BERN, SWITZERLAND

Not many cities have managed to retain their historic features quite as successfully as Bern, the capital of Switzerland. The old town of Bern is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and thanks to its 6 kilometres of arcades - the locals refer to them as 'Lauben'

The medieval air of this city with its many fountains, sandstone facades, narrow streets and historic towers is unique. The elevated Rose Garden above the Bear Park and the platform of the 101-metre-high cathedral tower offer the best views of the old town round which the River Aare flows.

 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

As the seat of government, the city houses the federal ministries and a number of other federal institutions, including the National Bank. It is also the headquarters of the Universal Postal Union, one of the specialised agencies of the United Nations. In addition it is the seat of public services, such as Swiss Post (the state-owned post office) and the Swiss Federal Railways. The city has a small airport in the suburb of Belp. Although Zurich is Switzerland's main rail hub, Bern has a direct rail service to several of the major cities of Switzerland, as well as to European cities such as Paris, Berlin, Barcelona and Milan.

City of Fountains

The incomparably beautiful scene of Bern’s medieval streets would be incomplete without its fountains (also dating from the Middle Ages), whose colorful figures and columns brighten up the grey of the long rows of building facades.

These elaborate fountains, erected in around 1550 to replace the previous wooden examples, reveal the wealth of the era’s bourgeoisie. As always, the Bernese practical approach combined the useful with the artistic. Today, the fountains preserve for posterity the memory of heroes and historic events from the Middle Ages.

The fountains’ colorful paintings have been repeatedly freshened up using the original colors. Some fountains can be found in the middle of busy roads: the most charming traffic obstructions in the world.Bern has well over 100 fountains, eleven of which still retain the original tableaus with their beautiful allegorical figures.

More than 140 years ago, public fountains played a key role for Bern’s water supply. They were a meeting place where people gossiped, washed, and of course drew clean drinking water.The city stream – used as an open sewerage system – was equally important. It still links the fountains together to this day, sometimes visibly and sometimes underground.

Clock Tower (Zytglogge)

The Zytglogge or Zeitglockenturm(means time bell in english) is a beautifully ornate clock tower in the city centre. It has become Bern's most prominent landmark and is a must-see on any visit to the Swiss capital. The clock tower features an astronomical clock with figures that move when the clock chimes.

The clock was long used as the measurement of time to different places in the Canton even if the city had outgrown its walls already by the time the clock came into existance.The clock was built in 13th century and serving the city as guard tower, prison, clock tower, center of urban life and civic memorial.While the astronomical clock dates from the 15th century. It can be found at the entrance to Bern's Old Town, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.

The more fascinating things happen when little display of mechanical figures – a crowing cock, a parade of bears, Chronos with his hourglass and a dancing jester – is set into motion four minutes before every hour on the clock’s east face. What’s far more interesting is to see close-up,the actual inner workings of the mechanism as the pendulum swings and linked cogs turn gracefully. It’s possible to go inside only as part of the tourist office’s exemplary and one-hour guided tour, which also lets you explore the rooms inside the spire and take in the romantic rooftop view.

The BearPark

The Bear park is home to four bears and can be visited 24 hours a day.Keeping live bears in the city is not a new thing.The traditon dates back to 1513 when,founder of Bern,Duke Berthold V first time went out for hunting,the first animal he saw was Bear.So he forcely brought live bear with him.

At first the bears were kept in cages in the city center till 2009. This was entertaining for the people who came by and looked in from the top, but was a tremendous bore for the bears. But later on people complaints about mistreating,so were they,then from 2006 to 2009 a new bear park was built on the banks of the river, just below the old bear pits.Now the bears have the run of the new bear fields sloping down towards the river and an indoor area where they rest and hibernate away from the public eye.

A visit to the BearPark is a special experience for children as well as adults. Paths run through the park down to the Aare riverside path, giving visitors great insight into the lives of the bears. They can watch the bears play, bathe and climb right in front of their eyes.

House of Parliament

Construction on the Parliament Building (the west wing of today's Parliament Building) started in 1852. The east wing, mirroring the west wing, was added in 1884; and in 1902 the structure was extended into a building complex composed of three parts. All in all, 38 artists from throughout Switzerland are responsible for the building's decorations.

The building has a glass dome that displays the coats of arms of all the twenty-two Swiss cantons. Also very interesting are the stained-glass windows, symbolizing education, public works, defense, and justice.The Parliament Building is the seat of the Swiss government (Federal Council) and the parliament (National Council and Council of States).

