sits the tower, which was built in several stages and completed in 1893. You can climb the tower via external staircases, and from the top you are rewarded with a fine view that, in clear weather, reaches the high Alps to the south.
Inside the church, you are greeted by a bright church room that was decorated so that it could impress locals and visitors who should know Bern’s wealth and wealth. The best example of the decoration is the large mosaic windows, which for some date from the middle of the 15th century. The windows measure up to 13.15 meters in height. The church’s wooden crucifixes are also worth seeing; they were completed in 1525.
On the Domkirkepladsen/Münsterplatz in front of the church is the well Mosesbrunnen, which shows Moses with the Ten Commandments. The well figure was originally erected in 1544, but later had to be replaced. The current well is a work by Nikolaus Sporrer from 1791.
BärenPark is an important place in Bern, as the bear is the symbol of the Swiss capital. The animal then also adorns the coat of arms of both the capital and the canton. The tradition of exhibiting bears in Bern goes back to the first bear grave from 1441, while there have been bears at the current area on the banks of the river Aare since 1857.
Originally, the bears lived in actual graves like in early zoos. The former graves are still visible, but since 2009 the bears’ territory has been on the slopes down towards the river, to which the animals have access. Bear dens were also built so that the brown bears can roam freely in the large area compared to the old graves.
Zeitglockenturm is a tower that is colloquially simply called the Zytglogge. This is because the tower shows the time on its astronomical clock. It was built in 1218-1220 as part of Bern’s defenses, and it was located at the western end of the city that had been founded a few decades earlier in 1191. With continuous expansions of Bern, Zytglogge gradually came to be centrally located in the city.
After the great town fire in 1405, Zytglogge itself was built. At that time, the tower was adorned with a clock that was supposed to act as a timer for the entire city. In the 16th century, a new tower clock and the tall tower hat were added, while a rebuild in 1770-1771 partially integrated it into the neighboring building.
Zytglogge’s astronomical clock sits above the eastern entrance. It originates from 1405 and takes its world view as a point of departure from the Earth as the center of the universe. The clockwork’s other major attraction is the figure chimes.
Kunstmuseum Bern is a museum whose core collection is paintings from the 15th century to the present day. Here, among other things, some local art from Bern over the centuries as well as various French and Italian painters are represented; e.g. Paul Cézanne and Henri Matisse.
The museum building was built in the years 1876-1878. Since then, however, it has been expanded several times. In 2005, the collection of works from Paul Klee’s hand was transferred to the newly opened Zentrum Paul Klee (Monument im Fruchtland 3), located east of Bern’s old town.
Ryfflibrunnen is one of Bern’s famous fountains, and it is named after the archer Ryffli, who comes from Bern’s 14th-century history. He is said to have killed the knight Jordan III von Burgistein with his crossbow after the Battle of Laupen in 1339.
In the battle, the Bernese, with the help of the cantons of the League of Nations between Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden, defeated the combined forces from, among others, Freiburg and Burgundy. The Ryfflibrunnen depicts Ryffli with his crossbow, and the fountain was erected in 1545.
The Marzilibahn is a cable car that connects the district of Marzili on the banks of the Aare River with Bern’s old town. On the 105-metre-long trip, there is a height difference of 32 metres, which makes the track an efficient transport route. The station in Marzili is 508 meters above sea level, while the station on Bundesterrasse is 540 meters above sea level.
After four months of construction, the Marzilibahn was inaugurated on 18 July 1885. From the beginning until 1973, the track with water tanks served as the ballast that pulled the heaviest carriage down and the lightest up. In 1973, the track was electrified and new carriages were added.
Käfigturm is a city gate that was built 1641-1644 as part of Bern’s defenses. The tower construction replaced an earlier version from the middle of the 13th century, and after first being used as a guardhouse, it later functioned as, among other things, a prison. That function ceased in 1897, when the 70 prisoners were transferred to a newly built prison. Since 1999, the tower has laid floors and walls for various exhibitions on political themes.
The base of the Käfigturm is square and measures 9.8 meters at each joint. The five floors, roof and spire reach a total height of 49 metres. On the decoration of the facade, you can see Bern’s city coat of arms and the coat of arms of the Habsburgs with the two-headed eagle.
