So much more than chocolate, cheese and watches
"Wow, it's like something out of Hansel and Gretel!" (Hansel and Gretel - Wikipedia) exclaims the young girl beside me as she looks around taking in cobbled streets, fairy tale clocks and a multitude of colorful arcades that are bursting with shoppers, diners and those, like me, just out to sightsee.
She pulls her mothers to one of the novelty stores and is clearly wide-eyed with delight just looking at everything.
If thinking of Switzerland (Switzerland - Wikipedia) makes you think of chocolate, cheese, Swiss watches and a yodelling damsel, then think again.
This country has a lot more to offer in the way of culture and heritage.
Bern
Just take the city of Bern, for instance, the capital of Switzerland.
This has to be one of Europe's most beautiful, medieval cities. And it's an explorer's paradise. The city of Bern Bern( Bern - Bing - Travel) was originally founded by a German Duke in 1191. When it came to finding a name for it, however, he was at somewhat of a loss. He decided therefore to leave it to chance.
He organised a hunting party and decreed that the first animal they killed would lend its name to this new city he had founded. That animal was a bear (Bern). Today, the symbol of the bear is used everywhere – including on the city's flag (city's flag Swiss - Bing).
The Bear Pit
This has to be one of Europe's most beautiful, medieval cities. And it's an explorer's paradise. The city of Bern Bern( Bern - Bing - Travel) was originally founded by a German Duke in 1191. When it came to finding a name for it, however, he was at somewhat of a loss. He decided therefore to leave it to chance.
He organised a hunting party and decreed that the first animal they killed would lend its name to this new city he had founded. That animal was a bear (Bern). Today, the symbol of the bear is used everywhere – including on the city's flag (city's flag Swiss - Bing).
The Bear Pit
Of course you shouldn't miss the real bears in the Bear Pit (bern bear pit - Bing images). Young and old will find the antics of the bears quite amusing and as you look on, you'll notice the bears playing to the attention of the crowd and you wonder, just who is studying whom!
Since the 16th century, the city has had a bear pit (or Bärengraben), and you can easily find it at the far end of the Nydeggbrücke (Nydeggbrücke - Wikipedia) within walking distance of the center of town.
You're welcome to feed the bears bits of fruit, though rest assured they get well fed and never go hungry. Not surprisingly, the Bärengraben (Bärengraben - Wikipedia) is one of the city's most popular attractions.
Since the 16th century, the city has had a bear pit (or Bärengraben), and you can easily find it at the far end of the Nydeggbrücke (Nydeggbrücke - Wikipedia) within walking distance of the center of town.
You're welcome to feed the bears bits of fruit, though rest assured they get well fed and never go hungry. Not surprisingly, the Bärengraben (Bärengraben - Wikipedia) is one of the city's most popular attractions.
The city of Bern was actually built in three different parts, at different times during the centuries, and the streets were formed in the shape of a cross.
Life in those days took place mostly outside and for the people of the day, their focus was on the church and the government, hence the holy significance of the streets being formed into crosses (Christian cross variants - Wikipedia). These days the city has a population of 130,000 and a total of 300,000 citizens in the greater Bern area. It was made the capital of Switzerland (capital of Switzerland - Bing) in 1848.
The Zytglogge
Life in those days took place mostly outside and for the people of the day, their focus was on the church and the government, hence the holy significance of the streets being formed into crosses (Christian cross variants - Wikipedia). These days the city has a population of 130,000 and a total of 300,000 citizens in the greater Bern area. It was made the capital of Switzerland (capital of Switzerland - Bing) in 1848.
The Zytglogge
And one of the capital's most famous buildings has to be the Zytglogge (Zytglogge - Wikipedia), or clock tower. This dates back to 1210 and is one of the largest in the world still working. It has moving puppets which are themselves worth seeing. But the clock has its own history too.
The tower was once used as a prison (Women in the criminal justice system (prisonreformtrust.org.uk)), but only for women – and only for those caught having love affairs. With priests, no less. The priests, as a punishment for their sins, were castrated after they were discovered. It's been recorded that the city was set on fire once during the middle ages by several of those women taken prisoner. Their anger was unleashed on the town in a series of arson attacks.
