A Brief Introduction to Switzerland's Low-Key Capital City of Bern

The City of Bern

We have traveled all over the Berner Oberland at this point on the Discovering Bern Series, but we haven’t traveled much further down the Aare River than Thun without leaving the Canton. While I still owe you a look around the fantastic town of Thun at some point soon, this week, we are heading to one of my favorite ‘big’ cities in Switzerland (dare I say, the world), the city of Bern.

Bern sits in a couple of big bends in the Aare, more or less in the middle of Switzerland. The city naturally serves as the capital of the Canton of Bern but also as the national Capital of Switzerland. As an administrative hub, the city has direct train connections from nearly every corner of the country and, chances are if you do enough traveling across Switzerland, at some point, you are going to pass through the city’s large train station sitting inside the UNSECO world heritage old town.

This week we head out on a brief walking tour of Bern’s old town center to give you an overview of the city. This is really just a jumping-off point. Bern is incredibly low-key for a national capital but still boasts excellent architecture, stunning scenery, and more to do than almost any other town in Switzerland. If you haven’t visited the city before, then this is definitely the walk for you. Even if you have, it is brief enough to fit between train connections and gives you lots of ideas for further exploration.

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You can follow along with our Bern City walk using this interactive map

Stepping Out of the Train Station Into the Past

A scale model of the Bern old town in the 19th Century

Today’s train station, mostly held underground, sits right at the edge of the old town. It replaced the majority of the two Schanzen in 1858. The result, climbing the stairs out of the station leads you right into the city’s fantastic medieval old town. Where you would need to wander quite a way from the train station in Zurich or Geneva to find the old town, Bern greets you as soon as you arrive.

The old town at the center of the city of Bern was founded in the 12th Century on a peninsula of land surrounded on three sides by the incised Aare River. This large meander bend of the Aare, one of several in the region, looks somewhat like a large tongue extending out. While the tongue naturally protected the city during the tenuous Middle Ages, it also limited the expansion of the city for centuries.

The confines of the meander bend and the need to defend the base of the tongue meant that the town had to expand in phases. Once the original town hit a critical mass, a new wall was constructed in the 14th century further down the peninsula and again in the 17th Century. By this point, the cannon (alongside Bern’s war mongering and expansionist tendencies over the previous centuries) required more substantial town defenses. In the place of the medieval town wall, two redoubts in the form of stars, the Grosse Schanze and the Kleine Schanze were built along the base of the peninsula giving the City State of the time ample protection from potential invaders.

Into the Old Town

Bern’s Altstadt or old town is a lovely collection of sandstone buildings, almost all of which have beautiful arcades. The arcades, or covered walkways below the first story of almost every building, give the city a lively vibe and make it a great wet weather option.

One of Bern's famous arcades along its main shopping street

Of course, if it is pouring rain, you may wish to take shelter in the arcades, and that is fine, but then I suggest you make this walk in reverse. We start outside the medieval town center with far less cover.

My preference, if the weather is fine, is to work your way back in time. Bern presents a micro-chasm of Switzerland and I find it fun to work your way back in time from present to past and back again. This requires less zig zagging and, if you ask me, it has the bonus of offering the best views of the city.

From the train station, we walk straight ahead along Christoffelgasse, that was once the location of the medieval town wall, to the park at Kleine Schanze. The park represents some of the last remains of the star forts that once buffered the town center.

While portions of the lovely park at Kleine Schanze with it’s spectacular fountain are currently under construction (expected to be complete by summer 2025) you can still sneak around the side of the park straight down Christoffelgasse to get to Europapromenade, a path with benches along the sharp edge of the Schanze, with views of the Alps when the weather is clear.

Even if the weather is mediocre, Europapromenade offers a nice perspective on the southern edge of the city. You can see the Aare river curving around the old town and the Bundeshaus, our next stop. Across the river, the castle like Bernisches Historisches Museum (one of my favorite museums in Switzerland) just peaks out of the trees.

The views get even better as you cut to the left from Europapromenade onto the terrace behind the federal council and parliament buildings.

View from the Kleine Schanze looking down on Europapromenade and the Bundeshaus

Switzerland's Seat of Power

Switzerland's Parliament Building adjacent to the old town

Switzerland’s federalist system adopted in its 1848 constitution is largely based on the constitution of the United States. The Cantons act as independent states under a federal government responsible for inter-cantonal issues and foreign relations.

