For a capital city, Bern is rather small. It has less than 130,000 inhabitants and is only the fourth most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich, Geneva and Basel). In spite of its
modest size, however, Bern has a lot to offer tourists paying it a visit - not least the magical
fairytale world of the
Old Town.
One of the best preserved
medieval cityscapes in Europe, Bern’s Old Town is almost intact and has retained its
original character, so it was named a UNESCO
World Heritage Site as long ago as 1983.
The
atmosphere created by the
sandstone buildings and the arcades (some 6km/4 miles of them) is unique, and both the late medieval
clock tower and the
cathedral, the largest ecclesiastical building in the country, are must-see features. The many
fountains (there are more than 100) add a charming freshness to the city center.
Bern was
founded in 1191, and according to legend it got its name when city founder Berchtold V von Zähringen killed a bear (‘Bär’ in German) on the Aare peninsula. Every since the city has had a particular fascination for bears, and for the last 500 years or so there have been
bear pits in the city center. There are still bears to be seen in Bern, but the pits will soon be replaced by a proper bear park - no doubt to the delight of the bears themselves.
As the
federal capital of Switzerland, Bern is home to the country’s government and parliament. It is the center of a very interesting polity: Switzerland is multilingual and has four official languages - German, French, Italian and Romansh. It practices direct democracy (through referenda) far more extensively than most countries. And the counties (the Cantons) have real power to challenge federal policies. For these reasons Bern is a fascinating place for anyone
interested in politics, and a visit to the House of Parliament is recommended.
With its location just west of Switzerland’s geographical center, Bern is often used as a starting point for
excursions around the country, whether to the Alps, the Bernese Oberland, the Swiss Mittelland or elsewhere. But it is worth spending some time in the city itself. There are many excellent
restaurants,
bars and
wine cellars in Bern, and in terms of
nightlife,
cultural activities and
entertainment there is plenty to experience in the Swiss capital.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Related Switzerland Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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Bernese Oberland & the Eiger -
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