It's All About Bern!

 (A multi-part recap of my recent September trip to Switzerland.)

Last day of the tour!

I awoke alone in my hotel room, feeling quite a bit better.  I'd retired early and the long night of sleep had helped immensely.  Chiming clock bells outside my window rang the morning hour.  Time to shower, mask up ('cause I was still Covid positive) and go have some breakfast.

Genuine Swiss clock tower

Before walking through the hotel's breakfast buffet, I doused my hands with a liberal amount of sanitizer.  After making my selections, I chose an empty section of the dining area before unmasking to eat.  Kim joined me and sat at the table's far corner.  We had plenty of time that morning, as our city tour wasn't scheduled to start until 9.

Bern's train station

On tap for the day was a walking tour of Bern with a local guide.  Our tour group assembled outside of the hotel minus at least one person, a man from Wisconsin, whose wife said he felt too ill to join today's activity.  Although he hadn't yet tested for Covid, his wife suspected he'd been taken down by the same crud that had afflicted at least three other tour-mates.

My view, while taking up the rear

But masked up and ready to go, I was feeling pretty good, except for an annoying drippy nose.  As the group started off down the street in front of our hotel, I placed myself at the rear and dutifully kept my distance.

Modeling the latest in Covid fashion accessories

First stop was a visit to Bern's huge train station.  Because everyone leaving town tomorrow was traveling by train, our guide Tony wanted to be sure we all knew how to find the station.  Similar to Zurich's station, it had multi levels with plenty of shops selling everything a traveler could want, and then some.  It also featured a huge electronic board, listing all the arriving and departing trains.  Our local guide pointed out one area of the station where a medieval defensive wall and clock tower foundation had been preserved.  I also learned Bern had the second largest railway station in Switzerland (behind Zurich, of course.)  

Enjoying city views behind the Parliament building

After everyone oriented themselves to Bern's railway station, our next stop was the Swiss Parliament building.  After following a circuitous path through several cobblestoned streets, we came upon a wide walkway atop a high bluff.  Several buildings had their backsides facing this fantastic overlook of the city and Aare River, one being the Parliament building.  This lovely sidewalk snaked behind a row of government offices with a large plaza strategically sited at the best viewpoint.  A small funicular ferried people from the river banks below up to this viewpoint.  You know the Swiss, every city must have at least one funicular!

Every large Swiss city must have a funicular!

Situated on a peninsula formed by a bend of the Aare River, the medieval city of Bern was founded around 1191, and two decades later joined the Swiss confederacy as one of the eight early cantons.  As the city grew and expanded, protective walls encircling homes and businesses were moved and rebuilt.  Today, Bern's metro area extends far beyond the river-bound peninsula, and this former walled-in portion of town is known as the "Old City."

Bern river views

Bern is known as the "de facto" capital of Switzerland.  Chosen in 1848, Bern got the nod because of the desire not to concentrate all the power in Zurich or Lucerne.  Also, it's central location gave better proximity to Switzerland's French-speaking Cantons (states.)  However, the Swiss constitution doesn't define Bern as the official capital of Switzerland, only the seat of government.

Parliament building

An interesting tidbit about the Swiss government - it has a seven-member executive branch.  No one person has absolute authority, it is shared amongst seven councilors.  These councilors work together to make decisions about governing the country.  One member of this council is elected as the ceremonial head of the confederation, aka the President.  This person serves a term of one year, at which time another council member is elected and assumes the duty.

Just like the US, the Swiss also have a two-house parliament.  Both houses represent the cantons (states.)  With the 200-seat National Council, seats are distributed in proportion of each canton's population (like the US House of Representatives) and the 46-seat Council of States has two representatives from each canton (like the US Senate.)

Large town square in front of Parliament building

Our group wasn't able to explore the inside of the Parliament building, but we did pass through an arched walkway between it and the neighboring building.  We emerged onto the street adjacent to Parliament's front door and followed our guide onto the large public plaza situated in the middle of a business district.