The central access to and from Bern used to be through the city’s gates. From the central district there were three city gates to the west, and the Käfigturm was the middle of these. A little to the east stands Zytglogge, which was the innermost, and at the current Bahnhofplatz was the outermost.
Bundesterrasse is a square immediately behind the government and parliament building Bundeshaus. From the square there is visitor access to the Bundeshaus and a fine view towards the hilly terrain to the south and over parts of Bern and the course of the river Aare. Below the terrace is the district of Marzili.
You can take a nice walk with the view of the peaks of the Alps on the horizon, and at the Bundeshaus you can see a miniature version of the large building that is the seat of the Swiss government and parliament.
The Stadttheater is Bern’s city theater and it was inaugurated on 25 September 1903 as a stage for ballet, opera, plays and concerts with the Bern Symphony Orchestra. The premiere was a staging of Richard Wagner’s Tannhäuser.
The theater was built in neoclassicism according to a design by the architect René von Wurstemberger. It happened on the grounds that formerly housed a riding school. The new theater replaced the city’s former stage, the Hôtel de Musique (Theaterplatz), which is now set up as a restaurant.
The city hall of Bern is the political center of both the city and the canton of the same name. Politicians have met here since the 15th century for meetings and decisions. The town hall building was built 1406-1415 in late Gothic style, but was rebuilt in Neo-Gothic style in the 1860s.
In front of the town hall stands the Renaissance well Vennerbrunnen from 1542, which was made by Hans Gieng. The well figure represents a so-called Venner who, with his German-Swiss title and position, had different responsibilities in the cities they worked in. This Venner carries the flag of Bern.
Münsterplattform is the name of the large terrace located immediately south of the city’s cathedral. The terrace lies parallel to the nave and was established from 1334. The completion of the retaining wall to the south was completed in 1514, and the level difference from the terrace to the street Badgasse below is up to 31.5 metres.
Until 1531, Münsterplattform was used as a cemetery and since then as a park. The small park is surrounded by balustrades and two corner towers against the river Aare’s course to the south. In the period 1847-1961, the monument Zähringerdenkmal stood in the park. The monument now stands at the nearby Nydeggkirche.
Today, the Münsterplattform is a beautiful, small park with a fine view of Bern’s southern suburbs and the hilly and mountainous terrain in the same direction.
When the Swiss Confederation came into being on 12 September 1848, one of the tasks was to choose and design a federal capital. On 28 November of the same year, the election fell on Bern, which, however, did not contain suitable buildings for the new government and parliamentary purposes.
Until the first parts of the new political headquarters Bundeshaus were completed, the Federal Council/Bundesrat established itself in the stately building Erlacherhof in the years 1848-1857. The Erlacherhof itself is a beautiful mansion that was built 1745-1752.
Untertorbrücke is Bern’s oldest, preserved bridge, and it crosses the river Aare at the eastern end of the old town. The first bridge was completed in 1256, but this was destroyed during high water in 1460. The following year, work began on the current Untertorbrücke. Immediately north of the bridge, the larger Nydeggbrücke opened in 1844, and since then it has been the main traffic artery from and to Bern in the east.
Untertorbrücke is located in the heart of the oldest Bern, and around it lay Duke Berchtold V von Zähringen’s castle, Nydegg Burg, which was built from 1190 and the district’s other defenses.
Immediately to the west of the Untertorbrücke, you can see the Läuferbrunnen (Laüferplatz) figure well from 1545. The figure in the well depicts a herald in uniform, with the city coat of arms of Bern reproduced on the chest. At the herald there is a bear cub, who is also in uniform. At the eastern end of the Untertorbrücke stands the gate tower Ländtetor, the only surviving of the former defenses around Nydegg Burg.
Kramgasse-Gerechtigkeitsgasse is the easternmost of Bern’s old, central streets that run east-west through the city. Typical sandstone houses with arcades characterize the streetscape. There are also three of the city’s figure wells here; from the east you meet Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen, Simsonbrunnen and Zähringerbrunnen.
The Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen is the symbol of justice and shows the figure of Justitia, blindfolded, holding a sword and scales. The well was designed by Hans Gieng and erected in 1543.
The Simsonbrunnen is also the work of Hans Gieng. It dates from 1527 and depicts the biblical story of Samson and the lion. Samson was known for his God-given strength to fight enemies and perform heroic deeds; among other things, the wrestling match with a lion.
The Zähringerbrunnen was made by Hans Hiltbrand and set up in 1535. However, the name only came into being in the 19th century and refers to Bern’s founder, Berchtold V von Zähringen. The well figure is a bear with helmet, sword and plume, and between its legs is a bear cub eating grapes.
The Nydeggkirche is located in the neighborhood where the city of Bern originated. It was here from the tip of the peninsula in the Aare River that settlement spread westwards, and in the naturally protected area, Duke Berchtold V. von Zähringen had the castle Nydegg Burg built from the year 1190.
The castle was demolished around 1270 to make room for the quarter, and in the period 1341-1346 the Nydeggkirche was built on the castle’s former location. In the last decades of the 15th century, the tower and a new building of the nave were added.
After the Reformation in 1529, the Nydeggkirche served as a warehouse building, before regaining its religious purpose again from 1566. In 1968, the monument to Duke Zähringen, the Zähringerdenkmal, was moved from the Münsterplattform at the cathedral to its current location at the Nydeggkirche. The monument was cast in Munich in 1847.
Helvetiaplatz is a central square in the district of Kirchenfeld at the southern end of the Kirchenfeldbrücke bridge. The square was laid out in the early 1880s, and a circular avenue and then a flower circle were established here. These facilities were replaced in 1922 by the Welttelegrafen-Denkmal, a monument to the world’s telegraphs created by the Italian Giuseppe Romangnoli.
Helvetiaplatz was later thought of as a central traffic hub, but it was not realized as planned. Today, you can see various buildings around the square, and they house, among other things, some museums. The dominant structure lies to the south in the form of the Bernisches Historisches Museum, which also houses the Einstein Museum. In another building you can visit the Alpines Museum.
Rosengarten Bern is a garden that was opened as a park in 1914 and planted with roses from 1917. Today, more than 200 kinds of roses grow in the garden, which also offers large lawns and many iris and rhododendron species.
From the rose garden, there is also a fine view of Bern’s old town, where you can see, among other things, the towers with Berner Münster dominating the city’s skyline. As a background for the city lies the mountainous terrain with the Alps to the south.
Lauterbrunnental is almost the epitome of Swiss mountain and valley landscapes, and it was precisely here that J.R.R. Tolkien found inspiration for Cløvedal in The Lord of the Rings. The valley is located in the Bernese Oberland in the Alps, and with the town of Lauterbrunnen as its starting point, the area is a really good opportunity to experience nature in the Alpine country.
The towns of Lauterbrunnen and Stechelberg lie at the bottom of the valley, and you can also drive to the terraced village of Wengen on the east side and the villages of Mürren, Gimmelwald and Isenfluh on the west side. Everywhere there are beautiful landscapes and unforgettable views. One of the most famous viewpoints is from Mürren, where you can see across the valley from the heights.
From the bottom of the valley to the top of the surrounding mountains, there is a height difference of over 3,200 meters with a horizontal distance of less than 5,000 meters, and there are many tourist attractions in the valley’s surroundings, such as a trip to the top of the Jungfraujoch and the valley’s many waterfalls. The most famous are Staubbachfall at 297 meters, Mürrenbachfall at 417 meters, Buchenbachfall at 380 meters, Mattenbachfall at 840 meters and and the underground Trümmelbachfälle.
Neuchâtel is a French-speaking city situated beautifully on Lake Neuchâtel in northwestern Switzerland. The city’s name comes from the city’s castle, whose history began with Rudolph III of Burgundy in 1011. Since then, the city experienced centuries of growth, and Neuchâtel became a principality in the 17th century. Later, the city became part of Prussia until it was incorporated into the Swiss Confederation in 1848.
