Bern, Switzerland

"There is a beautiful order, a solidity, a gravity in this city, which strikes one at first sight and then never loses its effect.’ -Dorothy Wordsworth


QUICK FACTS


Population: 130,000 (fifth most populous city in Switzerland)


Capital City? Yes


Region: Capital of the Canton of Berne (the second most populous of Switzerland’s cantons)


River(s): Aare; (clear, clean and running straight from the Alps)


Mountain(s): The Gurten and Bantiger (in the Bernese Alps)

SHORT HISTORY


Although it has a relaxed and cozy feel, very similar to Cesky Krumlov, it is actually the capital of Switzerland, and an important city of diplomats, international organizations and meetings.

The city was founded back in 1191, by a Duke named Berchtold V of Zahringen. He went out hunting near the river Aare and decided to name the town after the first animal he killed. Thankfully, he didn’t end up killing a skunk; instead, he slaughtered a bear with his "bare" hands, and consequently named the city Berne, the German word for bear.

In 1353 Berne joined the young Swiss Confederation, becoming a leading member of the new state.


In 1831 the city became the capital of the Canton of Berne and in 1848 it additionally became the Swiss capital.

Over the years the city landscape has been praised by many famous visitors, including Dorothy, sister of William Wordsworth, who gushed, ‘There is a beautiful order, a solidity, a gravity in this city, which strikes one at first sight and then never loses its effect.’


AROUND TOWN


Medieval architecture remains intact. The churches are known as "Mothic" (modern Gothic).

Two excellent examples of Bern’s medieval architecture:

Zytglogge: Found on Kornhausplatz. This is an 800-year-old Glockinspiel that goes off every half hour.


Ogre Fountain: Found on Kornhausplatz. The ogre is based on Franz Berchtold, the brother of the Duke who founded Bern. Legend has it he was fed up with being overshadowed by his brother and, in a rage, started eating all of the town babies.


Other things to check out in Bern:


The Bear Pits: Commemorate the name of the city. Bears have had a long connection with Bern ever since its founding. They were kept in these pits ever since 1513, at the town’s expense, but last October were moved to the Bear Park beside the Aare.


Museum of Natural History: The Museum hosts the largest diorama exhibit in Europe: 220 showcases depicting native and exotic birds and mammals in their natural habitat. A part of the exhibition is devoted to the famous "Barry", the Saint Bernard dog. Barry worked as a rescue dog in the 1800s, and lived at a monastery near the Great St. Bernard pass near the Swiss-Italian border. He was credited with saving over 40 lives in his time. He died in 1814, was stuffed and has been displayed at the Museum in Bern since 1815.



Shopping: There are 6km of covered shopping arcades (one of the longest covered shopping promenades in Europe).
Tuesday and Saturday mornings are great for markets.


Rose Gardens: Served as a cemetery for many years; in 1913, the site was turned into a rose garden, with 200 types of roses, and 200 types of iris.


DAY TRIPS

Gurten: Closest mountain, tram 9 to Gurkenbahn Train Station, take a funicular up the mountain (5CHF)


Interlaken/Lucerne/Geneva: Can all be reached from the main train station; (train from Bern - Zurich/Geneva: 92 CHF)


TRIVIA


Toblerone: the Toblerone Chocolate Factory is based in Bern. It was created in 1908, and the image of a bear in the Matterhorn symbolizes the town.


-Albert Einstein worked out his theory of relativity while employed as a clerk at the Bern patent office


-The fourth Monday of November features the centuries-old Zwiebelmarkt, or Onion Market. This is the city's last big event before winter, and residents traditionally stock up on onions in anticipation of the first snows. In Bern's historic core, vendors arrive before dawn to set up stalls featuring plaited strings of onions. It is customary to sell some 100 tons of onions in 1 day during the festival. It's not all salesmanship either -- buffoons disguised as onions run about, barrels of confetti are thrown, and a good time is had by all. Local restaurants bust out their best onion recipes during this time.