Switzerland’s federal government is made up of a bicameral legislature framed around the US Senate (with equal representation) and House of Representatives (with population based representation). The biggest difference in the Swiss system lies in the executive branch of government. Rather than a president and cabinet, 7 federal counselors share responsibility as head of state.

From the Kleine Schanze we head behind the offices of the Federal Council, to the the Bundeshaus, or Federal Parliament. The gilded renaissance revival parliament building, surprisingly regal for relatively poor 1900’s Switzerland, belies the fact that the Swiss generally despise big government and have traditionally tried to limit power at the highest levels as much as possible.

Much of the government power in Switzerland, for example for immigration, still lies with the individual cantons and communities (a stark contrast with its EU neighbors).

If the parliament is not in session, you can tour the building but even if you don’t go inside, it is worth it to linger a while behind the building. For the locals it’s a popular spot to take lunch or an after-work drink and, on a clear day, the views of the Bernese Alps are spectacular. I am still always a bit surprised when I visit to see people lounging against the back of the parliament building drinking a beer and enjoying the view… but perhaps this isn’t so shocking to the non-American crowd.

Cutting between buildings next to the Bundeshaus and up a small staircase, we are able to cross the street to the Bundesplatz and take in the Parliament from the front.

On the left side of the Bundesplatz when facing Parliment is the Swiss National Bank, Switzerland’s central bank responsible for Swiss monetary policy and issuing Swiss Bank Notes. In a country where banking is very very big business, this is the bank that rules them all.

During the summer, when there is no concert or other event going on, the wildly expensive (albeit beautiful) tiles of the Bundesplatz host a 26-jet water fountain, representing each of Switzerland’s 26 Cantons. In the winter it is an ice rink.

Back in Time a Few Centuries

Continuing down Bundesgasse past the Bundeshaus, we eventually hit Casinoplatz and the Bern Casino. While there is no gambling here, the casino has a classy restaurant and hosts events and concerts including most of the performances of the Bern Symphony Orchestra.

A right turn takes you across the high bridge over the Aare to Bern’s Museum District which I highly recommend exploring if you have a bit more time. While I have yet to explore all the museums here, the Bernisches Historisches Museum is great and offers a diverse collection on the history of Bern through the ages, (currently) a cool exhibit on the Bronze age, and an entire floor dedicated to, arguably, Bern’s most famous resident, Einstein.

Our walk skips crossing the bridge and instead makes a slight jog to the left, around the Casino, to continue making our way down the peninsula on Herrengasse.

Past the Casino we finally enter the medieval old town and make our way back about 500 years by the time we reach our next stop, the Berner Münster, Bern’s 15th century Cathedral. It's generally free to enter the cathedral (though it seems construction work as of late has led to some snap closures) and worth taking a peek around but, as in Geneva a few months back, Bern’s Münster was more or less stripped down to its bare bones during the Protestant Reformation.

The outside entrance to the Münster has been partially revived to its original fanciful state giving you a good sense of what the entire building must have looked like at one time.

The Münsterplatform, the large courtyard with views over the Aare just through the small gate to the right side of the Münster, was constructed around the same time as the Reformation. Recent excavations here have uncovered many of the original statues and finials from the Cathedral’s pre-reformation times, dumped in to help fill the courtyard.

I can’t say I have really given much thought to where all those decorations went after the Reformation swept across much of Switzerland in the 16th century but I suppose many of them are probably still around, not far from the churches from which they were stripped. If you are keen to take a look at the statues recovered from the Münsterplatform, you will have to make a visit to the Bernisches Historisches Muesum across the river.

Looking up at the Münster in Bern

The restored entrance of the Bern Münster

To the Bear Pit!

After sweeping around the Münster and the Münsterplatform, we continue down Junkerngasse towards the end of the old town. Along the way we get our first chance to peak into Bern’s famous arcades but this quiet residential section of the old town doesn’t really offer much in the way of things to see.

Perhaps the only exception to this is the Erlacherhof Mansion, a patrician house built in the mid-1700’s by the von Erlach family, one of Bern’s high society families. During the 17th and 18th Century, the family was made up of high-level military commanders in both Bernese and foreign armies as well as mayors of Bern.

Taken over by the French upon their invasion in 1798, the building eventually became the French Embassy. From 1848 until 1857, the house changed hands again and served as the first seat of Switzerland’s federal council before taking on its current role as the seat of the mayor of Bern.