Today, you can see the city’s development in the streetscape of Neuchâtel’s cozy old town, where you pass over a hundred fountains, some of which date back to the 16th century. You can also see the magnificent town hall, the Hôtel de Ville, built in 1790 to the design of Pierre-Adrien Paris. Place des Halles is one of the city’s squares, and it lies down to Lake Neuchâtel, where there are some wonderful promenades.
Fribourg is a city located on the river Saane on the cultural border between German and French Switzerland. The city was founded as Freiburg in 1157 by Berthold IV. von Zähringen. The city grew significantly from the 13th century with trade and production as contributing factors. After various affiliations, Friborg became a member of the Swiss Confederation in 1481. Later, the city became important for the Counter-Reformation in Switzerland.
Today you can experience Fribourg’s old town, which is one of the largest and best preserved in the country. The medieval center lies as an atmospheric area with a location on a peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Saane. The architecture in the old town primarily comes from the Gothic period, which means that much was built before the 16th century.
Montreux is a famous city located at the eastern end of Lake Geneva. The views over the lake and the mountains of the Alps are excellent and can be enjoyed on walks in the fashionable city, known for its TV festivals. Montreux has been a popular tourist destination since the 19th century due to the city’s location and the region’s mild climate.
There are several sights in the city such as hotels and mansions in the belle époque style, which were popular in the decades around the year 1900. The magnificent Le Montreux Palace is the city’s best-known hotel. It is a luxury hotel that was opened in 1906 and built according to designs by Eugène Jost, who was also the architect on the Caux Palace Hotel from 1902.
Thun is a city that is known as one of the nicest in Switzerland with its old center, fine sights and scenic location where the river Aare flows into Lake Thunersee. Thun became Roman in 58 BC, and after several other rulers, the city became part of the Holy Roman Empire in 1033. In 1384, Bern acquired the city, which still belongs to the canton of Bern.
In Thun you can take some lovely walks in the old town, where on the Rathausplatz you can see Thun’s town hall from around the year 1500. From here the street forms the Obere Hauptgasse, where you can see Thun’s famous Hochtroittoirs. It is the name of the street’s raised and almost double pavements, which are an architectural feature of the city. In this part of Thun, you can see the characteristic sluice bridges along the river Aare as well.
The Jungfraujoch is a fantastic opportunity to get up into the Alps and experience the beautiful mountains. Jungfraujoch is a 3,464 meter high mountain located in the Bernese Oberland as the lowest point of the connecting ridge between Mönch at 4,110 meters and Jungfrau at 4,158 meters. They are just a few of the many mountain peaks in this part of the Alps.
Jungfraujoch, like many other mountains in Switzerland, is easily accessible to visitors. You can take the Jungfraubahn from Kleine Scheidegg to the top station, which is Europe’s highest station at an altitude of 3,454 meters. The station is inside the mountain, and the track gets here in a tunnel. When you arrive, you can choose several exits, where everywhere there are unforgettable views of glaciers, mountains and ice caves.
Immediately at the station you can go to the open plateau, which offers a panoramic view and spectacular mountain experiences. In the same area you can see Eispalast, which consists of beautiful ice caves and ice sculptures. Another exit from the station is the one for the lift to the Sphinx Observatory, which has a viewing terrace at an altitude of 3,571 metres. Finally, in the summer you can also take a hiking route to the Mönchsjochhütte, located in the terrain northeast of the Jungfraujoch.
Basel is one of the largest cities in Switzerland, and it is beautifully situated on the banks of the Rhine, bordering both France and Germany. It is a city with an interesting history, and it became part of the Swiss Confederation in 1501. Before then, the city’s university was founded as the first in present-day Switzerland, and later, Erasmus, Friedrich Nietzsche and Carl Jung were some of the people staying in the city.
The old town in Basel is both cozy and very seeing. In the streets you can notice several beautiful churches with the Basler Münster Cathedral on Münsterplatz as the best known. The square Marktplatz is also a must-see-place, and here is the city’s beautiful town hall, which dates from the beginning of the 16th century. There is plenty of activity around the Marktplatz, and from here it is not far to find a good Swiss restaurant such as Gifthüttli.