The tower was once used as a prison (Women in the criminal justice system (prisonreformtrust.org.uk)), but only for women – and only for those caught having love affairs. With priests, no less. The priests, as a punishment for their sins, were castrated after they were discovered. It's been recorded that the city was set on fire once during the middle ages by several of those women taken prisoner. Their anger was unleashed on the town in a series of arson attacks.
Placement of Tower
The placement of the prison in the clock tower, right in the heart of town, was a very deliberate one. This was to act as a warning to would-be offenders. The prison was there in front of them every day to remind them of where they could end up, should they decide to break the law.
Tours of the clock tower (Switzerland Holidays 2021 & 2022 - Tailor-Made from Audley Travel) are available weekdays at 2.30pm. You'll notice that two main colors are used on the door--black and gold. Their use is deliberate. The black reminds us of night and the gold reminds us of daylight hours. Both are used together to remind us of the Big Bang (The Big Bang Theory - Wikipedia) when the world was begun.
Signs of the zodiac are depicted on the clock too, a reminder of the mystical aspects of creation. The Clock Tower was designed by Kasper Brunner (Talk:Kaspar Brunner - Wikipedia), who actually began his career as a German weapons specialist.
The Old Town
Signs of the zodiac are depicted on the clock too, a reminder of the mystical aspects of creation. The Clock Tower was designed by Kasper Brunner (Talk:Kaspar Brunner - Wikipedia), who actually began his career as a German weapons specialist.
The Old Town
But the Clock Tower is only one of the buildings you'll see in the Old Town.
Buildings have been beautifully preserved in this fairytale setting. It's not for nothing the city has been designated a Unesco Cultural World Heritage sight. (Jodrell Bank Observatory - UNESCO World Heritage Centre) Walking is the best way to see everything--nooks and crannies and hidden alleyways wait to be discovered almost everywhere you look.
Buildings have been beautifully preserved in this fairytale setting. It's not for nothing the city has been designated a Unesco Cultural World Heritage sight. (Jodrell Bank Observatory - UNESCO World Heritage Centre) Walking is the best way to see everything--nooks and crannies and hidden alleyways wait to be discovered almost everywhere you look.
Oldest Bridge
And of course no old town would be complete without an old bridge – the oldest in town actually dates back to 1260. Naturally, old buildings abound, but note the one just after you come over the bridge from visiting the Bear Pit.
You'll see that one building is only 2 windows wide (What are Standard Window Sizes? - Size Charts - Modernize) and when the town was built, it was a requirement that every buidling be just that size so there'd be no difference between rich and poor. These days that regulation doesn't apply and several buildings are much wider than this. Restrictions do apply however as to how high the building can be – no more than 4 stories. Outside of town, not surprisingly, many buildings can reach up to 15 stories.
Cobbled streets
Cobbled streets
Cobbled streets (cobbled streets switzerland - Bing images) are everywhere, as are ornate covered arches. It's thanks to these 6 kilometers of arcades that the old town can boast having one of the longest covered shopping promenades in Europe (longest covered shopping promenades in Europe - Bing). So even if there is bad weather, that doesn't need to stop you being outside. The arches protect shoppers and diners alike and it even has a romantic feel to it, so go ahead and enjoy!
The Muenster
Check out one of the most ornate buildings, the Minster, or Muenster (Münster - Wikipedia). Here the story of the Last Judgement (Last Judgment - Wikipedia) is depicted in beautifully crafted artwork.
The door has 238 figures on it, much gold leaf is used and the craftwork dates back to the end of the 15th century. It actually took 350 years to complete the whole Gothic-style church – quite an undertaking! Amazingly, the stained glass
is original, except for the panels on the right hand side of the door, which have been replicated.
Albert Einstein
The door has 238 figures on it, much gold leaf is used and the craftwork dates back to the end of the 15th century. It actually took 350 years to complete the whole Gothic-style church – quite an undertaking! Amazingly, the stained glass
is original, except for the panels on the right hand side of the door, which have been replicated.
Albert Einstein
Another claim to fame that Bern can boast, is being home to the German-born physicist Albert Einstein (Albert Einstein - Wikipedia)
It was here that the genius worked out his Theory of Relativity (Theory of relativity - Wikipedia) while being employed as a clerk at the Bern patent office. For this he received the Nobel Peace Prize (Nobel Peace Prize - Wikipedia).