Continuing down Junkerngasse, we run back into Bern’s main street, Nydeggasse as it is in this section, and follow it across the bridge over the Aare to reach Bern’s highlight attraction, the Bärengraben, opened in 1857. The oldest portions of the city can be found just below the bridge.

Until 2009 the dingy looking circular pit just at the end of the bridge was the only habitat for Bern’s living mascots, the European Brown Bear. Today the enclosure covers the entire hillside down to the river below and features woodlands and a sizeable swimming pool, a sight better than the previous accommodations.

Erlacherhof Mansion, seat of the mayor of Bern

Bears scavenging for carrots and other tasty treats in the Bern Bärengraben

The bears are regularly fed in the circular Bärengraben though giving you the opportunity to see them up close and personal every few hours during the day. If you don’t manage to get there at feeding time, you will more than likely have to peer down into the larger enclosure. Some of the best views are actually from the bridge itself.

Just up the relatively steep hill from the Bärengraben is Bern’s famous Rosengarten, with picture perfect views looking out over the city. Head here for the overview or, if you aren’t feeling up to the hill, just continue back over the bridge, this time staying straight on Nydeggasse.

Looking out over Bern from the Rosengarten on the hill

Bern's Main Street

Working your way up the cobble stone Nydeggasse (which changes names quite a few times as you make your way past the different squares) with its wonderful arcades, fancifully decorated facades, wonderful fountains, and cellar wine bars you get the true feel for the City of Bern. On a Friday or Saturday afternoon, this main shopping street is bustling offering a true city feel but, if you head out at an off-peak time like Sunday morning, you are likely to have it all to yourself (though most of the shops and restaurants will be closed).

Working your way up the street you pass a few notable sites including the Einstein House turned museum and the well-known Bern Zytglogge clock tower built in 1405 which puts on a show at the top of every hour.

The Zytglogge forms the town gate from the second phase of Bern’s development and passing through it sees you into Kornhausplatz, the site of the former defensive wall and moat.

Looking up the main street in the Bern old town

The Kornhausplatz hosts a couple of notable attractions. A quick right turn will bring you to the Kindlifresserbrunnen, or Child Eating Fountain which has been serving as an effective parenting tool since the 1500’s. Just behind the fountain lies the Kornhaus. In the 18th Century, this building severed as a grain storage but today it hosts an exhibition space and posh eatery that is regularly considered one of the fanciest in Europe. Just beyond the Kornhaus is the well-appointed Bern Stadttheater.

Looking up at the Zytglogge which performs on the hours

Past Kornhausplatz, main road jogs and becomes the narrower Marktgasse. I find this a good stretch to use the arcades and peak out at the buildings. Frequent busses and trams in this section of the old town make it a bit more of a headache to walk on the street.

Marktgasse empties into Bärenplatz (the location of the first Bärengraben) through the turreted Käfigturm. This marks the edge of the third phase of Bern’s construction. Regular markets fill the Bärenplatz making it hard to see but there are actually a couple of towers along the edge of this square which have now been incorporated into homes and businesses. The clearing of most of the city defenses to the south of here made room for the Bundeshaus. A right turn into the Bärenplatz takes you to the Mandelbärli store, selling Bern’s signature almond pastry in the shape of a bear.

From Bärenplatz, our introductory walk passes through Spitalgasse (the continuation of Marktgasse), past the baroque 18th Century Heiliggeistkirche, Church of the Holy Spirit, to the train station where we started our walk.

Some of the sights of Kornhausplatz

The Kindlifresserbrunnen in Kornhausplatz

The Hidden City Wall

Even if you intend to continue on to one of the many activities in Bern at the end of this walk or do a bit of shopping, it’s worth it to take the escalator down into the train station from here.

In proper Hidden Switzerland fashion, right at the bottom of the stairs are the excavated remains of the old city wall, uncovered during expansions of the train station. I am shocked every time I walk through the Bern station how much history lies just beneath our feet and I have a feeling you will enjoy it as well.

Old remenants of the city wall undgerground in the Bern train station

We hope you enjoyed our visit to Bern. If you enjoyed this week’s visit, check out the other articles in our series One Year: 26 Cantons where we visit all 26 of Switzerland’s Cantons in 2024 and Discovering Bern, were we tour our home canton. Stay tuned for additional articles on our Swiss travels every week!

Until next time, gute Reise, and feel free to leave a comment on one of our social media platforms!