Aarbergergasse 53
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Spitalgasse 17-21
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Spitalgasse 47
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Marktgasse 46
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Industriestrasse 10, Schönbühl
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Papiermühlestrasse 71
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Riedbachstrasse, Bern Brünnen
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Kramgasse, Gerechtigkeitsgasse
Freilichtmuseum Ballenberg
Museumsstrasse 131, Hofstetten
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Sailing Park Bern
Dählhözliwald
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Bärenpark
Grosser Muristalden 6
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Alpines Museum
Helvetiaplatz 4
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Dählhölzli Tierpark
Tierparkweg 1
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Sailing Gantrisch
Längeneybad, Rüschegg Heubach
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Jennys Western Ranch
Längeney, Rüschegg-Heubach
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Freibad Marzili
Marzilistrasse 29
Naturhistorisches Museum
Bernastrasse 15
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The area of Bern has been inhabited for a long time before the history of modern Bern began in founding in 1191. At that time, a large part of the current Swiss area constituted southern Burgundy, and it was governed by the von Zähringen house.
The Von Zähringen leaders were not rulers in, for example, a duchy, but ruled in much the same way on decrees from the German-Roman emperor, who also granted von Zähringen the right to be emperor’s local representatives. With that status, the family founded mage cities; besides Bern it is, for example, Freiburg.
In 1190, Berchtold V von Zähringen founded the castle of Nydegg Burg on the knee of the elongated peninsula in the river Aare, which today forms the old town of Bern. The castle was to protect the river crossing, and with the strategically good position, von Zähringen founded an actual town the following year. The name was Bern, which comes from the founder’s first hunting boot in the area. According to history, it was a bear that has since become the symbol of the city. The bear has, for example, been part of the city coat of arms from 1224.
The House von Zähringen had no more descendants in the early 1200s, after Berchtold V, and the city’s status therefore changed in 1218. With the Golden Charter / Golden Charter, the German-Roman Emperor Friedrich II Bern granted city rights and a status as a free state city, which in fact meant that Bern became an independent city state. In 1274, Rudolf I of Germany confirmed the document, which is considered Bern’s first constitution. The word Golden in the fortification originates from the document’s bun, which is a hanging seal of gold.
Time was marked by expansion, and Nydegg Burg was looped1268-1270 to give way to a new neighborhood for real urban development. Throughout the 13th century and the first half of the 1300s, Bern also fought for his outer territory and entered into, among other things, an agreement with the Savoy in defense of the Counties of Kyburg, who saw themselves as the heirs of von Zähringen. The Battle of Laupen in 1339 was also a crucial historical drama in which Bern and other cities, with the help of the established Swiss oath of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden, overcame several counties, Austrian duchies, Freiburg and other opponents.
With the victory at the Battle of Laupen, Bern consolidated its position in the region, and relations with the Federation became so much closer that in 1353 Bern became a member of the federation, the beginning of present-day federal Switzerland.
After joining the League of Eds, Bern continued to grow and became one of the most significant cities and states in the region. Through federations, agreements, purchases, pledges and conquests, the area grew, Bern ruled, and from the 15th century the city had become a state; among others with conquests from the Waadt area in the years 1474-1477.
During this time, Bern’s population grew, and rich merchant families, successful craftsmen and the land part characterized better and ever richer citizenship. The city had also extended to the west, with the city’s defense being continuously moved further to make room for more houses and citizens of the peninsula that remained Bern. In time, the city reached the fourth chain of defense, which is a clear symbol of the expansion. Another expression of the size of the city was the fire on May 14, 1405, when more than 600 houses became prey to flames. The houses were mainly made of wood, which is why the fire was so devastating.
After the fire in 1405, large parts of Bern had to be rebuilt, and the result was largely the city you are experiencing today. The local Bernese sandstone provided more solid buildings so that a major fire should not recur. It was also here that the famous and mile-long arcades began as part of all ordinary town houses. The streets of the city plan also stem from this reconstruction, just as larger buildings such as the town hall and the cathedral were adopted and erected.
