Sights in Bern
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Bear Pits
Just across the Aare River are the Bear Pits. Though bears have been the entertainment at this site since 1857, it's really depressing to see such majestic beasts doing tricks for treats in such a cramped, concrete environment.
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Rosengarten
Up the hill from the tourist office and bear pits is the fragrant Rosengarten, where the view over the town is stupendous.
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Bern zoo
Take tram No 19 to Tierpark to get here.
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Zytglogge
Called Zeitglockenturm in High German, it was once part of the city's western gate (1191-1256). It's reminiscent of the Astronomical Clock in Prague's old town square in that crowds congregate to watch it chime - and then wonder why. The clock's revolving figures begin twirling at four minutes before the hour, after which the actual chimes begin. Tours enter the tower to see the clock mechanism between May and October (contact the tourist office).
It's said the clock tower helped Albert Einstein hone his theory of relativity, developed while working as a patent clerk in Bern. The great scientist surmised, while travelling on a tram away from the tower, that if the tram…
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Einstein Museum
The world’s most famous scientist developed his special theory of relativity in Bern in 1905. Find out more at the small museum inside the humble apartment where Einstein lived with his young family between 1903 and 1905 while working in the Bern patent office. Upstairs, a 20-minute biographical film tells his life story, while displays elsewhere flesh out the story of the subsequent general equation – E=mc², or energy equals mass times the speed of light squared – which fundamentally changed our understanding of space, time and the universe. The heartbreaking story of his wife Mileva’s life provides a poignant contrast to his fabled scientific success.
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Berner Münster
The high point of the 15th-century Gothic cathedral Berner Münster is its lofty spire. At 100m, it’s Switzerland’s tallest, and those with enough energy to climb the dizzying 344-step spiral staircase are rewarded with vertiginous views of the Bernese Alps on a clear day. Coming down, take a breather by the Upper Bells (1356), rung at 11am, noon and 3pm daily, and the three Lower Bells, each weighing 10 tonnes, making them Switzerland’s largest bells.
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Bärengraben
Bern sounds like it has something to do with bears, and indeed it does. Founded in 1191 by Berthold V, a powerful Duke of Zähringen, the city derived its name from his first hunting success in the area - a bear, or Bär in the local dialect. Today, there are still Bärengraben in the city, where five animals live. They're very cute and undoubtedly well cared for, but animal lovers might not approve.
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Houses of Parliament
Home of the Swiss Federal Assembly, the Bundeshäuser, built in Florentine style in 1902, contain statues of the nation’s founding fathers, a stained-glass dome adorned with cantonal emblems and a 214-bulb chandelier. When the parliament is in recess, there are 45-minute tours. During parliamentary sessions, watch from the public gallery. Bring official ID to get in.
On the vast square in front of parliament spout 26 illuminated water jets, representing every Swiss canton. The perfect playground for kids in warmer weather, the square gently hums with city dwellers hanging out – plop yourself down on the pavement and do the same.
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Decorative Fountains
Built around 1545, this series of 11 Bern landmarks all depict characters from history and/or folklore and are concentrated along Marktgasse as it becomes Kramgasse and Gerechtigkeitsgasse. However, the most famous lies in Kornhausplatz; it's the Kindlifresserbrunnen (Ogre Fountain), which depicts a giant, snacking…on children.
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Bundeshäuser
Home of the Swiss Federal Assembly, the Bundeshäuser, built in Florentine style in 1902, contain statues of the nation’s founding fathers, a stained-glass dome adorned with cantonal emblems and a 214-bulb chandelier. During parliamentary sessions, watch from the public gallery. Bring your passport to get in.
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Münster Plattform
This small patch of parkland drops away suddenly into a steep cliff, and you need the public lift (admission around CHF2) in the corner to travel down to Badgasse and the Matte (www.matte.ch in German) area on the river plain below. In good weather, a café on the platform serves coffee, cake and hot chocolate.