Parliament building - front view

This granite-paved plaza fronting the Parliament building was known as the "Bundesplatz."  And the Swiss called their Parliament building "Bundeshaus."  I marveled at this stately structure, built of native sandstone.  The facade was decorated with grand sculptures, and it's green dome reminded me of many US Capitol buildings.

Beautiful fountain

Speaking of sandstone - all the buildings in Bern's Old City had been constructed using a unique gray-green Bernese sandstone, quarried locally.  In 1405, a devastating fire broke out in Bern, destroying most of the wooden buildings in town.  After this disaster, wishing to avoid a repeat, city leaders rebuilt the town with stone structures of similar styles, all using this Bernese sandstone.  As our group left the Bundesplatz and wandered down an adjacent road, I noticed row upon row of tan, cookie-cutter buildings, each nearly a copy of its neighbor.

Bread booth

We passed through another linear plaza, where merchants were setting up booths for some sort of outdoor market.  The bread booth made my mouth water, not only from the smells, but also because of the sight of so many yummy baked goods on display.

Lots of transit options in this busy city!

With a population of 133,000, Bern is the fifth largest city in Switzerland.  It's metropolitan area population is around 600,000.  With so many people and the desire to keep portions of the city car-free, Bern has developed quite an extensive transit system.  A fleet of electric buses, light rail trains, and streetcars could be found on every major street.  And all of these modes of transport appeared to be heavily used.

Käfigturm Tower

Not only is Bern Switzerland's "seat of government" it's Old City is a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site.  This is because the city's mostly intact medieval core of stone buildings have survived the centuries.  Bern city leaders have provided many excellent examples of incorporating modern elements into this medieval city.  Our group passed by one example, the Käfigturm Tower.  Constructed as a gatehouse to one of the city's first medieval walls, this landmark tower was used as a prison for many years.  Today, the tower has been modified with train tracks running through a large arch in the lower floors and a colorful clock adorning its upper reaches (It wouldn't be a Swiss tower without a clock!)

All the outdoor restaurants had blankets to keep diners warm

Past the prison tower, we continued through another large plaza adjacent to several restaurants.  The center was full of tables and chairs, obviously a popular spot to dine for lunch or dinner.  I noticed all the chairs had a blanket or furry cover on them, used to keep patrons warm on chilly evenings.  Apparently the Swiss like to enjoy a meal outdoors, and don't let cold temperatures stop them.

Our hotel facade 

The next stop on our city tour was - our hotel!  Although it was a Best Western (the American chain hotel name amused Kim and I....not very Swiss) the building had some interesting history.  It was one of the first structures in Bern to be built with reinforced concrete.  Also, Swiss labor leaders held many secret meetings here in the early 1900s.  

Ogre fountain backside

A block from our hotel, through a building called the "Kornhaus" (which apparently was used at one time to store grain) we emerged onto another wide plaza on the opposite side.  This one had a large, colorful fountain, one of many in Bern.  

The Ogre fountain

This fountain was known as the Kindlifresserbrunnen, translated to "Child-Eater" or "Ogre" fountain.  On the very top it depicted an ogre with a sack full of small children, in the process of swallowing one unfortunate babe.  As a mother, I found it to be very disturbing.  Our guide explained that this statue dated back to the 1600s and was probably created to scare disobedient children.

Backside of Zytglogge Clock Tower

Onward through another cobblestone street, past several more rows of sandstone buildings, to Bern's most famous clock tower of them all - the Zytglogge Clock Tower.

Wall paintings inside Zytglogge Clock Tower

The Zytglogge is Bern's landmark medieval clock tower.  In existence since 1220 it's name translates into "time bell."  This was one of the earliest public timekeeping devices, with a clock connected to a hammer that would ring a bell each hour.  The Zytglogge clock is one of the three oldest clocks in Switzerland.  In a country full of large, public clock towers, that's saying something!

Zytglogge Clock Tower

Before the great fire of 1405, the Zytglogge Clock Tower was used as a women's prison.  After being damaged by the blaze, the prison was abandoned and a clock and bell installed above the gate.  Over the centuries, an astronomical clock was added, as well as a group of mechanical figures.  A rooster, fool, knight, piper, lions and bears all put on a show at three minutes before the hour.

