Bern, Switzerland — Where to Go
Bern Sightseeing Overview
As a UNESCO World Heritage site, the city of Bern has a lot to offer visitors in terms of sights and attractions. Just strolling the medieval streets of the Old Town is a very special experience. One of its most famous landmarks is the Zeitglockenturm, the clock tower, with its astronomical calendar clock from 1530. The late-medieval cathedral is also worth a visit, not least because of the views offered by the country's highest church tower.
You are never far from nature in Bern, and there are many green spaces. One of the nicest is the Botanical Garden in the heart of the city, which has around 6,000 plant species in its grounds. Another lovely green space is the park at the Gurten, Bern's own mountain, which offers fantastic views of the city and the Alps in the distance. In 2009, the leafy BearPark opened, continuing the centuries-old tradition of bears in the city.
Art lovers should check out the modern art at Zentrum Paul Klee, and also visit the Museum of Fine Arts, with its superb collection of art spanning the Italian Trecento via 15th-century Swiss art to international masterworks from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Bern Tourist Information
Tourist Information Center
Bahnhofplatz 10A
Tel: (031) 328 1212.
Website: www.berninfo.com
The visitor center's helpful staff provide visitors with the information and advice they need as tourists in Bern, and also offer help with accommodation, bookings and tickets.
Key Attractions in Bern, Switzerland
Zeitglockenturm
The ‘Clock Tower' was built in the 12th century and was Bern's first city gate to the west. The famous astronomical calendar clock was created in 1530. Its mechanical figurines are set in motion on the clock's east side every hour. Join one of the tourist office's guided tours to visit the interior of the tower and discover how the clock's mechanism works.
Kramgasse
Website: www.zeitglockenturm.ch
The BearPark (Bärenpark)
Since city founder Berchtold V von Zähringen's killed a bear here, the Bernese have been obsessed with bears - hence the city's name and coat of arms. A new BearPark replaced the old bear pits in 2009, enabling the city's bears to lead a more ‘normal' existence, swimming and fishing in the River Aare.
Grosser Muristalden 6
Tel: (031) 357 1515.
Website: www.baerenpark-bern.ch
Münster
Bern's cathedral is Switzerland's largest church building and a fascinating example of late gothic architecture. Building started in 1421, and the spire was finished in 1893. The views atop the tower are spectacular.
Münsterplatz 1
Tel: (031) 312 0462.
Website: www.bernermuenster.ch
House of Parliament
The seat of the Swiss government and parliament was built between 1852 and 1902. The central domed hall and the two chambers on the sides feature numerous art works by Swiss artists. Outside, Parliament Square contains 26 fountains, each representing the Swiss cantons.
Bundesplatz
Tel: (031) 322 2111.
Website: www.bundeshaus.ch
Zentrum Paul Klee
This gallery contains the world's most important collection of works by Paul Klee (4,000 works, or 40% of his oeuvre), displayed through temporary exhibitions as well as art workshops for children, young people and adults.
Monument im Fruchtland 3
Tel: (031) 359 0101.
Website: www.zpk.org
Further Distractions
Gurten
At 864m (2,835ft) above sea level, Gurten isn't really much of a mountain by Swiss standards. But it works a treat as Bern's own mountain playground. It offers a wide range of entertainment and cultural activities, concerts and games. The park is a great local recreation space with plenty of children's activities, a miniature railway and an observation tower.
3084 Wabern
Tel: (031) 970 3333.
Website: www.gurtenpark.chorwww.gurtenbahn.ch
Kunstmuseum Bern (Museum of Fine Arts)
Bern's Museum of Fine Arts has one of the finest collections in Switzerland. It spans eight centuries and consists of 3,000 paintings and sculptures in addition to more than 55,000 drawings, prints, photos and films. The collection of modern art from the 19th and 20th centuries (Impressionism, Cubism, Expressionism, Blauer Reiter, Surrealism) is particularly impressive, but works from the Italian Trecento and Swiss art from the 15th century onwards are also of interest.
Hodlerstrasse 8-12
Tel: (031) 328 0944.
Website: www.kunstmuseumbern.ch