The house of the Swiss Parliament faces Bundesplatz, a very large square with fountains squirting from the pavement. Beware you may be caught when they turn on.The Bundeshaus has been built on the edge of the steep Aare valley. On the valley side a wide terrace has been added. This is one of Bern's favourite spots to sit on a bench, enjoy the view and relax. The view goes across the river gorge to the southern suburbs. On clear days the mountains of Berner Oberland with Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau are visible on the horizon.

A majestic building facing the city and open for guided tours on certain days. We tried to enter, but security informed us no entry today.A metal board explains the view, the buildings, hills and mountains in sight.

Parliament Square

Parliament Square is the site of official receptions, political rallies, cultural events and numerous sporting events. Bern's much-loved traditional market, the fruit, vegetable and flower market, is held on the square twice a week.

Parliament Square was inaugurated on July 31 and August 1, 2004 (Swiss National Day), following its new design. The square now serves as a gathering place for young and old, rather than providing parking spaces for cars as it used to. It also hosts the traditional weekly market.

The new water display located right in front of the Parliament Building, with 26 fountains representing the cantons, is an attractive sight. Parliament Square is gradually becoming a vibrant square in the heart of Bern. Special events attract the public and draw visitors.

The Rose Garden

The Rosengarten (Rose Garden) is definitly a musst see for every Berne visitor. As the name says there are lots of roses there,about 220 different types of roses, 200 types of irises and moor beds with 28 different types of rhododendrons.But not only the roses and the Park in General are nice to see, from the garden you get a great view over the town, the Münster, the Aare and the Gurten.

Since 1913 the Rose Garden has been a public park resplendent with the rich beauty of flowers and a pond. From 1956 to 1962 the park was redesigned, introducing rhododendrons and azaleas as well as an iris garden.

A pavilion and reading garden provide a place to relax. The restaurant Rosengarten is a great place to while away the time, and it offers a view of the rows of houses in the Old Town.In the evening you can also see,lots of painters capturing the beauty of city on canvas.

Zentrum Paul Klee

The artist Paul Klee (1879-1940), who was also a musician, teacher and poet, grew up in Bern and spent about half his life here.

On a hill on the eastern outskirts of the city of Bern there is now a striking new multimedia museum and cultural center called the Zentrum Paul Klee, which was designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano and inaugurated in 2005. From a distance it looks like three large waves of metal up on the hill. About 40 % of Klee's artistic works are now on display here -- i.e. about four thousand of the ten thousand paintings and other works that Klee created during his lifetime.

But the center is intended to be "more than a museum" so it also includes a chamber music hall, event and conference rooms, a "communication zone" with a wide range of electronic and printed information material -- and it also hosts special exhibits and a broad program for children, youth and adults, particularly the children’s museum Kindermuseum Creaviv.

Einstein House

The Einstein House is located in the center of the Old City at Kramgasse 49, just some 200 meters from the Clock Tower (Zytglogge).Albert Einstein rented the flat from 1903 to 1905 and lived there with his wife Mileva and first child, Hans Albert.The special and general theories of relativity were also born here, where Einstein's writing desk overlooked the busy street and its lovely clock-tower. There are numerous photos and original documents from Einstein's life, work, and speeches

Their apartment in the Kramgasse has recently been "restored in the style of that period to reflect Einstein's stay in Bern" and is open to the public. The opening hours vary according to the time of year, but from April to September the house is open daily from 10am-5pm.

The second-floor residence features furnishings from that time period as well as photos and texts presented in a modern exhibition system.The third floor shows a film that gives an overview of Albert Einstein's life.

The Cathedral of Bern

The Cathdral of bern (Das Bern Münster)is the largest religious building in Switzerland. Construction started in 1421 with builders working on this masterpiece over successive generations.

The spire was finally completed in 1893.An outstanding feature is the main portal, where you can admire the depiction of the Last judgment - the only image that was spared the iconoclasm of the Reformation. 344 steps above the entrance gets you to the lookout point: the 100-meter-high cathedral tower.

From Switzerland's highest church tower visitors can enjoy magnificent views across the city and into the Bernese Mittelland and the snow-capped mountains of the Bernese Oberland.