Another view of this Medieval clock tower

Sadly, our group didn't arrive in time to watch the mechanical figures do their thing.  But I did admire their detail and craftsmanship.  The astronomical clock was an amazing work of art too.

 

Animatronic close-up

The Zytglogge had another lovely clock on the opposite side of the tower.  Sadly it was flanked by a couple of ground-level tacky souvenir shops.  Inside the archway passing through the tower, our guide pointed out several large wall paintings, created centuries ago.

Impressive clock face

After firing off numerous images of the Zytglogge, I reluctantly pulled myself away from this grandest clock tower of them all.  I again took my place at the rear of our group as we walked down another street flanked by more identical sandstone buildings.  Colorful flowerboxes in the windows added a nice splash of color to the otherwise uniform facades.

All the window boxes were full of flowers

Next on our tour agenda was the Protestant Gothic cathedral called the Münster of Bern, another significant landmark.  I rounded a corner and there the cathedral sat in a large plaza, its elaborately intricate spire rising high into the sky.

The Münster of Bern

Built in stages between 1421 and finally finished in 1893, this cathedral's bell tower is the highest in Switzerland, at 100 meters (or 328 feet.)  The tower houses several bells, its largest having the distinction of being the largest bell in Switzerland.  This bell, weighing 10 tons and 8.1 feet in diameter, was cast in 1611 and is still rung every day.

Intricate carvings adorn the doorway 

Over the Münster's main doorway was a huge collection of Gothic sculptures.  The sculptures represented the Last Judgement, where according to the Bible, the wicked get separated from the righteous.  From further online research, I learned that the larger sculptures have been replaced by replicas (the originals reside in the Bern History Museum) while the smaller ones are still original.  

These carvings represent the Last Judgement

I gaped in amazement at these intricate sculptures above the cathedral's main doorway.  Zooming in to capture more detail, I took several images highlighting different areas of the artwork.  The above photo is just a small example of the sculpture's exquisite detail.  

And of course a bear - the symbol of Bern

Over one of the windows was a carved bear, which is the symbol of the city of Bern.  (Of all the Swiss city emblems I saw on this trip, I liked Bern's the best.)

 

Moses with Ten Commandments fountain

Such a grand cathedral building, I was hoping we could also see the inside.  Sadly, the Münster of Bern wasn't open at the time our group ventured by.  So we strolled around the adjacent plaza, taking in the grandness of the structure, and admiring the nearby fountain depicting Moses with the Ten Commandments.

Views behind the Münster (cathedral)

The Münster of Bern did have a lovely public park behind its plaza.  Called the Münsterplattform, it featured a series of beautiful, terraced gardens and a grand view of the Aare River.

Aare River and bridge

The city views weren't too shabby, either.

Münster (cathedral) spire

I got more amazing views of the church spire, rising skyward above the trees.

Pretty row of buildings

Münster - wide-angle view

After passing through the lovely Münsterplattform park, our guide led us around the cathedral's backside for another angle of this incredible building.

Our tour group listening to the local guide

Back onto another main street, our guide took us through one of Bern's main shopping districts in the Old City.  It was another several blocks of bland, tan sandstone buildings.  However, these buildings had rounded arches on their ground floors called "arcades" which housed covered walkways, the main purpose of which to shield pedestrians from rain, snow and sun.  At street level, a few slanted cellar doors sloped out into the roadway.  In medieval times, these cellars were used for storing wine.  The wine came from nearby Lausanne, which was then controlled by Bern.  

Some of these Medieval cellars now held shops

Nowadays, these cellars house small boutique shops.  A very unique location for a place of business!

The Rathaus (Town Hall)

Past the main shopping district, our tour leader ducked down a minor roadway, and led us past Bern's Rathaus, or Town Hall.

The Town Hall's lovely clock

This building was constructed from the local sandstone, and proudly displayed several ornate sculptures as well as a row of colorful crests below the roofline.  And naturally the Town Hall had a beautiful clock set prominently on it's facade.