In the first part of the 16th century, it was the turn of the Renaissance, and Bern grew steadily to the west, expanding the street scene. The houses were also expanded, and in the street picture a number of figure wells were established, mainly from Hans Gieng’s hand. These wells are today one of Bern’s landmarks.
The rich Bern had undergone the Reformation in 1528, and in the same and following century the expansion of the city continued. Over time, the nobility gained more power and the ongoing revolts of the population were wiped out. By 1648, with the Westphalian peace, Bern had finally disbanded from the German Empire and achieved complete sovereignty. Wealth increased, and towards the end of the 18th century Bern was the leading state in the region.
That development stopped abruptly in 1798 when French troops invaded the city and plundered the riches. After the Napoleonic Wars, the Vienna Congress came in 1814, which was also a severe blow to the state of Bern, forced to surrender large territories to the east and west of the state. As a result, the cantonments of Aargau and Waadt were formed, and despite the acquisition of the Jura area, Bern’s strength was slightly reduced, but it had to quickly rise again.
The Swiss federation was formed in 1848, and among the many states that joined were Bern. The city’s traditional power and influence was strong enough that it was chosen as the new federal capital that year, thus starting a new era for the alpine town.
New government and parliament buildings were to be erected, and in stages the big Bundeshaus emerged as Switzerland’s political stronghold. With the status of federal capital also followed many connected activities such as settlement, establishment of ministries and the like; all of which contributed positively to the further development of Bern.
In 1864, one of the old city towers had to give way to development. With a narrow majority in the city council of 415-411, it was decided to demolish the Christoffelturm from Bern’s fourth defense ring in favor of the modern railroad’s coming and expansion. The city’s railway station was established immediately west of the old town, and over time it has become one of Switzerland’s busiest hubs.
Bern had evolved through the growth of the old city over the centuries, but with new bridges from the center across the river Aare it provided new opportunities. New suburbs quickly sprang up, and through the first decades of the 20th century several large neighborhoods such as Kirchenfeld in the south emerged, where distinguished villas housed the growing and wealthy population.
In the early 1900s, Bern also distinguished himself in other ways. For example, the German theoretical physicist, Albert Einstein, lived in the city, and in his apartment in Kramgasse he devised the theory of relativity, which was a milestone in the field. Several international organizations have also been founded in Bern, which with its status as the Swiss capital as well as the country’s neutrality policy was attractive as a place of establishment.
Since then, Bern has continued its growth; among other things in large new residential areas to the west, and at the same time the centuries-old streets, wells and arcade-filled sandstone houses are intact and a special experience for tourists. One of the more recent occasions for many visits was the European Football Championships in 2008, which was played in Switzerland and neighboring Austria. Part of the matches were played at the stadium in Wankdorf, and in connection with that event, further investments were made in the city, where modern trams, for example, bind the city together.
Bern, Switzerland[/caption]
Overview of Bern
Bern is the capital of Switzerland and a wonderful and charming city located in the hilly landscape north of the country’s high Alps. The old town is located on an elongated peninsula in the winding run of the River Aares, and its almost endless arcades bring you through the fine medieval town’s streets and sights.
You can easily see why Bern’s old town is inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site. Here is a unique, homogeneous atmosphere from a time that most places is history and revitalized city centers. Old city gates and towers, churches and townhouses are located throughout the city, and as an extra thing, Bern’s many Renaissance figure fountains are preserved in the streets.
The figureheads of the fountain are almost in themselves worth the trip to Bern. They are located in many streets and on squares in the center of Bern, and among the best known is the somewhat quirky Kindlifresser. Walking around between the fountains will automatically lead you around the pleasant streets of Bern’s old town.
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Contents: Tours in the city + tours in the surrounding area
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Kunstmuseum Bern is a museum whose core collection is paintings from the 15th century to the present day. Here, among other things, some local art from Bern over the centuries as well as various French and Italian painters are represented; e.g. Paul Cézanne and Henri Matisse.
The museum building was built in the years 1876-1878. Since then, however, it has been expanded several times. In 2005, the collection of works from Paul Klee’s hand was transferred to the newly opened Zentrum Paul Klee (Monument im Fruchtland 3), located east of Bern’s old town.
