Where is bern

The plan of the old city of Bern, which was fortified during the Middle Ages, was adapted to its site. Starting at the Nydegg Bridge, its network of streets spreads out along the bend of the Aare River. Its medieval character has endured. The ensemble was constructed in cut stone that is grey and sometimes almost greenish molasses in tone.

The streets are bordered with arcades. Steeples and bell towers, fountains with blossoms, houses with corner towers, tile roofs and public gardens make up a harmonious architectural landscape which, for the most part, dates to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Criterion iii : The Old City of Berne is a positive example of a city that has conserved its medieval urban structure whilst responding, over time, to the increasingly complex functions of a capital city of a modern State.

Share this page Share. Discover the platform. Login Signup. The boutiques, bars and cabaret stages of the old town, some of which are located in vaulted cellars, and the small street cafes attract locals as well as a lot of tourists.

Although Bern has a very good public transport network it is best to explore the city centre on foot. The Zentrum Paul Klee situated on the outskirts of the city houses the most comprehensive collection of works by the artist Paul Klee. The Albert Einstein House bears testimony to the physics genius' stay in Bern at the start of the 20th century and may ideally be combined with a visit to the Einstein Museum.

Bern is the seat of Switzerland's government. The Houses of Parliament Bundeshaus rise above the city just a stone's throw away from the railway station. The doors to the Houses of Parliament are open to visitors most of the time, and if you're lucky you might even bump into a member of parliament in the streets of the city.

In summer the River Aare provides an opportunity for the ultimate bathing experience ; very good, experienced swimmers allow themselves to drift along in the clean Aare while enjoying a view of the Houses of Parliament.

Bern and bears, the cities heraldic beast, are inseparable. A visit to the Bear Park, habitat of a family of bears, is a must-do.

In the squares of the city centre colourful weekly markets present their wares. Set in the heart of Switzerland, Bern is the gateway to the Alps. The capital city may easily be reached by car or by air via the Bern-Belp Airport and bus links to the city centre. Visitors who prefer to travel by train may take advantage of the dense rail network with its direct connections to the major European cities. Safety, transport links, infrastructure and local attractions are the reasons why the region around the Swiss capital is the second strongest economic area in Switzerland.

Bern offers an enormous variety of locations for business events all within easy walking distance — from historic vaulted cellars such as the Kornhauskeller to cultural and architectural gems such as the Zentrum Paul Klee or the ultra-modern Kursaal Bern conference centre. Price per person in a shared room valid: Price per person in double room valid: Learn more.

Bern Destination Bern Region. Bern, Winterstadtpanorama Cities. Intro Not many cities have managed to retain their historic features quite as successfully as Bern, the capital of Switzerland.

Conferences and congresses Safety, transport links, infrastructure and local attractions are the reasons why the region around the Swiss capital is the second strongest economic area in Switzerland. Social media. Media gallery Social media Images Videos Webcams. Many people are surprised when they hear that pretty little Bern is the Swiss capital.

Surely industrial Zurich or international Geneva would be more logical, they say. Specialist in federal politics. Earlier worked at the Swiss national news agency and at Radio Fribourg. More from this author French Department. Berlin, London, Madrid, Moscow, Bratislava, Reykjavik — whatever their size or power, almost every European country follows the same rule: the largest city becomes the capital city.

Not Switzerland though. Indeed, Bern is only the fifth-largest Swiss city:. And even in terms of regions, Bern is much less significant than the agglomerations of Zurich, Basel or Geneva. This was because for a long time it was a confederation, an association of independent cantons grouped together in a larger entity, but without real unity. After the invasion by Napoleon in , the brief Helvetic Republic turned its centralising ideas into practice by establishing a capital for the new state, initially in Aarau and then Lucerne.

These two efforts lasted only a few months. To put an end to the troubles that were shaking the Helvetic Republic, Napoleon restored the concept of autonomous cantons via the Act of Mediation in This system was kept after the Restoration External link , which followed the end of the Napoleonic era, but with only three directing cantons: Zurich, Lucerne and Bern.