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| Welcome to Bern |
 Switzerland has
a pretty capital city. Bern is a small city with many sights, most of them dating back to the 15-th century.Bern is also known for its Bear Pits, where you can see real bears – the city's name derives from the German word for bear. Sights include the 12th-century Clock Tower, the Kunstmuseum (Swiss artist Paul Klee), the botanical gardens, the Albert Einstein House and the shopping area in the center, where you can shop till you drop under the vaulted arcades. |
| History |
| The city of Bern was founded in 1191, and became the eigth member of the Swiss Federation in 1353. Between the 14th and 16th centuries it reached the zenith of its power by enlarging its territory and gaining great political influence. In 1803 the city became the capital of the Canton of Berne, in 1848 – federal Capital of Switzerland. As the Swiss Capital, Bern is the seat of the diplomatic corps and international organizations. Located on the Aare peninsula, Bern is naturally protected on three sides; walls and watch-tower on the fourth side (now the Clock Tower), city moats. Berchtold V of Zähringen built the city according to a clearly defined plan, starting with the lowest edge (Nydegg) and proceeding in a westerly direction. Characteristic features common to all Zähringer cities: broad street for market (no central square); advanced infrastructure with utility water source (Stadtbach), sewage (Ehgräben) and drinking water supply (Quellfassung); right-angle street grid; lots divided into tracts of equal dimensions (so-called homesteads measuring 100x60 feet); imperial citadel (Nydegg Fortress, now the site of the Nydegg Church) separated from the main city; public buildings (Cathedral and Town Hall) set aside from the main city axis (which was reserved for commercial purposes). In 1218 the last of the Zähringer line died and Bern came under direct imperial rule of Germany. This immediacy was a major advantage. The city was granted various important privileges (self-administration, own court of justice, own market), as a result of which its power and influence gradually grew and the city evolved into the mightiest city-state north of the Alps (until 1798). |
| Getting around Bern |
| Like all cities in Switzerland, Bern is easy to get around. The best way to explore the city is on foot. The old part of the city is relatively small and there is no better way to get the feel of it. For all its political status, Bern is a tiny city of about 130,000 people and retains a small town's easy approach to life. The attraction of the place is its ambience; traffic is kept out of the Old Town and you could spend days just wandering the streets and alleys, café-hopping and – if it's warm – joining the locals for a plunge into the river. The perfectly preserved medieval street plan, with its arcades, street fountains and doughty towers persuaded UNESCO to list Bern a World Heritage Site, placing it in the company of such legendary sites as Florence, Petra and the Taj Mahal. |
| Getting there |
| The Bern-Belp (9 km) airport offers international connections (including Amsterdam, Brussels, Florence, Frankfurt, London, Munich, Vienna and Paris). From Belp you can take the airport bus, which meets all incoming flights to ferry passengers into Bern, dropping you in front of the tourist office at the train station. There is a convenient, hourly train service ("Fly Rail") to Bern from Zurich and Geneva intercontinental airports (90 and 110 minutes respectively). The train station is situated at the western edge of the Old Town, within a few minutes' walk of practically all the hotels and sights. Bern's tourist office is on the upper level of the train station. They have information on everything, including free maps of both the Old Town and the whole city, and some useful information on the cultural events and city's attractions. Town: Bern Basel Geneva Zurich |
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| Outdoor activities in Switzerland | |
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