Ryfflibrunnen is one of Bern’s famous fountains, and it is named after the archer Ryffli, who comes from Bern’s 14th-century history. He is said to have killed the knight Jordan III von Burgistein with his crossbow after the Battle of Laupen in 1339.
In the battle, the Bernese, with the help of the cantons of the League of Nations between Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden, defeated the combined forces from, among others, Freiburg and Burgundy. The Ryfflibrunnen depicts Ryffli with his crossbow, and the fountain was erected in 1545.
The Marzilibahn is a cable car that connects the district of Marzili on the banks of the Aare River with Bern’s old town. On the 105-metre-long trip, there is a height difference of 32 metres, which makes the track an efficient transport route. The station in Marzili is 508 meters above sea level, while the station on Bundesterrasse is 540 meters above sea level.
After four months of construction, the Marzilibahn was inaugurated on 18 July 1885. From the beginning until 1973, the track with water tanks served as the ballast that pulled the heaviest carriage down and the lightest up. In 1973, the track was electrified and new carriages were added.
Käfigturm is a city gate that was built 1641-1644 as part of Bern’s defenses. The tower construction replaced an earlier version from the middle of the 13th century, and after first being used as a guardhouse, it later functioned as, among other things, a prison. That function ceased in 1897, when the 70 prisoners were transferred to a newly built prison. Since 1999, the tower has laid floors and walls for various exhibitions on political themes.
The base of the Käfigturm is square and measures 9.8 meters at each joint. The five floors, roof and spire reach a total height of 49 metres. On the decoration of the facade, you can see Bern’s city coat of arms and the coat of arms of the Habsburgs with the two-headed eagle.
The central access to and from Bern used to be through the city’s gates. From the central district there were three city gates to the west, and the Käfigturm was the middle of these. A little to the east stands Zytglogge, which was the innermost, and at the current Bahnhofplatz was the outermost.
Bundesterrasse is a square immediately behind the government and parliament building Bundeshaus. From the square there is visitor access to the Bundeshaus and a fine view towards the hilly terrain to the south and over parts of Bern and the course of the river Aare. Below the terrace is the district of Marzili.
You can take a nice walk with the view of the peaks of the Alps on the horizon, and at the Bundeshaus you can see a miniature version of the large building that is the seat of the Swiss government and parliament.
The Stadttheater is Bern’s city theater and it was inaugurated on 25 September 1903 as a stage for ballet, opera, plays and concerts with the Bern Symphony Orchestra. The premiere was a staging of Richard Wagner’s Tannhäuser.
The theater was built in neoclassicism according to a design by the architect René von Wurstemberger. It happened on the grounds that formerly housed a riding school. The new theater replaced the city’s former stage, the Hôtel de Musique (Theaterplatz), which is now set up as a restaurant.
The city hall of Bern is the political center of both the city and the canton of the same name. Politicians have met here since the 15th century for meetings and decisions. The town hall building was built 1406-1415 in late Gothic style, but was rebuilt in Neo-Gothic style in the 1860s.
In front of the town hall stands the Renaissance well Vennerbrunnen from 1542, which was made by Hans Gieng. The well figure represents a so-called Venner who, with his German-Swiss title and position, had different responsibilities in the cities they worked in. This Venner carries the flag of Bern.
Münsterplattform is the name of the large terrace located immediately south of the city’s cathedral. The terrace lies parallel to the nave and was established from 1334. The completion of the retaining wall to the south was completed in 1514, and the level difference from the terrace to the street Badgasse below is up to 31.5 metres.
Until 1531, Münsterplattform was used as a cemetery and since then as a park. The small park is surrounded by balustrades and two corner towers against the river Aare’s course to the south. In the period 1847-1961, the monument Zähringerdenkmal stood in the park. The monument now stands at the nearby Nydeggkirche.
Today, the Münsterplattform is a beautiful, small park with a fine view of Bern’s southern suburbs and the hilly and mountainous terrain in the same direction.