And the man was brilliant for sure, but also quirky. It's been said that he never wore socks, not even when he was a lecturer at the university. He worried about getting holes in them, knowing he wouldn't be able to darn and repair them himself! For that he decided no socks (Happy Socks - Colorful Socks For Men, Women & Kids. Buy Cool Design Socks Online!) were better than holey socks.
But his personal life was also full of holes, it seems. He had an illegitimate daughter with the woman who was later to become his wife – Mileva. She took the daughter to Serbia and nobody knows what happened to her after that. Einstein later married Mileva and they had two sons together but Einstein eventually left her and married his cousin.
Statue of a child is being eaten
Throughout the city you'll see fountains, each one different from the one before and all brightly decorated and preserved. Not all are cheerful – note there is one where a child is being eaten! (statue of a child is being eaten - Bing images) All 11 of these were built by Hans Gieng (Hans Gieng - Wikipedia) between 1540 and 1548.
And if you're thirsty, go ahead and drink, the water is deliciously fresh and perfectly safe.
But if you want something stronger than mere water, then look for some of the wine cellars open to the public, some of which will lead you underground. One well-renowned cellar in the city had a long story behind it that said only an unmarried woman could own the property. The decree dated back to the 16th century. A few years ago, a man and a woman bought it and said that nobody could find an unmarried woman (Old-fashioned term thornback for unmarried women over 26 goes viral (and people are loving it) | Daily Mail Online) to buy it - so they had no choice but to buy it themselves. A good excuse!
It was here that the genius worked out his Theory of Relativity (Theory of relativity - Wikipedia) while being employed as a clerk at the Bern patent office. For this he received the Nobel Peace Prize (Nobel Peace Prize - Wikipedia).
And the man was brilliant for sure, but also quirky. It's been said that he never wore socks, not even when he was a lecturer at the university. He worried about getting holes in them, knowing he wouldn't be able to darn and repair them himself! For that he decided no socks (Happy Socks - Colorful Socks For Men, Women & Kids. Buy Cool Design Socks Online!) were better than holey socks.
But his personal life was also full of holes, it seems. He had an illegitimate daughter with the woman who was later to become his wife – Mileva. She took the daughter to Serbia and nobody knows what happened to her after that. Einstein later married Mileva and they had two sons together but Einstein eventually left her and married his cousin.
Statue of a child is being eaten
Throughout the city you'll see fountains, each one different from the one before and all brightly decorated and preserved. Not all are cheerful – note there is one where a child is being eaten! (statue of a child is being eaten - Bing images) All 11 of these were built by Hans Gieng (Hans Gieng - Wikipedia) between 1540 and 1548.
And if you're thirsty, go ahead and drink, the water is deliciously fresh and perfectly safe.
But if you want something stronger than mere water, then look for some of the wine cellars open to the public, some of which will lead you underground. One well-renowned cellar in the city had a long story behind it that said only an unmarried woman could own the property. The decree dated back to the 16th century. A few years ago, a man and a woman bought it and said that nobody could find an unmarried woman (Old-fashioned term thornback for unmarried women over 26 goes viral (and people are loving it) | Daily Mail Online) to buy it - so they had no choice but to buy it themselves. A good excuse!
Trips outside Bern
Trips outside of Bern to any one of Switzerland's beautiful cities or even its alpine regions (Regions of Switzerland (myswissalps.com) are easily done on the train, and major cities are only a few hours from each other.
From medieval towns to breath-taking brisk mountains scenery, a trip to Switzerland and all it has to offer is not to be missed.
Getting There
Trips outside of Bern to any one of Switzerland's beautiful cities or even its alpine regions (Regions of Switzerland (myswissalps.com) are easily done on the train, and major cities are only a few hours from each other.
From medieval towns to breath-taking brisk mountains scenery, a trip to Switzerland and all it has to offer is not to be missed.
Getting There
One of the best ways to get to Bern is to fly with Swiss Airlines (Book more flexibly and fly carefree | SWISS). Even if you arrive in a city other than Bern, you can take a train trip to the capital. Most stations are surprisingly close to Bern. Trains (Swiss Federal Railways – Everything for your mobility | SBB) are comfortable, punctual (don't be late!) and frequent. Alternatively, there's the PostBus (PSR-TBUS | Phoenix Contact | EU Automation (UK)) which recently celebrated 100 years in operation. The trip on the bus, just like the train, is well worth it for the scenic views you'll get on the way to your destination.