The Cathedral is Switzerland's largest and most significant church from the Late Middle Ages. As the dominant structure in Bern's Old Town, which was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 1983, the Cathedral plays a pivotal role in the city's architecture.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

The capital of Switzerland has many charms. Bern's quaint Old Town, is framed by the Aare river and offers spectacular views of the Alps.The jade green waters of the River Aare meander along three sides of the Old City of Bern, a picturesque and beautifully preserved example of a medieval town that has rightfully earned its place on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The city was founded in 1191 by the Zähringen family as a strategic stronghold. In those days the river served as a natural defence against invaders. Today, though, the River Aare serves as a refreshing recreational spot for the city’s residents during the summer months.

With its 6 km of limestone buildings and medieval arcades, its Renaissance fountains with colorful figures, and the beautiful Cathedral surrounded by picturesque rooftops, Bern, is truly a gem of medieval architecture in Europe.Despite the constant changes it has undergone over the course of its history, the original structure remains intact.The Old City of Bern has compact rows of houses, an impressive skyline, arcades, cellars, tours and fountains, not to mention its many government and administrative buildings.And because Bern is situated on a peninsula, everything is close together and can be reached easily on foot, by tram or bus.

The Kornhausbrücke is a high bridge connecting the Old Town to the newer districts.The bridge is 382 meters long. It was built in the late 19th century and was inaugurated with a large festival in June 1898.

Schwellenmätteli

The Aare river characterizes the city of Bern with its unmistakable charm, providing the perfect setting for riverside walks. The Schwellenmätteli is located on the bank of the Aare, yet right in the middle of town.

At the Schwellenmätteli – rightly dubbed the Riviera Restaurant – you'll feel like you're on an island vacation. The restaurant is an oasis for dining and entertainment and has become a welcome attraction on the Bernese horizon.The spacious outdoor area stretches out above the river, providing an arresting view of the Parliament Building and the Cathedral against the backdrop of the Old Town. The fish dishes and afternoon coffee and cake are highly recommended.

The food is consistently delicious, the service is classic and impeccable.  The window seating inside has a really nice view of the Aare River, and in summer months the patio/terrace area, which is perched directly over the little falls of the river, is packed!  Asian inspired menu, and a mediterranean menu. They don't have an English menu, but the descriptions are simple, so bring your basic German skills along!

A definite must-try if you're visiting Bern, simply for its unique location right on the river, but additionally for its thoughtful variety of rich and fresh foods and service. If the weather is nice, you MUST sit outside on the terrace... but be warned, a reservation is needed sometimes days in advance.

The French Church

The Französische Kirche (French Church) is the oldest church in Bern.Originally part of the Dominican monastery founded here in 1269, the church was built from 1270 to 1285 in the Romanesque style, with wooden choir stalls added in 1302 and a frescoed rood screen in 1495.

In 1623, the old Dominican church became a place of worship for the French-speaking Protestants of Bern. Later, from 1685 to 1851 it welcomed Huguenots (French Calvinists) fleeing persecution in France.

A complete renovation was done in 1912-13. The outer part of the choir was restored in 1966-68; the inner part of the choir and the transept were restored in 1989-91.The small but attractive interior has been extensively renovated, but it still retains its original choir stalls (1302) and rare frescoed rood screen (1495) with Dominican themes.

Today, the church still serves the Francophone Protestants of Bern and holds regular services. Visitors are very welcome.

Botanic Garden

The Botanic Gardens carries on the long tradition of grouping plants by geographic region. In just a few steps, you'll become familiar with plants from Australia and New Zealand, North America, Asia, Europe and Africa.

The Alpinum contains a big selection of alpine plants as well as plants from Asia and North America. Visitors gain insight into the Swiss flora, learn about the many endangered species and feel as if they had been transported to the Swiss mountains. Three other show houses focus on tropical and subtropical vegetation.

The Palm House is home to a selection of agricultural plants usually cultivated in humid tropical areas (bananas, pineapple, sugar cane, coffee).

The Fern House contains plants from tropical mountain forests such as tree and palm ferns.

The third show house is dedicated to the vegetation found in the warm and dry climate of semi-deserts.

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. Bern’s central location makes it the perfect base for overnight accommodation and for excursions throughout Switzerland

Things to remember :

• One of the important thing to carry for Bern is comfortable footwears,because the whole city is reachable by foot.So to have a memorable and not so tiring journey,bring comfortable shoes,sandals whatever you like.
• In summer also,the wether is somewhat cold only.Throughout the day you can feel cold breezes.So don't forget to carry some winter clothes.
• Except Einstein house and Zentrum Paul Klee,entry is free.