When the Swiss Confederation came into being on 12 September 1848, one of the tasks was to choose and design a federal capital. On 28 November of the same year, the election fell on Bern, which, however, did not contain suitable buildings for the new government and parliamentary purposes.
Until the first parts of the new political headquarters Bundeshaus were completed, the Federal Council/Bundesrat established itself in the stately building Erlacherhof in the years 1848-1857. The Erlacherhof itself is a beautiful mansion that was built 1745-1752.
Untertorbrücke is Bern’s oldest, preserved bridge, and it crosses the river Aare at the eastern end of the old town. The first bridge was completed in 1256, but this was destroyed during high water in 1460. The following year, work began on the current Untertorbrücke. Immediately north of the bridge, the larger Nydeggbrücke opened in 1844, and since then it has been the main traffic artery from and to Bern in the east.
Untertorbrücke is located in the heart of the oldest Bern, and around it lay Duke Berchtold V von Zähringen’s castle, Nydegg Burg, which was built from 1190 and the district’s other defenses.
Immediately to the west of the Untertorbrücke, you can see the Läuferbrunnen (Laüferplatz) figure well from 1545. The figure in the well depicts a herald in uniform, with the city coat of arms of Bern reproduced on the chest. At the herald there is a bear cub, who is also in uniform. At the eastern end of the Untertorbrücke stands the gate tower Ländtetor, the only surviving of the former defenses around Nydegg Burg.
Kramgasse-Gerechtigkeitsgasse is the easternmost of Bern’s old, central streets that run east-west through the city. Typical sandstone houses with arcades characterize the streetscape. There are also three of the city’s figure wells here; from the east you meet Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen, Simsonbrunnen and Zähringerbrunnen.
The Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen is the symbol of justice and shows the figure of Justitia, blindfolded, holding a sword and scales. The well was designed by Hans Gieng and erected in 1543.
The Simsonbrunnen is also the work of Hans Gieng. It dates from 1527 and depicts the biblical story of Samson and the lion. Samson was known for his God-given strength to fight enemies and perform heroic deeds; among other things, the wrestling match with a lion.
The Zähringerbrunnen was made by Hans Hiltbrand and set up in 1535. However, the name only came into being in the 19th century and refers to Bern’s founder, Berchtold V von Zähringen. The well figure is a bear with helmet, sword and plume, and between its legs is a bear cub eating grapes.
The Nydeggkirche is located in the neighborhood where the city of Bern originated. It was here from the tip of the peninsula in the Aare River that settlement spread westwards, and in the naturally protected area, Duke Berchtold V. von Zähringen had the castle Nydegg Burg built from the year 1190.
The castle was demolished around 1270 to make room for the quarter, and in the period 1341-1346 the Nydeggkirche was built on the castle’s former location. In the last decades of the 15th century, the tower and a new building of the nave were added.
After the Reformation in 1529, the Nydeggkirche served as a warehouse building, before regaining its religious purpose again from 1566. In 1968, the monument to Duke Zähringen, the Zähringerdenkmal, was moved from the Münsterplattform at the cathedral to its current location at the Nydeggkirche. The monument was cast in Munich in 1847.
Helvetiaplatz is a central square in the district of Kirchenfeld at the southern end of the Kirchenfeldbrücke bridge. The square was laid out in the early 1880s, and a circular avenue and then a flower circle were established here. These facilities were replaced in 1922 by the Welttelegrafen-Denkmal, a monument to the world’s telegraphs created by the Italian Giuseppe Romangnoli.
Helvetiaplatz was later thought of as a central traffic hub, but it was not realized as planned. Today, you can see various buildings around the square, and they house, among other things, some museums. The dominant structure lies to the south in the form of the Bernisches Historisches Museum, which also houses the Einstein Museum. In another building you can visit the Alpines Museum.
Rosengarten Bern is a garden that was opened as a park in 1914 and planted with roses from 1917. Today, more than 200 kinds of roses grow in the garden, which also offers large lawns and many iris and rhododendron species.
From the rose garden, there is also a fine view of Bern’s old town, where you can see, among other things, the towers with Berner Münster dominating the city’s skyline. As a background for the city lies the mountainous terrain with the Alps to the south.
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