Casino Bern, Concert hall in Old City, Bern, Switzerland
Casino Bern is a concert hall in the center of Bern with multiple performance spaces for musical events and public gatherings. The complex contains several halls of varying sizes designed for different types of performances and occasions.
The first casino, built around 1890, had to make way for the new Bundeshaus. The Burgergemeinde Bern financed the replacement on the site of the former Barfüsserkloster, freed when the university moved to the Länggasse; a 1903 contract obliged it to build for "grossen Festlichkeiten, musikalischen Aufführungen und Ausstellungen". Architects Paul Lindt and Max Hofmann built it in 1906–1908 in late-baroque classicism with a prominent hipped roof, and it opened in 1909 after two years of construction.
The venue hosts classical concerts and contemporary music performances that draw people from across Switzerland. It serves as an important stage for orchestras and soloists, shaping the cultural life of the city.
The building offers full wheelchair accessibility with dedicated entrances and elevators reaching all areas of the complex. Its central location in the city center makes it easily accessible by public transportation.
The concert hall stands on the site of the former Barfüsser monastery, which later housed the university until it moved to the Länggasse. The square in front takes its name from the building, and the protected lettering "Casino Bern" on the facade helped bring back the original name in 2017.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,735 contributors worldwide.