Another fountain!

Bern boasted over 100 public fountains scattered throughout the city proper.  Eleven of these fountains were topped with colorful Renaissance statues.  The statues were created during the 16th century when Bern now a major city-state, was flush with money and wanted to show off its wealth.  

 

Vennerbrunnen fountain

One of these such fountains was located in the small plaza in front of the Town Hall.  Named Vennerbrunnen, it depicted a man carrying a sword and the flag of Bern.  This man was known as a Venner, and was responsible for providing peace and protection in his assigned section of the city.

Bern street scene

We were nearing the homestretch of our morning's tour.  Another wide, cobblestone street lined with more shops sloped steeply downhill towards the Aare River.  

Open channel water conveyance in the middle of the street

The lower portion of this roadway had open channels that conveyed water downhill.  I was really surprised to see an unfenced deep slot in the middle of a very busy pedestrian area.  In my former job as a transportation engineer, I would never have allowed such a huge trip and fall hazard to be located in a sidewalk or roadway area.  But in the US we have lots of lawyers, and I'm assuming things are way different in Switzerland.

River view crossing the Nydeggbrücke Bridge

We finally arrived at the Aare River, crossing over it via a spectacular stone arched structure called the Nydeggbrücke Bridge.

The Nydeggbrücke Bridge has an impressive stone arch

On the other side of the Nydeggbrücke Bridge was a local restaurant, our tour's final destination.  Before everyone went inside for a beer and conversation, Tony gathered us together to sing "Happy Birthday" to one of our fellow tour-mates.

Wishing a fellow tour-mate happy birthday

Then it was time for a beer and casual conversation about all things Swiss from our local guide.

Beer time!

Since I was sick, I didn't think drinking alcohol would be a good idea (sigh, missed out again!)  So Kim had to drink for both of us.  Judging by the size of the mug she was given, Kim handled her expanded duties just fine.  Sipping a glass of water, I sequestered myself to a remote table and watched the Q and A session from afar.

Kim's BIG beer

After our tour, we had the afternoon completely free to do whatever we wished.  Kim and I were both starving, so Kim suggested we have lunch at the same restaurant.  It proved to be a great choice - not only did we sit outside and enjoy stunning city views from our table, the food was delicious.  

No shortage of French fries here!

I ordered a sausage and German potato salad plate, and it was one of the best meals I had on my Switzerland trip.

My delicious sausage lunch

Tour-mates Karen and Cindy happened by and joined Kim and I at our table.  They didn't seem bothered at all to sit with a Covid sickie.  We ate, gaped at scenery, and relaxed in the midday sunshine.  It was such a beautiful day!

Lunch with friends is the best!

From our outdoor table, we could see across the Aare River into Bern's Old City.  The Münster of Bern's spire rose prominently from a sea of red-roofed buildings.  The morning clouds had mostly vanished, leaving a lovely blue sky.  A public walkway passed below our restaurant terrace, and I enjoyed watching people stroll by.  The sunshine and nice weather had brought everyone out in droves!

Fabulous city views from our table

More outstanding Bern views

After a long, leisurely meal we ladies finally decided it was time to explore more of the town.  The lower walkway we'd seen from our table looked inviting, so everyone agreed to go check it out.  The path passed by a huge depressed pit, which we discovered was home to some of Bern's most famous animals - the city bears.

One of Bern's bears - he looks less than thrilled

Since Bern's symbol is the bear, the city has housed live bears in a recessed pit since 1513.  This Bärengraben,or Bear Pit, was one of Bern's top tourist attractions.  Three bears resided in this bear park; Finn, Björk, and their daughter Ursina.  These lucky bears got to roam in a 65,000 square foot enclosure complete with grass, trees, underbrush, and a pond for swimming.  Today we were able to spot just one bear, and the furry guy looked less than thrilled to have a bunch of tourists staring at him.  After a few minutes, he lumbered off to seek shelter under some adjacent bushes.

Rooftop views

That was okay - the weather was fantastic, and there was much more of this fair city to enjoy.  After a quick photo op with Vicky, another tour-mate from Florida, I followed Kim, Cindy and Karen back onto the Nydeggbrücke Bridge.

