Bern sights
Tourist
office +41 (0)31 328 12 12 www.bernetourism.ch
Arrival by train strongly recommended as autobahn
journey can be tortuous - UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site – ‘the world’s
most beautiful and relaxing capital city’ (Rough Guide) - unmatched
ambience - named after bears which can still be seen in 15th century
pits in new Bear Park – old bear pit
now a historic monument - compact old town close to station - 6km of medieval
sandstone arcades dating from 1405 when previous wooden buildings were
destroyed by fire - ‘the longest covered shopping promenade in the world’ - 'a beautiful order, a solidity, a gravity'
(Dorothy Wordsworth). 
Zytglogge (clocktower) (1530) with display of figures 4 minutes
before the hour - all cantonal distances are measured from here - excellent
guided tour available - ‘gorgeous’ views of River Aare - Gothic sandstone
cathedral (1421) with striking depiction of Last Judgement over entrance portal
- climb 270 steps (100m) to top of belfry for stunning view.
Tierpark Dahlholzli (Zoo) 031 357 15 15 Tierpark Bern - 2000 European creatures in natural woodland - some parts accessible at any
time.
Einstein Museum in
old town offers a fascinating view of the scientist who worked here http://www.bhm.ch/en/ausstellungen_sonder_04.cfm
Kunstmuseum (art gallery) 031 328 09 44 Switzerland’s oldest art
museum, works by Picasso, Hodler, Klee www.kunstmuseumbern.ch; largest Klee
collection in world is now housed in the new Zentrum Paul Klee outside the city http://www.paulkleezentrum.ch/ww/en/pub/web_root.cfm;
- over 20 other museums including such diverse
offerings as the Salvation Army Archive, Psychiatric Museum, Museum of Wildlife
and Hunting, National Archives, Rifle
Museum and Communications Museum housing world’s largest stamp collection. (BE)
By Sue
Poolman, May 2007. Updated by Julia Newton August 2011 and April 2016.
