City of Fountains & Capital
Bern is picturesque with irresistible charm and a rather small capital city with its well-preserved medieval architecture. It is very easy to get around and all the main landmarks and sights are within walking distance.
Travel
From Lucerne, a pleasant and smooth one-hour train ride.
…and here we are in Bern, the Capital City of Switzerland.
Bern Old Town
The Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the heart of Bern, located high on a cliff with the sparkling emerald waters of the Aare River flowing from 3 sides.
All the main landmarks are in this part of the city, with numerous fountains, the Clock Tower, impressive bridges across the river.
Its arcades house a plethora of unique shops and stylish boutiques. One special feature of the Old City are the bars and restaurants in the vaulted cellars – in the past, the sandstone cellars were used to store supplies, now they’re filled with bars, cafes, ateliers, or second-hand shops.
Bern old town
There are 4 main streets running east from the central station:-
Spitalgasse, Marktgasse, Kramgasse and Gerechtigkeitsgasse.
Kramgasse Street
When walking you would think it is one long road, when in fact one street turn into the other which you would not notice. Kramgasse is the main street and is home for the clock tower and the most famous fountains.
Zytglogge Clock Tower
This is one of the most famous landmarks in Bern. In the 12th century, it was first a fortified guard tower, then a prison, a lookout and fire observation tower, and finally a clock tower.
Every hour, on the hour, something unique happens in Bern: medieval figurines appear from the Zytglogge to perform a show.
Right before the clock strikes the hour, a crowing rooster announces the start of an entertaining spectacle. Bears dance their hourly routine, a jester jokingly signals the hour too early, the quarter-hour chimes are heard from the tower, and Chronos, the god of time, turns the hourglass. The golden figure of Hans von Thann finally strikes the hour in time with Chronos’ swinging scepter.
Zytglogge Clock Tower
The Astrolabium, the astronomical calendar clock, with its slow but precise moving hands. The discs of the Astrolabium are arranged above the Clock Tower’s entrance. Both fixed and rotating spheres form an exact replica of the constellations with the earth in the centre. Sun, moon and stars circle our planet in the orbits.
The complex display of the northern hemisphere always shows the current zodiac sign, the moon’s phase, the time of sunrise and sunset, and the date. Frescoes of the five planetary gods from Roman mythology adorn the space above the Astrolabium.
Tip: Arrive several minutes before the hour to get a good spot and have your phone or camera ready on a tripod to catch the fun performance, it can get very crowded.
Fountains
Colourful figures, skillfully crafted pillars and detailed decorations – those are the characteristics of Bern’s fountains. The medieval works of art were once important meeting points for locals and still form an essential part of Bern’s image.
The most famous of them all are the 11 Renaissance fountains in the city center, dating back to the 16th century.
The fountain close to the Zytglogge clock on Kramgasse is called the Zähringen Fountain. The statue is a bear in full armor, with another bear cub at his feet. The bear represents the bear that, according to legend, Berchtold shot on the Aare peninsula as he was searching for a site to build a city. The armored bear carries a shield and a banner, both emblazoned with the Zähringen lion.
Zahringen Fountain
The cool water flowing from their spouts is drinkable and free for everyone.
Bear Pit
The Bärengraben, is an enclosure housing bears, situated at the eastern edge of the old city of Bern, next to the Nydeggbrücke (bridge) and the River Aare. The Bärengraben is a Swiss heritage site of national significance and is of particular significance in Bern because the bear is a symbol of both the city and surrounding canton, and is featured in their coat of arms.
The Bear Pit, situated near the Rosen Garten, is free and the place to see bears (or Baren in Swiss) right in the heart of the city.
When we visited we were fortunate to see one of the 4 bears wandering in the open as most of the time they sleep in the forest part of the enclosure.
At the bottom of the enclosure there is a scenic walk along River Aare.
Käfigturm
The Käfigturm is a Baroque tower with a clock at the top and is part of the UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site of the Old City of Bern. The original tower was built as a gate house during the second expansion of Bern in 1256. The tower was demolished in 1640 and completely rebuilt immediately thereafter.
A beautiful architecture and nowadays trams pass directly through the arch where the city gate used to be.
Käfigturm Tower
After strolling at leisure the picturesque streets for 3 hours, it was time to wave goodbye to the Capital City of Switzerland. A very satisfying and enjoyable day visiting 2 beautiful and very clean cities.
Bern Station Square