Some of our tour-buddies

Trying to keep up with our tour earlier, I hadn't had the chance to stand on this bridge and really enjoy the fantastic river views from its high perch.  Now with unlimited time, I fired off image after image of cityscapes and scenery. 

Untertorbrücke Bridge 

I crossed the roadway to catch the view from the Nydeggbrücke bridge's opposite side.  Here I was treated to a great look at Bern's oldest bridge, the Untertorbrücke.  Built between 1461-89, it was the city's only bridge up to the mid-19th century.  For such an old span, it appeared to be in remarkable shape.

Rows of reddish rooftops

Not only the Untertorbrücke Bridge, I also noticed the steeple of the Nydeggkirche Church rising high above a cluster of red-roofed buildings.  An adorable Protestant chapel, this house of worship included a stunning Swiss clock on each side of its steeple.

Nydeggkirche church steeple

Looking back across the street, I spotted my pals standing along the bridge railing.  Raising my camera, I yelled at them to wave and smile.  Just before my shutter clicked, a bystander walked right into the frame.  Little did that lady know, she'd not only photobombed my picture, but months later her image would be included in an American blog!  I guess it's a good thing she had on a mask, her identity will forever remain unknown.

The gang getting photobombed

All four of us had really wanted to see the Münster of Bern's grand interior, so since it was on our way back to the hotel, we decided to drop by again and see if it was open.  Luck was with us because this time when we walked by, the stunning cathedral's doors were wide open.

Time to check out the Münster's interior

The Münster's interior was as impressive as its exterior.  It's ceiling soared high above the pews and altar.  Flying buttresses rose from each side.  Rows of colorful stained glass windows lined the walls and altar area.  These stained glass windows were considered to be the most valuable in Switzerland.  Some of them dated back to the year 1441.  The windows mostly depicted Bible stories, however one portrayed images of the Black Death from the 14th century.

Spectacular cathedral

A huge, ornate organ took up most of the cathedral's back wall.  Fairy new in contrast to the age of the Münster, it was installed in 1930.

Time for church!

After a long walk around the interior, we all took a seat in one of the front row pews and just started in awe at the altar.  After the morning's hustle and bustle of the tour, it was really nice to sit still for a few moments and just enjoy our surroundings.

A most impressive organ

However, the morning and afternoon's activities had finally caught up to me and I was starting to wear down.  Since I was fighting an illness, it was time to head back to my hotel room for a bit of rest.

Huge stained glass windows behind the altar

That evening was our tour's final activity - a group farewell dinner.  Since I had a contagious illness, the assumption was I wouldn't be allowed to join our group in the restaurant.  But since so many people had the crud, Tony arranged for the sick people to be seated in a separate area, so we could participate (and have dinner, since we had to eat somewhere!)  I really appreciated Tony for doing the extra work to ensure everyone was included.

Smile, you're on candid camera!

So that evening, for the very last time, our group gathered in the hotel lobby and walked together to a nearby restaurant.  I thought all us ill folks were going to be seated outdoors, but instead we were given tables in a glass-encased area adjacent to the main entrance.  The rest of the group departed indoors to an upstairs room.  Kim, not wanting to dine with a bunch of sickies, joined the main group.  I was left with three other couples in the area I nicknamed the "isolation tables."

Old City streetscape

Lucky for me, my tour buddies Tad and Sayumi were seated in the isolation area too.  They invited me to sit with them, and we had a great conversation with our meal.  The restaurant served a nice steak, but instead of a baked potato, the meal included French fries.  (I was discovering the Swiss liked to serve fries with a lot of unusual things.)

Colorful view back towards the Zytglogge

Bern had been a lively, interesting Swiss city full of medieval history with a modern vibe.  I'd really enjoyed my time exploring its clock towers, fountains, churches, and bear park.

Tomorrow Kim and I would head back to Zurich and spend the night before hopping on a plane for home.  I've got one final post from our last day in Switzerland, so check back soon for my trip's grand conclusion.