Bern, Capital city in western Switzerland
Description
Bern is a federal capital in western Switzerland, set on a river peninsula enclosed by the Aare. The medieval center stretches along winding streets with six kilometers (nearly four miles) of sandstone arcades, towers and buildings from the 13th to 16th centuries.
History
A duke founded the city in 1191 as a military post between German-speaking and French-speaking territories. It became a free imperial city in 1218 and later the political center of the Swiss Confederation.
Culture
Local families spend summer afternoons along the Aare, where river swimming is a popular tradition. In the old town cafés people speak both German and French, reflecting the bilingual atmosphere of the region.
Practical
The main railway station sits directly next to the parliament building and offers regional trains to many Swiss cities. The old town is mostly car-free, and public transport connects all major neighborhoods.
Did you know?
Since the 15th century the city has kept live bears, which now reside in a riverside park reflecting the coat of arms animal. Beneath the arcades lie hundreds of small shops that have operated continuously as businesses for centuries.
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Stadion Wankdorf
1.9 km
Federal Palace of Switzerland
641 m
Kindlifresserbrunnen
355 m
Bern Minster
152 m
Zytglogge
337 m
Bear pit
569 m
Swiss National Library
809 m
Circuit Bremgarten
3.1 km
Burger Hospital
990 m
Kunstmuseum Bern
733 m
Weyermannshaus
3.6 km
Hotel Bellevue Palace
469 m
Münster platform
202 m
Eidgenossenschaft
637 m
Käfigturm
627 m
Historical Museum of Bern
648 m
Kirchenfeldbrücke
393 m
Kornhausbrücke
358 m
Church of the Holy Ghost
868 m
Ka-We-De
1.5 km
Rose Garden Bern
724 m
Enge peninsula
3.9 km
Fountain of Justice
145 m
Bern Theatre
369 m
Bern Town Hall
24 m
Gymnasium Kirchenfeld
892 m
French Church
445 m
Kornhaus
380 m
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