Whilst on our Europe vacation package, we were fortunate to visit the old city of Bern which was not on our itinerary. We did a walking tour of Bern and managed to cover some interesting sights.
The city of Bern was founded in the 12th century and grew to into a rich trading centre. In 1848 Bern was chosen as the permanent capital of the modern Swiss state, a position it proudly holds to this current day.
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| Stadttheater Bern - one of the must see places in Bern |
According to wikipedia, the city of Bern proper begins with its founding by Duke Berchtold V of Zahringen in 1191. Local legend has it that the duke vowed to name the city after the first animal he met on the hunt, which turned out to be a bear. Both the name of the city and its heraldic beast, come from this legend.
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| Medieval Town |
Bears have a long association with the town, which has had a bear pit since the end of the 15th century. This is a popular Bern tourist attraction.
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| Bern bear pit |
This bear pit is just by the Aare river in an open park. A very popular Bern tourist attraction.
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| Easily spotted by the bear pit |
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| Story of the Bear Pit |
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| One of the bridges |
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| Reminiscent of a medieval town |
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| Overlooking the river |
The Old City of Bern is also the medieval city centre of Bern, Switzerland. Having retained its medieval character, the Old City is home to Switzerland's tallest cathedral as well as other churches, bridges and a large collection of Renaissance fountains.
If you walk around the medieval town of Bern, Switzerland's capital, you will come across a series of eleven 16th century fountains with colourful figures which are considered landmarks of Bern. If you do not see any fountains, you have not been to Bern.
Some pictures of the fountains which are part of the Bern tourist attractions.
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| Close up of the Moses fountain |
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| Moses fountain |
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| Simson fountain covered snow |
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| A medieval Bern fountain - Ogre Fountain |
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| Ogre Fountain |
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| Zahringer (or Bear) Fountain, Bern |
Another Bern tourist attraction and one of the most recognisable features of this city, the Bern clock tower is known as the Zytglogge tower. This landmark medieval tower was built in the 13th century and used to be a prison as well as a guard house. Found in the old city of Bern, look out for the 15th century astronomical clock.
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| Zytglogge, the landmark medieval clock tower in Bern |
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| Artwork at the Zytglogge Clock Tower |
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Zytglogge
Bern Clock Tower |
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| Bucherer - to collect our souvenir spoon |
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| Another clock tower |
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| Founder of Bern statue |
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| Sights along our walking tour of Bern |
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| Neogothic style Church of St Peter - another Bern tourist attraction |
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| Beautiful view |
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| A medieval beast |
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| Near where the Christmas market was held |
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| Lovely... |
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| Colourful souvenirs |
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| A stall at the Christmas market in Bern |
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| Munster of Bern, a Gothic cathedral |
The Munster of Bern is the tallest cathedral in Switzerland.
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| Einstein House |
Bern tourist attraction:- Einstein House
This is the apartment where Einstein lived from 1903 to 1905 in Bern. It is now a museum. This was where Einstein wrote his first theory on special relativity.
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| Dungeon |
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| An apartment |
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