Bern is for Bear

The city of Bern 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. According to the legends of the city, he decided then to leave it to chance. He organized 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.

Of course you shouldn't miss the real bears in the Bear Pit. 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 near 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 is one of the city's most popular attractions.

Exploring Bern

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. 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 in 1848.

Clock Tower and Prison

One of the capital's most famous buildings has to be the Zytglogge, or clock tower. This dates from 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, 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 placement of the prison in the clock tower, right in the heart of town, was very deliberate -- 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 are available weekdays at 2.30pm. You'll notice that two main colors are used on the door--black, and gold. The black reminds of night and the gold reminds of daylight hours. Together they remind us of the Big Bang when the world was begun. Signs of the zodiac are depicted on the clock too, a reminder of the mystical aspects of life. The Clock Tower was designed by Kasper Brunner, who began his career as a German weapons specialist.

But the Clock Tower is only one of the buildings you'll see in the Old Town. Buildings ave been beautifully preserved in this fairytale setting in a city that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Albert Einstein -- Everything is Relative

Another claim to fame that Bern can boast, is being home to the German-born physicist Albert Einstein. You can visit his former apartment which has been turned into a museum. It was here that Einstein worked out his Theory of Relativity while being employed as a clerk at the Bern patent office. Although often cited as the work for which he won the Nobel Prize in Physics, in fact according to the Nobel Foundation that administers the Prize, Einstein won the coveted award in 1921 for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect."

And More

No old town would be complete without an old bridge - the oldest in town actually dates back to 1260. Naturally, historic buildings abound but note the one just after you come over the bridge from visiting the Bear Pit. You'll see that one of them is only two windows wide. When the town was built, it was a requirement that every building be only two windows wide, so there would 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 reach 15 stories.

Cobbled streets 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. 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!

Check out one of the most ornate buildings, the Muenster Cathedral. Here the story of the Last Judgement is beautifully depicted. 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 church which was built in the late Gothic style. Amazingly, the stained glass is original, except for the panels on the right hand side of the door.

Rose Garden, located near the Bear Pit, is well worth the visit for its scenic panorama view of the medieval city. Throughout the city you'll see fountains, each one different from the one before and all brightly decorated and preserved. All 11 of these were built by Hans Gieng between 1540 and 1548.

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.

Trips outside of Bern to any one of Switzerland's beautiful cities or even its alpine regions in easily done on the train, and major cities are only a few hours from each other. From medieval towns to breathtaking brisk mountains scenery, a trip to Switzerland and all it has to offer is not to be missed.