Sight Seeing in Medieval Berne
Visit the Real Old Europe in the Historical Capital of Switzerland
Jul 27, 2008
Designated an official UNESCO world heritage site, Berne boasts a complete medieval city nestled in a bend of the Aare River. Old city begins at the arches beneath the Zytglogge, an old stone clock tower complete with working puppets that dance on the hour. Americans are continuously more impressed, though, with the clock’s pissoir – a trough-and-screen just to the side where men can urinate on the tower wall. After all, how many cities are there where one can pee on history?
Medieval City
The old town also hosts a 15th century gothic cathedral, known as the Muenster, whose ornate steeple can be seen from anywhere in the city. The eaves are carved with grotesque gargoyles and the front door bears an intricate and disturbing woodcut showing the fates of sinners in hell.
Other attractions include the Einsteinhaus at Kramgasse 49, where the apartment once occupied for two years by famous physicist Albert Einstein has been converted into a museum about his life and works.
High above the city, on a hill across the river, an old cemetery has been turned into a beautiful rose garden (Rosengarten). This is the perfect final stop for visitors to get a bird’s eye view of the medieval town.
Historical Restaurant
Also in the old town is the Klötzli-Keller atGerechtigkeitsgasse 62. Eating at this basement restaurant is almost like eating in a subterranean dungeon, with its stone walls and arching ceiling, but the cool underground air is a welcome change for the summer visitor. One of the oldest continuously operating establishments in the city, the restaurant has been serving schnitzel and rosti (a Swiss dish similar to US hashbrowns) since the early middle ages. Although pricey, the quality food and historical ambience make it a worthwhile visit.
Bear Pit
The old city ends at the bridge crossing over the Aare to the bear pit, which has housed generations of Eurasian brown bears, Berne’s mascots. According to legend, the city’s founders held a hunt at the end of construction, vowing to name the new city after the first animal they found. They flushed out a bear, giving the city its name. Visitors can purchase fruit slices at a nearby kiosk to feed the creatures.
Mountains
Built in an Alpine valley, Berne’s most famous mountain is the Gurten, which is 858 meters tall. The best place to get photos of the entire mountain is the terrace of GrosseSchanze. The Gurten is accessible via cable car.
Traveling to Berne
Surprisingly for a capital city, Berne does not have a major airport, and its small one-lane air strip has often been swamped when the river floods in recent years. Foreign travelers are advised to arrive in Zurich or Geneva, then take the train to Berne. Not only is the trip faster, the sceneery, with rolling hills and mountains, is amazing.
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