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Stade de Suisse
Bern’s 32,000-seat stadium was built over the demolished Wankdorf Stadium (host to the 1954 World Cup final). Situated northeast of the Old Town, it is home to the local Young Boys team and hosts international matches.
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University Botanical Garden
A flight of steps leads from the northern end of Lorrainebrücke to the UniversityBotanical Garden, a riverside garden with plenty of green specimens to admire and a couple of greenhouses.
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Kunstmuseum
The thousands of works at the Museum of Fine Arts represent Switzerland’s oldest permanent collection and include examples by Italian artists such as Fra Angelico, Swiss artists like Ferdinand Hodler and Giovanni Giacometti and heavy hitters like Picasso and Cézanne.
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Münster
The high point of the 15th-century Gothic cathedral is its lofty spire. At 100m, it’s Switzerland’s tallest, and those with enough energy to climb the dizzying 344-step spiral staircase are rewarded with vertiginous views of the Bernese Alps on a clear day. Coming down, take a breather by the Upper Bells (1356), rung at 11am, noon and 3pm daily, and the three Lower Bells, each weighing 10 tonnes, making them Switzerland’s largest bells.
Back on terra firma, look at the decorative main portal depicting the Last Judgement. The mayor of Bern is shown going to heaven, while his Zürich counterpart is being shown into hell.
Afterwards, wander behind the cathedral to the
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Schweizerisches Alpines Museum
The Schweizerisches Alpines Museum outlines the history of Alpine mountaineering and cartography with the help of impressive relief maps.
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Zentrum Paul Klee
Bern’s answer to the Guggenheim, the fabulous Zentrum Paul Klee is an eye-catching 150m-long building filled with popular modern art.
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Naturhistorisches Museum
The mounted moth-eaten remains of famous Barry, a St Bernard rescue dog, steal the show at the Naturhistorisches Museum.
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Zeitglockenturm
The Zeitglockenturm, dividing Marktgasse and Kramgasse, is a colourful clock tower with revolving figures that herald the chiming hour.
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Museum für Kommunikation
The Museum für Kommunikation houses items from antique phones and stamps to electronic communication devices.
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Kindlifresserbrunnen
This fountain depicts a giant, snacking…on children.
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Puppet Theatre
For the kids.
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Helvetiaplatz Museums
The area called Helvetiaplatz is home to a number of museums, the pick of which is probably the Historisches Museum Bern. Tapestries, diptychs and other world treasures vividly illustrate Bernese history from the Stone Age to the 20th century in a building that resembles a fairy-tale castle from a distance. Part of the history museum is devoted to a superb permanent exhibition on Einstein.
The Schweizerisches Alpines Museum outlines the history of Alpine mountaineering and cartography with the help of impressive relief maps, while the Naturhistorisches Museum features the famous moth-eaten and taxidermied remains of Barry, a St Bernard rescue dog. Also in the neighbourhood…
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Gardens
Uphill from the bear pit is the fragrant Rosengarten (rose garden), probably known more for its stupendous view over town than its sweet-smelling blooms, although both are worth the climb. The University Botanical Garden is found via a flight of steps leading from the northern end of Lorrainebrücke. It’s a riverside garden with plenty of green specimens to admire and a couple of greenhouses.
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Paul Klee Centre
Bern’s answer to the Guggenheim, the architecturally bold Paul Klee Centre is an eye-catching 150m-long building filled with popular modern art. Renzo Piano’s curvaceous building swoops up and down like waves to create a trio of ‘hills’ in the agricultural landscape east of town.
The middle hill houses the main exhibition space, showcasing 4000 rotating works from Paul Klee’s prodigious and often- playful career. Interactive computer displays built into the seating mean you can get the low-down on all the Swiss-born artist’s major pieces, while music-driven audioguides take you on a one-hour DIY musical tour of his work. In the basement of another ‘hill’ is the…
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